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Judgey wudgey was a ... mommy?

We're getting ready to make some serious sleep transitions in this household - LO is rolling over actively and she just doesn't seem comfy in the Rock N Play all bundled up.  I'd gotten some advice on how to smooth the transition, but thought I'd float a request out to a new mommy group I belong to on facebook.  I specifically asked for advice on how to make the transition out of swaddle and into crib.  I proceeded to get some choice non-advice such as:

-  "once they can roll over they shouldn't be swaddled."
-  "I don't even know what a rock n play is."
-  "Mine never slept in the rock n play."
-  "Mine never liked the swaddle."
-  "We never used anything special to get them to sleep."

Grrr.  Especially to the first one, who added a smiley face.

Basically, my post had become a place for these new mommy's to pass judgement and talk about themselves without providing any real advice.  Because they would NEVER keep these sleep associations going past the recommended developmental milestones!  God forbid one does something to keep the baby asleep and the family sane!

I have met many of these mommies in public.  The baby wearing exclusively breastfeeding co- or crib-sleeping born to be mommies.  They say things like, "you know that's not an approved sleeping device," and "food before one is just for fun."  I am so curious to meet their husbands and partners, honestly, because sometimes I wonder who would want to procreate with these judgey bears.

It was this kind of judgement that made the first few weeks of new baby so hard to begin with.  When breastfeeding didn't come immediately, or naturally, I swore there was something wrong with me.  Fast forward five months and we feed like champs!  When my baby wouldn't nap, I blamed myself - I still do.  Was she over tired?  Not tired?  Hungry?  Teething?

Parenthood is so hard, and the best advice I ever got was to do what works.  So we're doing what works.  And googling the rest.

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