Since we're now at baby number 5, I feel safe to say that we're in experienced parenting territory. And the longer I'm a parent, the less advice I can give. Because I've seen that what works for us probably won't work for you because so many dynamics are different. You can't take any credit for an "easy" baby, just as you can't take credit for any challenges that you encounter either.
Back when Luke was a baby, he had colic. Every evening from 4-11 p.m. he would cry. I listened to all kinds of advice, I read books, I prayed, I survivied. Of everything we tried, the only thing that worked was to endure it. So, what good was all the rest? If we had to do it over, we'd probably exhaust all of the same avenues again, but probably just have to endure it again too. All the support and advice availed us nothing. We just had to keep trying things and find a few things that eased his pain a bit and then get through it. I do have more sympathy for other parents with challenges though. Something an easy baby doesn't teach you.
Then there's sleep. Our babies have been consistently bad sleepers. Light sleepers. Wake-up-3-times-every-nap sleepers. And no advice, tricks, methods, or books have been able to change that. It's just been something that we have had to adapt to in our family as normal and act accordingly.
On the other hand, we've had good eaters. Now they do think that Scorpion Sauce is "picy", and I have one boy who can't handle some textures, but overall they eat what we eat and they don't complain (very much!) I can take no credit for this either. It's just the way things are.
Lately my evening routine has consisted of nursing baby until she's full, taking her out into the sun room where I bounce gently on the rebounder for 5-10 minutes to get her burps up, and then go back and finish nursing her until she's finished. Who would have told me about trying that routine in a parenting book? But, it works. If I try other things, she just cries and fusses. If I try to end the nursing session early, she cries and fusses. So, I do what makes the baby go to sleep, and that's what she likes! People ask if she sleeps through the night. No, she doesn't. And I don't plan on her doing so for another year or more at least. Because after 4 kids, it would be unrealistic to even dream about such a thing. In fact, I don't plan on getting a full nights sleep ever again. It'll be teenagers, and then menopause and then old age. And none of those stages are good at getting a full nights sleep either. And that's okay too. Because if there's one thing I've learned... you can get by on a lot less sleep than you think you can! Your health may suffer, but you'll survive!
Our 3 year old has also been falling asleep on the living room floor after everyone goes to bed each night too. And it's fine. Because if he's in the bedroom, then he's pestering the older kids (and remember I'm endlessly nursing a baby at this time) and if he's in our room (where we have a little bedroll for him so he doesn't crash in on us when he awakes in the night) then he keeps Greg awake. If he's alone in a room then he's lonely or gets into mischief, so, he falls asleep on the floor and then I move him to his bed when I go to bed. And it's all okay.
Greg recently told me about a coworker of his who never had his own bedroom (or bed) during his whole childhood. He was on the younger end of a large family (in America!) and slept on the couch his whole childhood. And now he's a well-adjusted man now, doing fine. This helped me be okay with doing what is best for right now, even if it is unconventional. Sometimes I feel like I am doing my kids a disservice by keeping up certain standards, but sometimes I think I'm doing them a favor by doing the same things. Make any sense?
All in all, most things are no big deal. Do what works and change as necessary. That's my advice. Dr. Sears says, "Do whatever it takes to get the most people in the house the most sleep." Yep, so true in many other categories too.
My Grandma Kurtti used to say (when you were out and about with a baby), "You're the Mom who goes home with that baby." In other words, Mama knows best. If Mama knows that baby hasn't had a nap or is fighting a cold or whatever, then Mama (and Dad) need to make the decisions accordingly. Not everyone else who has an opinion but doesn't have to deal with the consequences of that decision.
Another thing she'd say was, "Babies do best at home". I try to remember that, and God has also tried to teach me that, much as I'd like to run here, there and everywhere.
