I swore to myself that I wouldn't talk about our sleep situation around here again because I'm getting tired of writing about it, so you all must be totally OVER it. I don't want to be the whiny mommy blogger. I feel bad for complaining because so many people have it so much worse than I do, hello parents of multiples. But it IS still a problem for me, and as such is one of the few things that I can think about. All of the cutesie posts I've been trying to come up with are just not coming. I get a paragraph or two and they sort of fizzle.
The thing about this is that only about three times since we brought Sophie home from the hospital have we had a good night sleep. And by we, I mean me, because Neil generally doesn't wake up. I can't count the number of times we've woken up in the morning and he said, "wow, she slept through the night!" Um, no. Don't misconstrue this as criticism. Sophie is exclusively breastfed, which means that although he can get up and help, I'm the one that HAS to get up with her for nighttime feeds, so it seems senseless for both of us to get up. Plus, he has to get up for work in the morning while I can nap when she does.
I don't know why now is so rough for me, unless it is the cumulative effect of the sleep deprivation. They say you will go crazy if you are denied REM sleep for long periods of time. REM sleep being that period during which you dream. I used to have very active dream sleep. I would awake from these amazing, epic dreams that had me scrambling for a pen to write it out, but I honestly can't remember the last dream I had. Which is scary and sad.
We had settled into a consistent and comfortable routine. Sophie was down to waking up only once a night, which although not ideal, was not torturous. But then we had the thumbsucking tragedy which threw all previous sleep patterns into chaos, and now she has a cold. So any semblance of normal sleep we were starting to resume in the last day or two has now gone out the window.
All of this is to say that I will probably not have anything even remotely resembling a fun and interesting post for a few days. Sorry.
No sleep and no beer makes Cara something something.
Go crazy?
Thanks, don't mind if I do!*
*Extra points for the person that can identify this (slightly modified) quote.
Monday, September 29, 2008
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Kids are just like this, you get used to sleeping and things change, cold, teething, life... It sucks. As for dreams when you sleep, I have not had a dream since, since, well, I don't remember when.
ReplyDeleteI am right there will you on the going crazy.
Here hoping you get over this bump soon.
Isn't it a form of torture to wake someone up every hour or two?
ReplyDeleteI'm only entering the land of no sleep and it's been really tough already. Good luck. I hope Sophie sleeps through the night soon.
I hear you...My 2 year old still sometimes gets up a few times a night. I hope dh lets you take naps or you nap during the day! HUGS.
ReplyDeleteOh I feel for you! After my son Teddy was born, my husband and I didn't sleep for a solid year. I really did feel like I was going crazy! The good news is that she should start sleeping through the night soon! Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteEver contemplate pumping?? It kept me sane...and John LOVED being able to help with feedings. When Mady would get up at 6am, John was already up for work so he did that feeding and I was able to snooze until she was ready for the next one.
ReplyDeleteDon't apologize for blogging about lack of sleep. Sleep is a huge thing, especially when you're not getting enough! Hope you get more soon.
ReplyDeleteHey, yo, thanks for the multiples shout out but, lemme tellya, we have not had the sleep problem you have had. I'd have been going insane, too. We bottle fed so we stopped night feedings a lot earlier. I can't exactly remember when we stopped the middle of the night feeding, but we stopped all bottles including the bedtime bottle (gasp) at 13 months. I know that's not really any help since you are breast feeding, but I guess it's just a reference point. It won't be long before she gets more nutrition from solids so she will probably sleep better at night soon. That's really when it got better for us for real. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your comment on my blog, I AM already finishing up grad school. No PhD for me...I just don't see the point (for me, I mean). It's time that I venture out...
ReplyDeleteI hope that the sleep gets better soon!
I remember reading once (in one of my psychology classes--ironic?) that it takes somewhere around 2 weeks for your body to completely recuperate from ONE night of lack of sleep. If that is the case (and I wouldn't doubt it based on my own experience) then it's no wonder that new parents aren't completely comatose during the day! Lack of sleep messes with your mind, body, spirit, and everything in between!
ReplyDeleteHang in there!
ReplyDeleteI'll take a "stab" at your quote:
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. The Shining?
Feel free to discuss your lack of sleep issues 'til the cows come home. Really! Because we have all been there. Mine were exclusively breastfed, too--and wouldn't take breast milk in a bottle or sippy cup (neither one would take a bottle of anything, period!), so it was me...100% of the time.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard...I know...I'm one of those people who requires sleep in a desperate way. Having a baby doesn't facilitate that, of course. But I made it through. You will too, eventually.
I know this is not what you want to hear. But if I said, "GO DRINK BEER--NAP WHEN SHE NAPS--GO TO BED EARLIER!" you'd shoot me. 'Cause I'd have shot the person who said that to me 6 years ago. So I won't.
I am so sorry girl. Ugh. I would go crazy.
ReplyDeleteMy boy was a sleeper, still is. We used to have to wake him up to eat.
I breastfeed and then gave him a few ounces of formula at night (the formula lasts longer in their tummy).
Even if you can get one good night, you will feel so much better... anyone who can help make that happen?
Aw, honey, the sleep thing is so tough. I know because Fly didn't really sleep well until about 18 months. Even now at 2, the past couple of nights he has had me up a couple hours (last night) or almost an hour (Sun.). Eventually the Bean will sleep. Until then, all I can do is commiserate with you.
ReplyDeleteWell, in answer to your question:
ReplyDeleteCould it be "f-ing crazy"? lol
I sorta remember those days, keep in mind that once you start to forget them, that's usually the time you gleefully say....'Oh, I'm ready for another child'! HA!
I'm happy to report I had a dream last night for the first time in... probably nearly two years. Can that be right?! SLEEP = HUGE. Don't apologize. In fact, I should write about no sleep. Except now I broke my no dream cycle. That could've evoked some pity -- and we know how I do love the pity.
ReplyDeleteps, I hate word verification. tdjkwene
Hang in there!!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I love hearing about your trials and tribulations and helping where I can. I can't help you here because we've had problems with sleep in our past so our many attempts didn't work either. But never worry about what you're blogging about - we love reading it either way.
ReplyDeleteWith that in mind...after two horible sleepers - the only advice I can give you is this...CHANT THIS NIGHTLY..."they won't ALWAYS wake up and they won't always get out of bed" (yeah watch out for that one when toddler bed comes around if she's still in a crib).
So - trudge on through - you WILL get sleep eventually and no you don't have to be happy about not getting much sleep. For those well intentioned mothers that say they never had any trouble...just don't take it to heart - I know SOOOO many people that have kiddos with sleeping trouble. Those well intentioned mothers may suffer months upon months of potty training while you only have a few weeks of trouble. It all evens out in the wash - not everyone is perfect.
I keep meaning to comment on your sleep issues posts, because believe me, I empathize. (I had to write that word four times before it looked right, and I'm still not sure it's spelled right. What does that tell you about my sleep debt?) I think I've put it off because writing to you means I should actually have some advice or something insightful to say, rather than just complain or joke about my year old's continued non-sleeping. We're working on it, in a very loose, "cry it out some nights, give in other nights" way, which I fear is actually crueler than one or the other, because we keep changing the rules. It's just that some nights I can handle two hours of crying more than I can handle nursing on and off all night AGAIN, and other nights it's the opposite. Good luck. I wish I had some answers to share. For me, I'm thinking it's going to be weaning, and that makes me sad.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand. I too breastfeed and HAD to get up. Please know that it gets better. Especially once the baby is weaned. Until then try and catch a nap during the day if you can.
ReplyDeletetake a view..
ReplyDelete