My husband is underway, I’m still not working yet, so my mind is left to wander a lot... and I’ve discovered these two common recommendations for babies and come to realize how contradictory they are... so humor me lol

1) At this age, babies cannot cry it out because they haven’t developed pattern recognition yet. Therefore a baby cannot realize that crying = attention. So the cry it out method is discouraged. BUT we are told to establish routines and schedules for babies at this age. So, if babies can’t recognize patterns, then why is it so important to establish schedule routines with them? For example without that recognition, how does a baby realize that bath, jammies, story, and crib = bedtime? Yet, this is encouraged.

2) We are told that a baby’s “routine” should be eat, play, sleep. It’s considered bad to let a baby fall asleep eating, and stay asleep after a bottle/nursing. This is because you don’t want to associate sleeping and eating and develop a dependency on nursing to sleep. Because they say that’s bad sleep habits. BUT at this age a baby still wakes up 2-3 times a night to eat. Then said baby is WIDE THE FUCK AWAKE because you’ve taught your baby to stay awake after bottle/nursing.

Someone help me understand?! Can y’all tell I’m sleep deprived? 🙃

Me: left alone to my thoughts while nursing the baby at night...