I'm so tired...
Maura was sleeping for one five hour stretch a night for a few days. I think that I got spoiled. Last night, she was restless while she was asleep, and she was awake to eat every two to three hours. I'm exhausted.
I don't think that dh gets it, either. And I don't know how he could since he's working so much. I'm not blaming him here. He's a wonderful father. He's even gotten so much better at calming her. I took all of your advice and left the room so that he could learn to soothe her. And he can do it now. Yesterday evening, he was more successful at soothing her than I was!
Anyway, the past couple of days, she's been more fussy, more demanding during the day. I haven't been able to get anything to eat until close to noon. I haven't been able to put the laundry away. And I need to do more laundry today (I hate that nothing I have fits!! And I refuse to buy anything much, so I end up having to do laundry every couple of days just so that I have something to wear!). Anyway, this morning as he's getting ready for work, I'm in tears because she's up again, and I'm just so tired, and he tells me, "Just sleep today. When she sleeps, you sleep." Duh. I know that he meant well. Everybody does when they say that. But let me ask you Moms out there--have any of you been able to do this?? Just hang out and sleep when Baby sleeps?? I've never been very good at sleeping during the day, and here with the phone ringing, and people knocking on the door, and my brain thinking of all the things that I should be doing. Well, I can't sleep more than 30 minutes or so at a time.
Tonight, dh is going to feed Maura a bottle so that I can get some sleep. I'm even having a hard time believing that that's going to happen. The last times that he's tried taking the night shift, he ended up waking me up anyway. No, I don't mean that he was making so much noise that he woke me up, I mean he came over to my side of the bed and told me to wake up.
I'm a patient person. I love my husband and my daughter. But I need sleep. It's been more than 6 weeks since I've had a good night's rest (I wasn't sleeping very well at the end of the pregnancy, either).
Someone, please tell me that this gets easier! I'm stressed today, and I need your support. Please share your stories with me.
posted by Christine at 4/08/2005 09:36:00 AM
7 Comments:
Sleep when she sleeps... yeah, I had to laugh at that too. When am I going to eat, or do laundry, or take a bath? But it *will* get better. You are in the hardest part right now.
tracy (tracybob_one at yahoo dot com)
I found that when I was home and he was asleep I really needed to use that time to pee!
No. I am completely unable to sleep during the day when he sleeps. And everyone's other advice was "you don't have to clean the house. spend time with your son." Well if *I* don't clean the house is someone else going to? Its not a house that can be left to sit, too much dirt and pet hair that gets all over the place.
It will get better. And I think you also learn to adjust to less sleep. But look at Jen, Miles slept what? 7 hours last night?
OK, with Logan it was easier to sleep when he slept of course because it was just me and him.
I remember one day laying him down in my bed and cleaning up my room and basically staying in my own room ALL day sleeping when he did because when I opened my eyes, it was clean in there. It helped! as silly as it sounds!
Then, one other day I had an AWFUL night and was napping with Logan at like 10am and someone knocked. I was still a wreck, no shower etc...I just didn't answer it! Later I found out it was my neighbor and she was all, "where were you?" I told her I must have been in the shower.
Its OK to not answer the door and turn the phone off!
And really, if you REALLY need to, just stick a load of laundry in and load the dishwasher and run it and nap while those things are running.
Listen, Miles is now almost 14 weeks old. Last night was the FIRST night he slept longer than 3 1/2 ish hrs at a time. It might take a while, honestly it might. But it might be tomorrow that she feels ready to sleep though.
6 weeks though is the right time for a growthspurt. I think they say 6 weeks and the next is 3 months. So maybe when she passes this growthspurt she'll slow down her feeds and sleep longer. I hope for your sake anyway.
I know how tough it is to feel like you'll NEVER get any sleep! I still feel that way and hope that last night wasn't a fluke! (I have my monitor on right next to me and he's starting to stir. Cross your fingers!)
Its OK to cry Christine! Its all part of the deal. You WILL get through it, I promise!!
(((((HUGS)))))
I did sleep when my baby slept. I didn't care that the house wasn't in top-notch order or if I had to recycle that pair of overalls for a second day without washing them. I function VERY poorly on little to no sleep, so for me that was important.
As to the clothes not fitting...yeah, that's another thing to heap onto the cruddy post-partum conditions you're already irritated about. I bought a few things just to get through until I lost the baby weight, and believe it or not, I was able to reuse those items as I got bigger during my second pregnancy...just a thought and way to justify spending the money.
I get a shower every other night while my husband watches the kiddo. It's my "spa" time when I can shave, exfolliate, lotion, etc. and kind of pamper myself. This works for us, and that way nap-time is mine to sleep, do laundry, clean...or more likely mess about on the computer! ;)
Hang in there. It will get better. No matter how much we prep ourselves for having kids it's never enough...time will help you, Maura and your DH establish a routine that works for you. Best wishes, dear!
((((HUGS)))) I don't have any advice to offer, sorry! But I'm hoping that Maura will settle into a sleeping pattern soon that allows you to get more sleep. I know he hasn't been the most helpful, but just think how much more helpful your DH has been than many others out there. At least he's trying!! Don't worry...it won't last forever!
I can't offer you any advice yet either, but I can give you hugs (((HUGS)))!!! I hope you get some rest soon. I hope the others were able to help.
OK so I'm the boob who slept when my son slept! LOL. At least with DS#1 I did, not so fortunate this time. Anyway I picked up my house when he was awake. I wore him alot (in a snuggli, this time I have a sling, much easier to put DS in when I'm home alone). So I was not one who could crawl into bed and go to sleep during the day, but I could fall asleep on the couch. Nothing relaxed me more than placing Jacob on my chest or belly and falling asleep with him. I always turned the phone ringer off. I've heard some people put notes on their front door to not disturb(I never did this). I hope the sleep situation improves for you soon.
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