Chasing Dreams and Changing Diapers

Chasing Dreams and Changing Diapers

Monday, February 21, 2011

Is he sleeping through the night?

I find now that I have a baby the question on everyone's mind is "Is he sleeping through the night" with a judgmental tone and how I answer "no" is then followed by sufficient judgment about my parenting skills and overall skill as a mother. Its annoying and unnecessary. However who I was expecting the question rightfully from but not expecting the subsequent judgment was my pediatrician.
Pediatrician: Is he sleeping thru the night?
Me: (calmly) No
Pediatrician: (agitated) What's his longest period?
Me:(frantically thinking) Uh 4.5 - 5 hours?
Pediatrician: (really agitated) Well that's no good at all is it? He should be sleeping at least 8 hours.
I said nothing. I left with my tail between my legs but then when I got home I was really peeved. What I have heard from my friends who have been in the trenches of motherhood is that - breastfed babies take longer and boy babies take longer and well I have a breastfed boy so I have just agreed to be in for the long haul. What my doctor should have said was "What is the nighttime like" or "How is the nighttime going" to which I would have responded "Well, he's down for twelve hours with two wakings". Which is pretty darn good. And now its down to one waking so I think I am doing really good Mr. Pediatrician. I vow to never ever ask a new mom "Is he sleeping through the night?". Cause no one wants that baby to be sleeping through the night more than the mother herself, so really what business is it of mine?

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