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DeutschBaby Steps: Sleeping Through the Night
by Clementine Lue Clark
Along with many other parents of young children, I’ve been thinking about my baby, Alma, sleeping through the night.
One of the practical things we’ve tried to do is to stick to a nightly bedtime routine. We give her a bath, read her a story, sing a song, swaddle her, and say a prayer. Often the prayer is “A Verse for the Little Children” (Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellaneous Writings, p. 400):
Father-Mother God,
Loving me,—
Guard me when I sleep;
Guide my little feet
Up to Thee.
This prayer tells me that Alma has a direct relationship to God, who loves her—not through her human father or mother, but directly. God is protecting her every moment of the day and night, and her innocent childlike nature has the capacity to grasp this and demonstrate it.
I remember ending each night’s prayers with that verse when I was a child. My brothers and I even made up actions to go along with each line to help us remember it.
My husband and I say this prayer to help Alma—and ourselves—see that God is caring for her every moment of every day and night. When she was tiny and eating every few hours, I prayed to know she has all the spiritual nourishment she needs and that it’s sufficient to sustain her throughout the night. Alma is a crucial part of the family and fits harmoniously into it; this includes sleeping through the night.
At first, we kept strictly to Alma’s bedtime and her routine. As the weeks have gone on, we’ve traveled to visit family members, and her routine has been varied. The one thing that hasn’t changed, however, is her nighttime prayer.
If Alma does wake up a little earlier than normal, before running to her, I take a moment to say a prayer silently to myself. Often I say “the scientific statement of being” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 468). Last night, it was these verses from Proverbs: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov 3:5, 6)
I pray to know exactly what to do at that very moment. Often different things come to me, and I have to be open and humble to listen to them and act on them.
One of the things I’m learning from being a new parent is that things change all the time. Once I feel like I’ve learned what to do under certain circumstances, it changes! I’m so humbled to know that, as so many young mothers have before me, I can rely on scientific prayer to guide me through each decision that has to be made.
Today I’m grateful to know that Alma is indeed an active member of our family and playing her part in harmoniously demonstrating God’s love for each of us—night and day. And we can all sleep peacefully at the right times.
Donna Says:
I enjoyed this so much. Prayer is the answer to parenting.
Alma's Mummy Says:
thanks. I’d love to hear how other parents have prayed about sleeping through the night. ideas anyone???
Fiddy, Kenya Says:
ive enjoyed reading this, just to know that we are all governed by one Mind from the parents, the children and even family and friends.
all we have to do is humbly listen to that ’still calm voice’ which always has an answer.
thanks Clementine for this post and for your time besides your parenting schedule to be with us as we plan for the Kenya Summit.
Fiddy.
Alma's Mummy Says:
My pleasure!
Mallory Says:
Gorgeous baby!
Maartje Says:
Dear Clementine,
thank you for sharing your prayerfull strength with us! I have a one year old and he doesn’t sleep through the night without waking up about twice. My husband and I say him the same prayer every night before he goes to bed since he was born. What helps me coop with having to get up in the middle of the night is knowing that God gives rythm to everything he has created and however this rythm may be, no one can be a victim of it or suffer, since God is good. I have hardly felt tired and since the birth needed a daytime nap maybe about 5 times only – not often anyway. What I also learned in all aspects concering children is how important it is not to compare. Mothers tend to compare their children so often with others in well ment questions: Well, does he sleep through the night already? How many teeth does he have now? Does he already walk? Etc. This is of so little importance if we remember how unique and wonderfully made every child is! We can really thank God for trusting His son or daughter to us and for letting us watch the unfoldment of Life.
Much love to you and Alma!
Amy Says:
Great comment about not comparing! My daughter was a very early walker (7 1/2 months) and talker (8 months). It made my life easier because she could follow me from room to room without assistance and I like to chat.
There was a woman at our little toddler group who also followed me around…she wanted to know my secret–what I’d done to elicit this behavior. I thought it was funny. I hadn’t done anything. And I knew that all the other kids were going to catch up when it was right for them and it would be a level playing field. My daughter is not the best walker in the world even though she was one of the earlier ones. She is a good talker, though. 
What I love about what Clementine and you are sharing, Maartje, is how you use prayer as the foundation for how you think about your children. You’re going to reap huge blessings, no matter what stages the kids go through.
Alma's Mummy Says:
Thanks so much for this comment Maartje. I love to feel like I’m not alone thinking an praying through these things.
Isn’t it great that you haven’t felt tired. God is good.
Great point about not comparing. I met a child who was the same age as Alma and he was able to do so many more things on his tummy – when Alma showed no interest at all. That night I went home and was kinda concerned that she wasn’t at the same stage. I was reminded that God has a direct connection to each child and like flowers in a garden they blossom at different times in the season … (but they do blossom).
thanks again