When Will My Baby Sleep Through the Night? What I Wish I Knew Sooner
Our daughter, who’s about to turn one, slept through the night for the first time ever last night.
And honestly? It felt like a milestone worth pausing for — not just for her, but for me too. Because after walking through so many sleep struggles with our firstborn, I knew I needed to share a little something for any mom out there who might be feeling exhausted, defeated, or just plain confused about sleep.
The Unexpected Struggle
When our first daughter was born, I expected the first couple of months to be hard.
What I didn’t anticipate was struggling with sleep for a couple years.
It was rough.
I kept hearing that she should be sleeping through the night by now. But despite our best efforts, the rough nights kept coming.
Late-night drives.
Car seats swinging.
A whole lot of second-guessing.
Honestly, I was so stressed that I pictured her still needing a car seat to sleep in her teens 😂.
The Pressure to Meet Expectations
Because of all the pressure I felt from worldly expectations, there were many nights when I was way more frustrated than necessary.
Sometimes I held off giving her a bottle, even though that was clearly what she needed — because I had read somewhere that she shouldn’t need it anymore.
I created so much unnecessary stress by resisting her needs in order to meet some imaginary standard.
I wanted to do everything "right," but what I failed to recognize was that children aren’t one-size-fits-all.
Racking My Brain (And Why It Didn’t Help)
I kept asking myself:
What am I doing wrong?
Why do other babies sleep so well?
Why can’t mine just sleep?
We tried it all:
Sleep training.
Sound machines.
Pitch black rooms.
The “right” routines.
But then — sickness would hit.
A growth spurt would come.
She’d hit a major milestone.
And just like that... we’d be back at square one.
It took a long time.
But now?
She’s an incredible sleeper — at night and at naptime.
It just took time.
A New Perspective With Baby #2
So when our second daughter was born and similar patterns started to show up, I approached it with a little more hindsight — and a lot more wisdom.
When naps didn’t go perfectly or when the night felt extra long, I found myself repeating a phrase:
"She will eventually sleep."
Because here’s the truth: babies aren’t going to stay awake forever.
It may take a little while... but they will eventually sleep.
Trusting My God-Given Instincts
I stopped trying to force a one-size-fits-all method.
I stopped letting the Internet scream at me about what I had to do.
Instead, I leaned into my God-given instincts.
Because the truth is: what works for one baby might not work for another. Every child is different. And I’m the only mom my kids have. God picked me for the job — and I believe He gave me what I need to care for them well.
So when our second cried at night and needed comfort?
I comforted her.
Simple as that.
Wild, I know. 😉
But honestly, fear sells. And the world will use it to bend us to its demands.
As moms, we have to go back to the simplicity of how God designed motherhood — without all the labels, quick fixes, and endless checklists.
Those tools can be helpful.
But they were never meant to be idols.
Leaning Into Grace (Not Expectations)
In a world that demands systems, schedules, and instant results... Babies gently remind us to slow down. To lean into rhythms that shift and change by the hour. To trust God’s grace — fresh for today.
Because in motherhood, we learn what it really means to pray:
“Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)
We learn to live one day at a time.
Not panicking over tomorrow.
Not trying to fast-forward the season we’re in.
But receiving today’s grace, and trusting that it’s enough.
A Word for the Weary Mom
So to the mom who needs to hear it:
You’re not doing it wrong.
Your baby isn’t broken.
And you’re not failing.
Every baby is different.
And eventually — yes — they will sleep.
And you will too.
But in the meantime?
Don’t despair.
You don’t have to resist the needs of your child to meet some worldly expectation.
Instead:
Accept the grace that’s already there.
Extend it to your baby — and to yourself.
And take it one day (and one night) at a time.