What they fail to recognize is that our babies just spent nine blissful cozy months in our womb. They come out wanting nothing more than our touch and comfort. They need to be close, feel our warmth, hear our heartbeat, and be on our breast.
What babies don’t need is to be wrapped up in the newest swaddle, placed in the best bassinet, and left to figure out this new world on their own. If we focused more on how biologically normal our baby’s wakings are, how they have a constant desire to breastfeed, and how they yearn for touch, we would have a lot of less mamas wondering if something is wrong with their baby. We need to teach mamas to expect less from their babies. If your baby won’t sleep unless you hold them and breastfeed them 24/7- and cries as soon as you put them down- congratulations, you have a normal baby! Nursing a newborn is difficult and tiring (oh mama it is hard!), and it’s okay to lose your mind, but don’t think for a second that your baby isn’t normal. I promise you mama you will sleep again. It might not be tomorrow or even in the next couple of months. But just know you’re not alone and there are many mamas up at 3 a.m. yawning just like you.
**This story was written by Melissa Ostroth of Milkitivity. Follow her journey on Facebook and Instagram.
