By Doula Jen

Just a quick update on the family I’ve been helping with sleep…

It’s working! 

Between my two shifts the parents experienced a couple of challenging nights, but also a very peaceful one! On my overnight, I stuck with their plan—bottle OK between 10 and 12, but not after.

I was completely amazed by how happy and certain the parents seemed compared to the previous week.  Their mission had become clear:  minimize habitual nighttime feeding—because Baby didn’t seem to want or need it anymore—without completely disregarding nighttime care.

With compassion and patience, Mom and Dad presented some gentle boundaries. I continued the process while there—making a brief but reassuring appearance by his crib for a soothing word and a quick back rub, avoiding a full wake-feed-rock. Sweet Baby Boy was able to remain restful, accept my responsiveness, and eventually wake in the morning—after a full night of sleep—smiling and ready for his morning meal. No bottle between 10-12 at all, and none after. No distress, just a happy baby growing up and moving on.

This was not something that I suggested to the family. This was not something that they embarked on based on research or peer pressure. They began modifying their sleep parenting protocol after catching on to Baby’s cues and—you know we always say it—trusting their own strong parental instincts. Hurray for these little Mom-Dad-Doula-Baby victories!

Stay tuned, friends. Welcome Baby Care will be providing further in-home sleep guidance and in-class sleep education in the near future.