Listen to your baby, he's telling you everything you need to know

I have heard these words, "listen to your baby, he'll tell you when he's ready" from other moms, pediatricians, books - and I was skeptical. Shouldn't I know what is best for baby? How will he tell me? How will I know to listen? Will it be a shout? A whisper?

I am currently reading a book called "Simplicity Parenting:Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids"

Our five-year-old boy is still so clearly the baby he once was and sometimes - can you see it?- the young man he will one day be. We draw energy and inspiration from our dreams; our simple, common motivations. In development, we can see the extent to which our children feel protected. Surrounded by those they love, they make extraordinary leaps, fantastic moments of revelation and mastery. In flashes they show us who they are...revealing their golden essential selves. As parents we live in such moments. But we can't schedule them. We can't ask for, or hurry them. We want our family to be a container of security and peace, where we can be our true selves.

I want to forget milestones and growth charts and focus on what Owen wants and what Owen needs. I need to trust in our relationship. Owen's weight gain issues made me doubt us - as a team. I'm just starting to trust that I make plenty of wonderful milk and Owen will eat what he needs, when he needs it. This is a daily battle for me and I have over 750 ounces of breast milk in my chest freezer which gives me peace of mind. But what if I didn't have a single ounce? Could I sleep at night?

I am trying to listen more to Owen. His long growth spurt made me doubt a little, so I tried some cereal. He was curious, and once he curiosity was appeased - he let me know he wasn't ready.

I listen for when he is tired. He rubs his little eyes now and blinks ever so much slower.

I can't quite get on board with Cry It Out "sleep training" - most nights Owen falls sleep on his own, but sometimes he's fussy. I lay next to him and rub his eyebrow softly and wait for him to doze off. He needs me, and what better gift than to watch my baby drift off to dreamland.

Last month I was anxious about Owen still sleeping swaddled for naps and bedtime. His new rolling skills added to my stress. The doctor said we should probably work towards having him sleep unswaddled around six months but that some kids are swaddled much longer. "He'll let you know."

How could he let me know? I have him zipped up to his neck in a baby sleep tube? The act of being closed into that swaddle makes his eyes heavy and he knows it's time for sleep. How can I recreate that for him? This is a crutch that has allowed us all many, many hours of peaceful sleep.

Early this morning around 3am Owen started yelling. A very strange sound for him to make at night. Not his hungry cry, or screaming "I can't get back to sleep" cry. I looked over to find the sleep positioner bunched up in the corner of the cosleeper (how did it get there? I have NO IDEA) and Owen laying on his side with his arm up to his elbow sticking out through the neck of his swaddle - flailing around, bopping him in the face.

Jeremy woke up, startled and looked me,"What's wrong with Owen?"

I gestured over to my half sleeping, half yelling babe,

"I think he's telling us, he's done being swaddled."

Tonight, my sweet boy, sleep sack zipped up to his abdomen. Sound, sound asleep.