Life is going pretty well, the adjustment is coming along. Aaron's sleep has become erratic, perhaps as a side effect of teething, or a little brother. Hopefully the former. He's up at the crack of dawn or slightly before. Evan's still too little to be expected to sleep through the night, although we are hoping for the time to be soon. 3-4 hour stretches are fine, but it sure was easier the first time around when I could nap at will. LOL. I told Michael I'm hoping it is like getting used to going back to school after summer break and sleeping in. Hopefully I'll get used to it. I'm willing my body and brain to push through!! And when I do get a chance to nap, I'm sure to turn off the phone ringer. For me. It doesn't wake my kids.
So all you moms, help me out here. Aside from caffeine and naps, how on earth do you get enough sleep to NOT snap at people who suffer from what appears to be chronic stupidity*?
Any of you have sleep maximizing tips???
*I realize it is my perspective that brings me to this conclusion, and that my attitude is my choice. This is why I need help. Praise the LORD for the Holy Spirit!!!
8 comments:
I have been so fortunate this time around with a good sleeper that has went 3-4 hours right off the bat. Whew. I remember after I had Thomas (# 3) I felt shaky and on the verge of tears for about a month straight, he was up every 2 hours eating.
I am also fortunate that Casey works weird hours. This means I can take a little nap in the morning if I need to. I realize this doesn't help you at all. I'll shut up now.
i wish i lived nearby! I would come and watch the kids for you to nap :(
I think you will just have to resort to hiring a nannny... you know....
:)
but seriously I wish you well!
What works for me is to have the baby either in bed with us or right next to us in a pack 'n play/bassinet, etc. Anyway, basically to nurse while I'm sleeping. :) I've actually been much more rested with having 2 and now 3 kids, since I discovered this is what works well for me. With Sam, I always got up with him--and sometimes he was up every couple hours--and nursed on the couch, and I was exhausted.
But having a toddler who wakes up at the crack of dawn doesn't help, that's for sure! Sam went through a stage like that, I think while Julia was a baby, and it was difficult. Thankfully now both he and Julia normally sleep till 7 am at least.
Anyway, if you're not wanting to try co-sleeping, just disregard this. :) It's just truly what works best for us in the first few months or so. And at this point, Josiah starts out the night in his own bed (still in our room) and often sleeps till 4 or 5 am before coming in with us.
Thankfully those really difficult sleep-deprived weeks don't last very long. :) I'll pray for you!!
Oh Jenny! I laugh/sigh with you, remembering the 1 to 2 transition. I sat at my kitchen table sobbing and humming a medley of Day by Day and One Day at a Time on the Monday all the earthly help left me (to this day I refer to that day as "black Monday"). Just remember that this light affliction is but for a moment =) One thing that did help me (though some don't like doing this) was nursing while laying down. I usually resorted to this when #1 was asleep for her nap and because #2 slept a little longer right next to me. This gave me a pretty good afternoon nap. I also did it in the wee hour feeding, so that #2 would sleep a little further into the morning than if he was nursed and put back in his crib. That was my survival trick, and it was only necessary through those newborn weeks.
Until that glorious morning when you realize that you slept all night... may God continue to bless and strenghten you =)
Co-sleeping made the newborn sleep daze virtually non-existent for us. I know many feel differently on this topic, but I can't help but laud this discovery as the keeper of my sanity and one of the reasons I would still like to have a bajillion babies. =) Also, if the boys were napping I would try to sometimes lay down with Sydney and nurse her to sleep ("naptime" for her or not) so I could get some shut-eye. The Lord will give grace, no matter which way you get through it. I will be praying for you and this transition!
Since I had a tendency to fall asleep in the chair while nursing at night, we also resorted to co-sleeping. The baby always starts of his own bed, but at some point in the night ends up in our bed with us.
God has given me grace to learn how to function on less sleep over the last year. I'm glad I didn't know how poor of a sleeper Si would be! Luke was a champion sleeper, but it's true what they say - every baby is different! Sleep maximizing strategies? Take people up on offers to help - esp. w/aaron, so you can nap! :)
You've already had several share the co-sleeping strategy - and that is what we do, too. Most mornings, Elsie has found her way into our bed; 2 our of 5, Jonathan is there after 6 in the morning and his brother has gotten up and started getting ready for school. I keep a bassinet/port-a-crib in our room and will occasionally lay the baby down there, use it for naps during the day - and when babies first go down for the night. But after that first nursing, they stay right next to me.
I also did something called "cluster feeding" at night. After the other ones are in bed, I'd get my Bible or a good book, make myself comfortable and just let the baby nurse - anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours. Obviously, they aren't nursing as vigourously as they do when very hungry - but doing this has had most of our babies sleeping 6 hours or so most nights by the age of 3-4 weeks.
And, on those times when I'm missing sleep - there are always lots of reasons, but for me a high fever is a sure guarantee that I won't be sleeping until it is under control (a result of 2 hospitalizations with malaria), I try to keep the perspective that that time is a gift from God for just Him and I - which can often be a rare commodity. That helps my attitude the next day a whole bunch, because the Lord usually has met with me in a sweet and wonderful way the night before...
Post a Comment