Caring for Babies, Surrendering Sleep

Caring for Babies, Surrendering Sleep
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 by Becky Cerling Powers

Caring for babies I’ve always loved my sleep. And once I drifted off, I wanted to stay drifted off. I hated being woken up from sound sleep.

But then I began having babies. Who got sick at night. Who fussed. Who needed comfort at inconvenient times.

Being grumpy only made the situation worse, and anyway…

How could I be grumpy with a baby in distress and feel OK about it?

It was especially hard for me the year after our third child, Matthew, was born. We had
two preschool energizer bunnies and a new baby for me to keep up with during the day,
and my husband was frequently gone nights, traveling out of town with his work.

Even when Dennis was in town, we felt I should be the one to get up with the little ones
at night since he had to get to work in the morning. While I, theoretically, could sleep in.
We didn’t realize that an undiagnosed thyroid condition added to my tiredness.

Caring for Babies: Overcoming Sleep Deprivation with Gratitude

How could I hear that little wail, push my protesting body out of bed, and come up with the loving patience I needed to comfort my child?

First, a bachelor writer helped me.

C.S. Lewis advised his readers to be grateful to Jesus during everyday challenges. With his wisdom, I learned to pray when I heard that little wail: “Thank You, Jesus, for dying
on the cross to save me.”

“My little bit of suffering at getting up right now is nothing compared to what You did for me. Thank You for suffering for my sake.”

And then there were the nights – so many of them! – when the baby was sick and kept waking over and over.

That was when my mother helped me.

“‘All to Jesus, I Surrender’ makes a good lullaby,” she told me.

So I learned to settle down in the rocking chair with the baby and begin to surrender:

“Jesus, I don’t get many opportunities to praise you at 2 in the morning,” I’d say. “So, I’m
going to take this as my opportunity.”

Then I would sing that old familiar hymn:
All to Jesus I surrender (All? Even my sleep? Yes, Lord, even my sleep)
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

After I sang the surrender song, I’d begin singing praise songs to the Lord.

Over and over, time after time, the presence of God would fill the room.

I lost track of time. My fussy baby stopped fussing and fell dead asleep in my arms. But
I’d keep singing. It was so good to be in the presence of the Lord. To know His peace in
my chaos.

Then finally, sleepiness would overwhelm peace.

I put the baby back to bed, slipped into my own bed, and then – no longer irritated, no
longer upset, but still tired – I drifted off to sleep.

It happened many times, thanks to a song.

Here’s a story/journal prompt for you:

Is there a song that calms and speaks to you? When? Why?
Or maybe there is something that bugs you, something that happens over and over that
troubles you. Is this something you need to surrender to Jesus? Would the words to this
song help you think through that hurt, habit or hang-up?

Try writing and reflecting on it in a journal or notebook. It might be useful to include
the date, turn it into prayer and come back to it one day.

(Note: Judson W. Van DeVenter is the author of “All to Jesus, I Surrender.” His hymn is
in the public domain.)

Reprint with attribution only: https://beckypowers.com
For more parenting insights from Becky Cerling Powers see her blog at
www.beckypowers.com and her parenting book Sticky Fingers, Sticky Minds: quick

reads for helping kids thrive in the Bookstore

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