Working Mom Success

My husband and I both work full-time outside of our home. If it were not for Babywise and the subsequent -Wise series, I would be a crazy person. We started BW from the get-go, and both kids STTN between 3-4 months…which seemed long for BW standards, lol. I physically cannot imagine being back at work for longer than a few weeks without a full night’s sleep. Let’s just say that I am an 8-hour kind of girl. To this day, my husband does the majority of MOTN checks.

The things that make working parents and BW successfully go hand in hand are consistency and routine. We were fairly strict with Eat, Wake, Sleep from birth. Of course, there were exceptions and flexibility, but we placed a lot of emphasis on starting off as we intended to go on. Hardly any naps are missed and bedtime is hardly ever pushed back. That does not mean you cannot be succesful if you are more flexible, but for us, we try to meet those standards the majority of the time. Our kids know those times are almost set in stone and non-negotiable.

I see so many sleep-deprived co-workers nearing the 6-12 month mark after returning to work, and their babies are still not STTN. It is also a temptation to budge on bedtime to spend more time with your children after being at work, but we have seen such a positive effect on our children from getting the maximum sleep possible and staying on a routine. The time that we do have is much higher quality when they are well-rested. BW also enabled us to give very specific instructions to our sitters, and our kids thrive even while we are away at work because they know what to expect and when. 

I do have to add that I think a large part of our success has also been due to the ability to keep them at home with a sitter. We do not have to wake them to get out the door early, and they nap in their own beds every day. We’ve also been able to incorporate BW principles, like roomtime, that would not be possible in most daycare settings. 

I am so thankful that BW helped us lay the structure and routine that has contributed to my kids being so well-rested and well-adjusted, despite my physical presence at all times. It helped us, especially as first-time parents, and also made communication with our sitters very effective. BW has given me peace of mind and made me a happier mom.

 

Bethany

http://thegracefulmom.com/

4 thoughts on “Working Mom Success”

  1. I couldn't agree more! When I came back to work and I told someone she was sleeping 12 hours, there was a gasp from the group, "that is unheard of." Nope, it is just BW!!!

    Reply
  2. Yup, ditto! My co-worker has a 6 mo old and she still doesn't sleep consistently through the night. My little girl slept through the night on and off from 8 weeks and consistently after 12. She's now 14 months and has only ever woken up at 4 AM once, when she was really sick! I tell EVERYONE about this blog.

    Reply
  3. Same here!!! My baby was sleeping through the night at 11 weeks, and started just 3 days before I went back to work. I was SO relieved! So many other teachers have little ones who still get up at 1, 2, and beyond!!! One even has all 3 kids in her bed and gets up multiple times with them. Can you imagine?? And yes I also recommend this blog to all who will listen!!! 🙂

    Reply
  4. I think you said it perfectly. "The time that we do have is much higher quality when they are well-rested." The excuse that all of us use sometimes is that we want to spend more time with our kids, but then much of that time,whether it's during naptime or a later-than-normal bedtime, is spent disciplining or just going nuts because the kids are too tired and should be in bed. Wish I could convince people of this.

    Reply

Leave a Comment