When you think of Bono from the Irish rock band U2, what words come to mind? Singer, songwriter, humanitarian and icon to name a few, but how about baby whisperer? For the first half of his life, my son, now 15 months, didn't sleep much. As a newborn, he'd happily stay awake for 12 or more hours at a stretch, seemingly drinking in every detail of the day.Desperate to help him rest and relax, I read all the books. I perfected my swaddling technique and side hold. I shushed and swayed.
Pierce hated it.
My husband and I rocked him. We cuddled him. We sang to him. We walked with him. We drove him around. We tried massage and "baby yoga." We bought a swing and bouncy seat.
Nothing worked ... until we discovered our baby loves Bono.
One night after a particularly long crying jag, my husband set aside the usual lullabies and classical CDs in favor of something new or rather something old — "U2: The Best of 1980-1990."
As the opening chords played, Pierce started to settle down. When Bono began singing, his tears slowly ebbed. "In a Little While," our "Sweetest Thing" was sleeping soundly in Daddy's arms.
Maybe it's the tone of Bono's voice. Maybe it's the beat. Maybe it's Pierce's Gaelic heritage. Whatever the reason, we don't argue with the "Mysterious Ways." We just hit repeat.
When Pierce transitioned to a crib, my husband and I moved a stereo into his room because our "Achtung Baby" likes to "Rattle and Hum."
Pierce now falls asleep on his own at night, sans music, but Bono remains our go-to guy for tough times during the day.
Children's CDs may crowd my car, but they sometimes take a back seat to Bono. When Pierce tires of Old MacDonald, B-I-N-G-O and Baby Beluga, I reach for the "One." He quickly quiets down, making it a "Beautiful Day."
So, thank you, Bono. It's "All Because of You."
Source: The Mercury
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