Back when I got pregnant with Kaleb, I started reading the parenting books. I read and read and read and read some more when Kaleb came along. And while I was glad to be more educated, I realized something: those parenting books stressed me out.
Each one had a different theory on how to get a baby to eat, sleep, poop, stop crying, etc. One would tell me, "You must have your baby on a schedule." And another would say, "A schedule? Just go with the flow." One would tell me that breast feeding was essential to your baby's good health. Another would say that formula is just fine.
I found myself constantly worrying about whether I was doing things right. I was freaking out if Kaleb wasn't on the same schedule every day and analyzing his poop to make sure it looked okay. Does this sound familiar?
Eventually I came to this conclusion: Do what works for you and your kid. If your parenting book, best friend, sister, or even your mom has a different opinion, IT'S OK. Just do what works for you and your kid.
By all means, still read the parenting books and ask for the opinions of those around you. But in the end, the choice is all up to you. Life was so much nicer when I realized that!
3 comments:
Someone told me this same thing when my baby was very tiny. I didn't pay much attention to the advice, but once I became overwhelmed (like you) I remembered what she said. It's still nice to have guidelines, but I find some kind of pleasure in ignoring the rules sometimes. Who cares if my baby started eating solids way before everyone elses?!
My favorite response to unwanted/unwarranted advice: smile and nod. You don't have to agree, but it's no use arguing. My two kids are so very different in so many things, how on EARTH could one set of advice work for both of them? Guidelines are good to start, and then it depends on the child.
Amen to that! There were some things that having those guidelines was nice to have, but then my little one was so different from some others. I guess that goes to show that there are almost as many theories as there are kids out there.
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