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By Karabo Motsiri Mokoena

Writer. Conversationalist. South African Mommy Blogger,Content Producer


WATCH: This mom is all co-sleeping moms everywhere

Sleep deprivation is every mom's reality and when you have more than one child, the struggle is real. 


Every expecting mom gets very similar advice from other moms: you will never sleep again. This doesn’t sink in until the baby is here. 

Navigating sleep challenges when you are a new mom is difficult. When you have other children, it becomes rock and roll, doing everything and anything you can to try to get a restful sleep, although you are required to wake up a few times in the night. 

Mommy blogger Melanie Darnell of Fit Momma 4 Three shared a video of her nighttime routine with her children. In the video, she is seen trying to help her infant and toddler sleep. Melanie is co-sleeping with her youngest and at 1am her toddler comes to her bed to get some snuggles. 

Like the gentle parent she is, she cuddles both of them, sacrificing her comfort for the kids. 

Her video is the most popular on Met Daan Magazine, getting 20,000 shares from parents who can relate. 

Oftentimes, parents are advised to sleep train their children, but textbook parenting does not work for everyone. In most cases, parents do whatever they can to help their kids and themselves get some sleep. 

Will kids ever outgrow co-sleeping?

Co-sleeping is the easiest go-to strategy that helps parents and kids get a good night’s sleep, although there might be the occasional moments of waking up. When the family is ready to send the kids into their own rooms, this is a journey on its own. 

Kelly Scott-Stephenson commenting on the video says: “I still have an eight year old and sometimes a 14 year old in my bed. I guess sometimes they don’t grow out of it.” 

Other parents, however, are dead set against co-sleeping. Suzy Cope, another person who commented on the video, added: “I don’t understand how people think to co-sleep. They are causing trouble for themselves and the baby will never be independent!

When it comes to sleeping with your tots, it’s different strokes for different folks. 

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