Something About Parachutes, Education, & Cluster Feeding

Tonight I sit in my daughter's nursery in my hand-me-down glider chair, keeping a close eye on my sleeping little girl in her very pink rock-n-play. I can't lie and tell you today has been an especially easy day.

For the last five days I've been sick. Sneezy, snotty, hacking, hot mess. No doubt a consequence of only five - seven hours of sleep on average a night, with the hours in various clusters. Because of knowing I needed more sleep, I threw off the baby's schedule (sleep training is hard to establish and so easy to wreck), and thus re-establishing it has been a struggle.

So that's my foundation I'm walking on. Then, throw in a thrush scare (still don't know if it's actually thrush), an inability to self soothe, cluster feeding, and fearing a fever, this mamma is on high alert, exhausted, and perhaps a bit overwhelmed.

BUT, I know the answers to all of the above challenges-- or at least the tips, tricks, and options to overcome each challenge.

I know this because I made myself as educated as possible, and am still trying to learn and understand the best methods of health, wellness, development, and parenting tactics.

Let me be up front with you. Parenting can be real scary, real hard, and incredibly draining (It's also beautiful, rewarding, and a real privilege, but, I digress). Especially if you're scrambling for answers, reactions, and responses. If you don't have a tool, tip, or trick in your belt, how can you solve a foreign challenge with a very tiny newborn who can communicate by screaming?

Your baby will only sleep in your arms, and you haven't had more than a two hour block of sleep since your baby is born. What do you do?