Getting Your Partner on Board

“My husband doesn’t like the idea…”

We’re living in a different world from the one our parents grew up in, and the traditional gender roles that permeated society in their generation are becoming more and more obsolete every day. However, as moms, we’re still very much expected to take the driver’s seat when it comes to our babies.

That means, more often than not, we’re the ones getting up at night when baby starts to fuss.

If that means that we’re getting up ten times a night to tend to a crying baby, we’re often the first ones to hit a breaking point and suggest sleep training, which can meet with mixed reactions.

Some husbands are on board from the get-go. They love the idea of a well-rested baby, uninterrupted nights with their partner, and all of the other benefits that come with a little one who sleeps straight through the night.

Unfortunately, with all of the hysteria and misinformation that’s been generated by the irrational opponents of sleep training, some are hesitant, unenthusiastic and, sometimes, downright resistant.

Now, if you want evidence that supports the safety, effectiveness, and benefits of sleep training, I’ve got a boatload of it. You can find some in my blog, on my podcast, or any number of various scientific studies, so I won’t bother to go into those any deeper in this article.

However, as I’ve come to realize, all the scientific evidence in the world isn’t going to convince someone who doesn’t want to be convinced. There’s an emotional side to the argument and it’s completely understandable. We don’t respond well to the sound of crying babies, and there’s a natural instinct to prevent it.

Here’s the thing; lack of sleep isn’t any better for you than it is for your baby. Let your partner know that you’re exhausted and that you don’t feel you’re able to function optimally as a parent, spouse, or human being when you haven’t slept.

A lot of mothers I’ve consulted have actually admitted to feeling inadequate for wanting their kids to sleep through the night. Others worried that their partners would feel that way.

I find this scenario especially prevalent in stay-at-home-moms, who feel that because their baby is their “sole responsibility” that they should be able to handle some nighttime wake-ups.

I usually respond to that suggestion with, “If you worked an eight or ten hour day at your regular job, seven days a week, and your boss called and woke you up six or seven times a night, every night, how long would you last?”

So here’s a potential strategy if you’re battling with your significant other over the idea of sleep training. Tell them you want to give it a shot for a week. Just one week. But add the caveat that you both have to strictly adhere to the program for that week. No throwing in the towel unless you both agree to it.

By the time that week’s over, you’ll have no problem convincing your partner that you’ve made the right decision. The vast majority of my clients see massive improvements inside of three nights, and almost everyone who adheres to the program has their baby sleeping straight through the night, or very close to it, within a week.

We all love to be great at what we do, and a lot of people perpetuate the myth that, in order to be a great mother, you have to give up your own well-being. I contest that truly effective mothers are the ones who are well-rested, emotionally balanced, and able to respond to the many challenges of motherhood with calmness, consistency and patience, which is a tall order for the sleep-deprived.

If you’re ready to get your baby sleeping through the night, The Sleep Sense Program is the perfect approach. It’s helped over 109,000 parents to teach lifelong sleep skills to their little ones, and comes with a no-questions-asked, 100% money back guarantee. You’ll be amazed at the difference a well-rested baby (and a well-rested mama) will make in your life.