Sleeping Issues Reminisce

Hayaa's been sleeping for an hour masha'Allah. Her naps have extended to at least an hour for the past few days, and yesterday she slept 3 hours straight. I couldn't believe it, masha'Allah tabarakAllah.

I'm not sure how and why this sudden change has appeared, but it's quite new to me. Usually as soon as she's asleep, i'm waiting for her to wake up again. I remember those days of 15 minute naps. I would feel incredibly blessed if she slept for half an hour. SubhanAllah, we've come a long way.

Many of my girlies have recently had babies or will soon have them, and whenever I hear from them or see them, I think of my first few months with Hayaa. We had some interesting days. I do realize that much of it was because of the whole milk issue, I mean, I was drinking milk like crazy and unknown to me was that she was having a lot of trouble digesting it... but i guess some babies in general sleep little, cry a lot and nurse even more.

In my first few months, I hardly stepped out of doors, usually would be in my room. I'd sleep with Hayaa, stay in my PJs every chance I got (I didn't get that many chances, I do live with my in laws), complained when i wasn't wearing PJ's :p and felt like my whole world revolved around just feeding Hayaa and putting her to sleep, only for her to wake up 10 minutes later.

A lot has changed since then, alhamdulillah. I'm starting to feel like my old self again.. yes, about 7-8 months later.

I remember visiting a family friend of ours and her baby 2-3 months after Hayaa was born. Husband and I were so shocked when the couple were telling us how they hardly notice their baby, she sleeps like 12 hours during the day, and the common stuff at night. I remember thinking how unfair the whole thing is, authobillah. I shouldnt have, but sometimes these thoughts do occur in your mind. I think I even told husband that it's all his fault that Hayaa cries all the time, because he forbid me to give her a pacifier (some nurse told us that it's very bad at that time). I was totally wrong to do that. I feel ashamed to admit it, but Husband had to put up with a lot of my hissy fits in those days.

With the whole pacifier thing, qadarAllah, but he has admitted that it would have made our life a little more easier if we had used one and not listen to every nurse who gave us advice about how we handle our baby.

well, with every difficulty there is much more ease. alhumdulillah. I think it was after Hayaa was about 3 months that she started crying less, and now she even sleeps well and plays by herself. Things do improve. It helps to speak to other mothers. It helped me so much when i spoke to some of the other more experienced mothers..also, the prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam said:

'Wondrous are the affairs of a believer. For him, there is good in all his affairs and this is only for the believer. When something pleasing happens to him, he is grateful, and that is good for him; and when something displeasing happens to him, he is patient, and that is good for him"

(Muslim)

Alhamdulillah Allah swt has guided me to realize that every child is different and every situation comes with it's own strengths and weaknesses and alhamdulillah, Allah swt has eased my affairs.