Sleeping through the night?

While standing with and talking to two ladies after church tonight... I heard one (an older gentlewoman) ask the other (a mom of a 1.5 month old baby) the age-old question "is he sleeping through the night yet?" At first I bit my tongue, curious to to hear the new-mama's (NM) responses.  But after a few moments of watching her fumble through her wording, embarrassingly trying to figure out the best way to say no ~ without sounding like a "bad mom" for admitting her baby, is in reality.... normal ~ the NM finally confesses that none of her other children (this is baby #4) started sleeping through the night until they were over a year old... and this little guy was proving to not be any different. ~ This, was my cue to speak up.


So I ever so gently interjected, "If you really think about it, do you honestly sleep soundly. all the way through the night?"  Surprised, the gentlewoman responds with a chuckle, "Well, no I don't... but I reckon I also don't get up crying in the middle of the night."

Amused by her answer... I then shared with them, some wonderful words of wisdom - that [gratefully] another mom bestowed to me, shortly after KB was born....

"If you don't sleep through the night as a fully grown & competent person... then why should we expect any more of a baby? At least if we wake with a need, we are able to take action, and attend to it accordingly. A baby cannot.... and therefore cries, as a way of communicating it's dependence on you - it's care provider - in order to have those needs fulfilled.

With a look of amusement & contemplation.... she exclaims "well, I suppose I never thought of it that way!... but it does make sense!"  Meanwhile, NM's expression had now gone from total embarrassment to a joyful revelation. - It amazing how different things can become when you change your point of view. ~ As with a lot of things.... it's all in how you look at it (though I know it's not always easy to remember when you are sleep deprived...)! ;-)