Parenting

I have recently felt the way that all parents come to at some point or another... Overwhelmed!
I have been praying and studying a lot lately, church doctrine and parenting educational stuff to find out what I can do differently to make things change, or at least to know that what I am doing is the right thing to be doing with Maudie.
Mainly, the problem lies with sleep.  And many good intentioned people who have parented before and have raised good kids have told me different things to do and how to combat this issue.  Along with the advise in the parenting education that I have found, the advise that I get from our friends and family and all the other good intentioned people always differs.  Sometimes, it is completely opposite of what the last person said or the last book suggested.  Some telling me to let her cry it out, others to never let her cry it out, some saying to put her to bed later, others, to put her to bed earlier.  And these differing opinions coming from trusted, beloved and respected people or books written by well educated doctors.
After feeling this way, I came across to humorous blog posts that I thought I should share, two different women who described when they were going through similar feelings: How to get your baby to sleep through the night by two and New mom's take on expert sleep advise. 
While reading the scriptures today, I came across something that helped me feel somewhat better and after that the inspiration kept coming.  I love it when the Lord gives us exactly what we need to hear, even if it isn't Specifically "do this and not that".  [On a quick side note, I have been reading the Book of Mormon following a great instagram, BofM365, which helps you read the book of Mormon in a year.  I even missed a day and the reading wasn't that bad to catch up again.]  So, while doing my reading for today (and yesterday), I came across the account when the angel was showing Nephi the visions that his father had.  1 Nephi 11:16-17  "And he [the angel] said unto me: knowest thou the condescension of God?  And I [Nephi] said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."
Once he said this, the angel went on to show Nephi the condescension of God, or the Saviour coming to earth.  But the angel doesn't give him all of the answers after that, just a few and then again asks him leading questions (great counselling technique for some situations).  After Nephi is asked a question that he doesn't know the answer to, he gives the information he does know in the area and then asks for further knowledge. 
My Aha moment here was that he didn't know the correct answer and the angel gave him answers and directed him to other answers for him to come to conclusions of his own.  It is the same with me.  There are certain things I know about Magdalen and certain things I know about her/our sleeping skills, patterns and aids specifically.  Then there are things that I guess at, that I look for answers for... But have I been looking to the right place for those answers.  Parents, family, friends, and experts can be helpful but even their knowledge comes from God. [I wish I could remember the scripture I am thinking of here, but roughly interpreted the one that states that all light and truth cometh from God.] So, once I bring Him what I know, He can give me the next steps, although they may not be 1. do this, 2. do this, I know that He can let me know when I am doing the right thing heading in the right direction and then I, like Nephi, need to "Go and do" no matter who disagrees with what we decide to do [we being Scott and I ;) ] 1Nephi 3:7.
I already know a lot of things that work for her and for I.  Maybe I don't know all the things that work for Scott yet, but there is one easy way to change that- get his opinion.  And then for the rest, "Study it out in your [my] mind... Ask me [God] if it is right and if it is right I shall cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." D&C 9:8
It also reminded me of Joseph Smith's predicament of speaking with the wise and educated pastors and priests of his time but being told to go another way, and then standing up for his decision and never veering from it.

I also came across a parenting website that had a post that I appreciated.  Here is the link to that post entitled "How I rediscovered Happiness in Motherhood". (Yes, this is going to the "experts", other parents, friends, etc...)  This one goes to the confidence issue that is at the heart of this problem for me.  If others tell me that I should do it their way, and I respect, love, and admire these people, I am swayed.
I could write an entire blog post on this post, and maybe will someday but right now I want to focus on a portion of it.  I am here to enjoy my time with Maudie and be the best parent to her that I can.  I have specific strengths and they may not be the same as someone else, but knowing them and knowing what does work is good and focusing on them and recognising and using them is even better.  Basically, I need to be confident in me being me because that is all I can be really.