I think every new mom has heard the story of the magical baby who slept through the night from practically out of the womb. Like the unicorn or leprechaun, this mythical creature sleeps peacefully through the night with nary a peep until morning.

Thus far, this wondrous beast has alluded me. But, like Captain Ahab, I persist in my search for him.

Nearly 17 months have passed since my son was born, and he is finally starting to get this sleep thing down. He is still a long way from “sleeping through the night,” but he regularly sleeps for four to five hour stretches and is no longer nursing throughout the night.

Looking back, it is easy to wonder what I could have done differently to create a better sleeper. Maybe instead of co-sleeping with my son for the first few months or so, I should have put him in his crib from the beginning. Maybe I should have been more consistent with sleep training. Who knows? Or, I can just accept the fact that my child may never sleep for 10 to 12 hours. After all, I am not exactly a great sleeper myself, so how can I expect my son to be?

But, as I mentioned earlier, things are improving. My son is a great napper, perhaps making up for his frequent night wakings. I am just happy he is well rested and generally in good spirits.

As for that mythical sleeper, the search continues.