The Scandinavian Way is to skip sleep training and lean into the least stressful and most flexible ways to get some rest, throughout the ever-changing childhood stages.
We’ve always bed shared with all three, and yes they loved to nap in their stroller outside. I think Russian and Scandinavian traditions are similar. Sleep training is traumatizing. It’s like crate training a dog. I would never.
Bed sharing makes it much easier if it works for all & if the kiddoes just won’t sleep in their own beds. I feel like in the US you don’t usually “get that option” so it feels like you can’t do it. The sleep training thing is tough: I do get parents who do it as pediatricians and many sleep consultants push it hard. And there’s no maternity leave - no year off work - and being sleep deprived is awful and so hard for health and even dangerous ie. for driving -- but I think flexibility to do whatever works that’s not too stressful for kids or parents would be such an ideal message for parents to get.
I LOVE THIS! And while I didn't do the outdoor napping - probably, b/c I hadn't heard of it yet when my kids were little -- I definitely leaned into bedsharing/co-sleeping w my little ones b/c it was (as you said) the easiest way for us all to get sleep. My youngest is now 17, and I think you're on to something: we Americans way overcomplicate a lot of things.
Thanks Jennifer!!! It’s was such an AHA! moment when I suddenly could do the outdoor naps & when I stopped trying too hard. I think mamas in America already have it way too hard compared to Scandi mamas especially so anything that makes life with littles easier would be so welcome - like you said, just simplifying things: do whatever is easiest for YOU!
I wish I had read this when I started having kids, but you know, I might not have believed it back then !! What did you end up doing? It all keeps changing all the time, so the good thing is that you can keep changing your approach from during the different childhood stages. How old are your littles?
4, 2, and 5 months! I thought I knew everything after the second and boy was I wrong! Our baby definitely keeps us humble 😂 right now we’re just following his lead while trying to stay sane during the day.
Wow yes!! I hear you & that’s exactly what happened with me. The only thing that helped me was fully leaning into that nonstop change & uncertainty though it’s not always easy but ended up being way less stressful for me!
We’ve always bed shared with all three, and yes they loved to nap in their stroller outside. I think Russian and Scandinavian traditions are similar. Sleep training is traumatizing. It’s like crate training a dog. I would never.
Bed sharing makes it much easier if it works for all & if the kiddoes just won’t sleep in their own beds. I feel like in the US you don’t usually “get that option” so it feels like you can’t do it. The sleep training thing is tough: I do get parents who do it as pediatricians and many sleep consultants push it hard. And there’s no maternity leave - no year off work - and being sleep deprived is awful and so hard for health and even dangerous ie. for driving -- but I think flexibility to do whatever works that’s not too stressful for kids or parents would be such an ideal message for parents to get.
I LOVE THIS! And while I didn't do the outdoor napping - probably, b/c I hadn't heard of it yet when my kids were little -- I definitely leaned into bedsharing/co-sleeping w my little ones b/c it was (as you said) the easiest way for us all to get sleep. My youngest is now 17, and I think you're on to something: we Americans way overcomplicate a lot of things.
Thanks Jennifer!!! It’s was such an AHA! moment when I suddenly could do the outdoor naps & when I stopped trying too hard. I think mamas in America already have it way too hard compared to Scandi mamas especially so anything that makes life with littles easier would be so welcome - like you said, just simplifying things: do whatever is easiest for YOU!
I wish I had this post 3 months ago!! 😂😂😂
I wish I had read this when I started having kids, but you know, I might not have believed it back then !! What did you end up doing? It all keeps changing all the time, so the good thing is that you can keep changing your approach from during the different childhood stages. How old are your littles?
4, 2, and 5 months! I thought I knew everything after the second and boy was I wrong! Our baby definitely keeps us humble 😂 right now we’re just following his lead while trying to stay sane during the day.
Wow yes!! I hear you & that’s exactly what happened with me. The only thing that helped me was fully leaning into that nonstop change & uncertainty though it’s not always easy but ended up being way less stressful for me!