Possums Baby Sleep Stories Competition: Entries 1-3

Thanks for everyone who has submitted entries for the Possums Baby Sleep Stories Competition. Our first entries are below.
 

Elisha's Story

From day one, Poppy knew what she wanted. She was very clear. Car seat? No. Pram? No. Play mat with glorious toys? Sometimes. But mostly no. Mum? Yes. Baby carrier? Yes. Boob? Always. Sleep? With you, thanks. 
The Possums sleep approach helped me know that from day one I could respond to her. I could give her what she was asking for. Contact and comfort. I didn’t need to delay my responses or break my connection with her by learning to ignore her distress, to train her to learn that at night I won’t come when she calls. 
Pre-baby I was a homebody. Post-baby, going out was (and is) easier to give Poppy the exciting world she is after. Cranky baby? Outside. Always outside. I knew I could get on with my day, and she could come along with me - where she’s always wanted to be - and she’d sleep when she needed. 
These days she’s in daycare and I’m in constant contact with the accommodating but mildly confused educators as to why I wouldn’t luxuriate in a 3 hour day nap (supported by a dark room and soft music). NO! I’d like that sleep at night thanks! 
I don’t carry her as much any more - she’s busy, I’m busy. This weekend she had a cold and we’d both had a rough night. I put her on my back and we went for a morning walk outside and within 5 minutes she was out like a light. She slept back there for 30 minutes, took the edge off and we carried on with our day.

Jodie's Story

I have the beautiful 4.5 month old Lilly. Like everyone else, I fell into the trap of rigid schedules and spending so much on sleep programs that were telling me to lay her down drowsy/awake, not to feed her to sleep as it was a bad sleep association, to only pat to sleep and to extend all naps - some even up to two hours. I started to get super anxious and I knew this wasn’t going to work for me or my baby. I found this program and thought, "I have nothing to lose!" Day 4 and I can already see just by following her cues that she has a large array of sleep needs that vary from day to day. Letting her tell me when she’s ready for sleep means less stress for both of us. Now I can walk the dog and she’ll have a nap, or we'll go out for coffee and I don’t rush home because she’ll just drop off to sleep in the café. I am now letting her take as much or as little sleep as she needs. We’re now getting a little bit more solid sleep at night too, with regular wakings for feeds of course, but no 3am parties! I feel my connection with her has grown even more because I’m not resenting her for not sleeping when a book tells me she should be. I'm no longer worried if she only slept 2 hours when another book says 4. I just want to say a huge thank you to Possums! You’ve made being a mother that little more enjoyable and less stressful. I now feel like I can actually live life with my baby and not be trapped in a dark room getting her to sleep for half the day! 

Melinda's Story

Our little sparkler, Finn, was three months old when we found the Possums clinic. We had been desperately encouraging him to take naps, which just caused us all immeasurable stress. After consulting with the Possums clinic, we went about filling his days with adventures and just letting sleep happen when he needed it. So we went about living life; going on little bushwalks, seeing family and friends, going to the shops, riding trains and taking planes. We showed him birds, dogs, cats, rabbits and turtles. We put our feet on the grass, in the water and on the sand. Finn thrives on seeing the world and the moment we knew we were doing it right was when he fell asleep on my shoulder after a big day as I was taking him through the household chores. Apparently even the chores were incredibly interesting for the little guy! He can now sleep anywhere, anytime and lives for the next day of adventures.

Please submit your stories (500 words max) to possumscomp@gmail.com. If you like, you can include an image to pair with your story. The winning story will receive a gorgeous Hug-A-Bub Organic Pocket Wrap Carrier worth $100.
Entries close at 5pm on Friday 31st July, 2020.

The Possums sleep program is now available inside Milk & Moon, our exciting new home for parents. Milk & Moon membership includes everything in the Possums Baby and Toddler Sleep Program, the Gestalt Breastfeeding Program, and the Parent Hub, plus many additional resources. We are no longer selling these products separately, but as an all-in-one plus much more membership through Milk & Moon.)