In the early months with my neurodivergent baby, I discovered firsthand that the challenges of parenting go far beyond what most parenting books describe. The sleepless nights seemed endless—sometimes I was up every thirty minutes. Add hours-long cluster feeding, and my days blurred into a constant cycle of exhaustion. I envied other parents who could meet friends in cafés while I barely had the energy to shower. Like many parents, I felt overwhelmed, isolated, and unsure if I was doing it “right.”
When the nights improved to waking only once an hour, I thought: “Surely now it will get easier.” But just as I found a rhythm, new challenges arose. My baby had grown heavier but still wanted to be carried all day, rejecting the stroller and crib.
It felt like a never-ending loop: the sleep struggles faded, then came eating battles. The picky eating stopped, but tantrums began. And just when family life seemed calmer—bam!—a fresh developmental leap would turn everything upside down.