I was walking Isaac around in the carrier the other night, he has never been put to bed awake as most people seem to recommend... he happily falls asleep in the sling and then I put him to bed, not as much hassle as you would think, he's asleep in 10 minutes, and if he isn't we just go back downstairs again. And I was thinking... what a difference between my behaviour with him and with Reuben when he was the same age. And I thought I was being a responsive parent then as well. I had no idea. Isaac has never ever been left to cry, Reuben was put to bed from 6 months of age (he slept with me before then) and if he woke up it was expected that I go to him but then put him back in his own bed, sometimes up to 20 times a night... Exhausting for everyone, sometimes I wanted to just leave him...
So what made the enormous difference? Reading the Continuum Concept just before I gave birth to Isaac, I can't explain how much it changed me, I felt like someone was slapping me hard in the face at every page turn, thank you Jean Liedloff, thank you so much! There is nothing I have read before or since that has had such a bit impact on me as a mother, it resonated with me as a human animal, as a mammal, I got it completely and felt very silly for understanding how far we have moved away from our natural continuum. A year and a half later I can see the benefits that this outlook has bought to my family and feel very grateful to all the hippie mommies who recommended it to me.
Jean Liedloff (1926-2011)
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