How Do You Sleep?
So I got into a conversation the other day with a Mom friend at a class we attend about how our littlest ones seem to do the majority of their nursing at night. So, how do I sleep?
Last night, like a typical night in our house these days, after dinner (I made the baby fresh applesauce for dinner and my oldest had some pasta with cheese and an apple…his choice) I brought the boys upstairs for their jammies. I then nursed the youngest, placed him very contently in his crib covered (and I mean covered) in blankets to the extent he probably couldn’t move (he’s taken the swaddle to the toddler level), then I cuddled in bed with my oldest reading train books.
After two long stories, we tucked him into bed and said our goodnights. The youngest down and asleep by 745pm, the oldest down and asleep by 815pm. A little later than usual, but not dramatically so. I then spent the next several hours keeping my husband company on the couch – I watching reality tv (because I need to feel better about myself) and knitting while he worked. When I was pretty tired, I rambled up the stairs with a large glass of water to take my 4 pills with (Plaquenil, two vitamins, and birth control), tucked in my babies (who had both covered their heads completely with blankets…don’t ask me how a 5 1/2 month old can SO perfectly do this with a blanket no larger than his head…), brushed my teeth (to ensure the Sjogren’s dry mouth doesn’t create more cavities!), and crawled into bed. I was in bed by 11pm. I couldn’t fall asleep until 12:30ish, and was awakened around 1:10am for the first midnight feeding.
I have no clue why someone so tired can’t fall asleep. I just can’t. Then the feedings start and al I want to do is sleep. The little guy was changed and brought to me in bed (I love my husband) where he spent the next 20 minutes or so nursing. When he settled down, like usual, I planned to give him about 5 minutes of deep sleep before moving him. I fall asleep…to awaken about 30 minutes later ready to move him only for him to awaken and want to eat again. So I oblige. Then move him to his crib. By now it’s about 230am. I fall back asleep. He wakes again around 5am. Is brought back in for another night cap. Nurses until 530, falls asleep, I ask my husband to move him back…he reawakens. Nurses again. Falls asleep (as do I) and we’re all awakened by the alarm at 648am (don’t ask). Being awake, why not nurse? Which he does until our oldest comes sauntering into the bedroom with a, “morn-nin†and climbs into bed demanding we put Roary the Race Car on. This part is not normal, he usually wants to go, “down-dares.â€
After 10 minutes of the 4 of us in bed, the youngest is wide awake, as is the oldest, leaving my husband and I trying to crack our eyes open enough to not fall out of bed as we rise. By 745am we’re all downstairs.
Let’s recap, I sleep from:
12:30-1:10 (40 minutes)
1:50-2:30 (40 minutes)
2:40-5:00 (140 minutes)
5:50-6:48 (60 minutes)
Add in maybe 15 minutes of crappy sleep between then and 7:45 and we get a total of maybe 5 hours of sleep. Not horrid, but understand some of it is very light sleep as no one wants to “roll over†their infant in bed.
This is fairly typical. Given we don’t nap any more (aka, my oldest no longer naps, so I have no hope or prayer of doing so), I’m still amazed I can’t sleep earlier in the night. I go up at 10, I’m still awake until 12:30ish. Every once in a while, our youngest will make the entire 8pm to 5am without waking. It’s a blue moon, but it happens. But on those nights, our oldest is usually up sauntering down the hall to the bathroom.
So, how do you sleep? I can’t ignore the nightly cries from the crib, especially since I feel like he wants to eat. He’ll nurse once or twice in the morning before his nap, then two or three times before dinner, and then once afterwards before bed. I have to wonder if he’s getting enough (he does eat at dinner time…a lot). My oldest was a BIG child and at 3 months was over 19 lbs…at 6 months was over 22 lbs. We’ll be lucky if the youngest is over 19 lbs at his six month check up this Friday. He’s not tiny, but he’s not the big baby we were used to.
For someone who is naturally tired because of the Sjogren’s, add in energy exerted with two children each day, and interrupted sleep at night and I have to wonder if I’m going to crash big time somewhere along the way. I have to think my husband’s lucky he can sleep through most anything…and falls asleep very quickly. His contributions at night (maybe a total of 20 minutes) takes just that amount of time away from his sleep. Once he’s handed off our son, he’s fast asleep again. He even sleeps through his alarm so I’m the one at 648am poking his to death to shut the damn thing off. Which is great on mornings where I’m not already awake. Thanks, dear.