I'm not getting much sleep at the moment.
I know, that sentence is bandied about a lot as a 'new' Mum, and I would have probably told someone a few weeks ago that I was lacking in sleep. I didn't think it possible, but I seem to have reached a next level though, perhaps I should change it to: I'm getting almost no sleep.
It's amazing what you forget about babies. How you remember the smooth, velvety feeling of their heads, you remember how their little legs form rolls at the knee, how they make little hedgehog noises when they are hungry.. but somehow you block out the less pleasant parts. (An instinctual mechanism in our brains, to ensure we have more children, perhaps?)
Mollie is going through a phase (yes, I know it is a phase.. this too shall pass..) of refusing to sleep at night, unless there is a nipple in her mouth. She suckles the ENTIRE night long - finally falling asleep properly around 6 in the morning and sleeping in til 9. I find myself having to change sides at least hourly, if for nothing other than to try and ease the pain in my shoulder for lying with my arm up for an hour.
Her day time sleeps have become 10-20 minute catnaps, and yesterday she only took two of those all day.
I've had three comments already this week, on how tired I look, or how big the bags are under my eyes. Well, yes, no sleep will do that.
This point of this post really wasn't to complain - I try to keep my complaining to Facebook. Ha!- but more to remind myself, by typing it 'out loud' that this truly is a phase, and this is what child rearing is all about. Swings and roundabouts, ages and stages.
Soon she'll be onto the next thing... maybe that next thing could involve a bit more shut eye, please?
I know, that sentence is bandied about a lot as a 'new' Mum, and I would have probably told someone a few weeks ago that I was lacking in sleep. I didn't think it possible, but I seem to have reached a next level though, perhaps I should change it to: I'm getting almost no sleep.
It's amazing what you forget about babies. How you remember the smooth, velvety feeling of their heads, you remember how their little legs form rolls at the knee, how they make little hedgehog noises when they are hungry.. but somehow you block out the less pleasant parts. (An instinctual mechanism in our brains, to ensure we have more children, perhaps?)
Mollie is going through a phase (yes, I know it is a phase.. this too shall pass..) of refusing to sleep at night, unless there is a nipple in her mouth. She suckles the ENTIRE night long - finally falling asleep properly around 6 in the morning and sleeping in til 9. I find myself having to change sides at least hourly, if for nothing other than to try and ease the pain in my shoulder for lying with my arm up for an hour.
Her day time sleeps have become 10-20 minute catnaps, and yesterday she only took two of those all day.
I've had three comments already this week, on how tired I look, or how big the bags are under my eyes. Well, yes, no sleep will do that.
This point of this post really wasn't to complain - I try to keep my complaining to Facebook. Ha!- but more to remind myself, by typing it 'out loud' that this truly is a phase, and this is what child rearing is all about. Swings and roundabouts, ages and stages.
Soon she'll be onto the next thing... maybe that next thing could involve a bit more shut eye, please?
ugh!! feeling for you.
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I HEAR YOU!!!! The whole 'rod for your own back' line is coming back to haunt me... Still, I doubt I'd do it any other way... Garland is really hit or miss with night sleeps, and I find nothing more exhausting than having a baby feeding all night. And he too cat naps during the day, and only sleeps for a decent amount of time (like, 45mins) if I'm holding him. Which is less than productive for me... Anyway, sometimes it's comforting to know that others are in the same boat, I'm right there with ya x
ReplyDeleteLack of sleep is so torturous! Yes I think we can relate to that at our place! It's at times like that when you can imagine why people try to 'train' their children into sleeping full nights all on their own. But believe it or not, we're doing it the natural way, and that's what they naturally want! Mollie might be having a growth spurt or something.. and, as you say, 'this, too, shall pass'! And yay for that! Kia kaha!
ReplyDeleteYawn! I've only had two sleepless nights in a row and I feel like crap. Thinking of you mama! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI really hesitate to suggest it, because I wish I hadn't introduced one, but have you thought of a dummy? If wee Mollie's just 'comfort sucking' you might be able to exchange your nipple for a detachable one (aka a dummy) and get some sleep? We use one with our youngest, though I can't even remember the reason I introduced it (???), and I only give it to him at sleep time. (I don't want one of those dummy-sucking toddlers walking around in the middle of the day!) We went through a phase where I'd have to put it back in at night for a while, but we're through that now and he's beginning to sleep through the night more often than not now. Ugh, this no sleep business is awful isn't it? Strength to you, Mama! x
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