I'm so tired I could cry.
How can my baby's sleep be getting worse instead of better? He slept better at night when he was a newborn than he does now! As a newborn he woke 1-2 times to eat, and go right back to sleep. Now? He wakes 4-5-6 (more? it's hard to keep count when I'm so delerious/half awake) times a night, and it's hardly to just eat and go back to sleep. It's to fuss, arch his back, scream.....and I know I'm making it worse by letting him sleep in our bed, mostly in the crook of my arm. Mostly I don't care how he sleeps - just if he does. I am a much better mother if I can get some decent shut-eye. And this? feels like it's never going to end!
Ugh. I know it's just a season, that this won't last forever, that I'll look back at this time and laugh......but now....
I am so tired, I could cry.
Ironically, on this day a year ago, I found out I was pregnant with him.....and while I want to be all happy and nostalgic and everything-is-all-happy-and-rose-colored....today, I am not. I love my baby, I am thrilled he has joined our family, but today (more importanly tonight) - I just want him to sleep!
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Saturday, January 30, 2010
sleep
Things are falling into place nicely here in our home, regarding sleep in our going-on-5-month old. Sigh. I am happy to report that Nathaniel has been able to fall asleep on his own (most of the time) for naps and bedtime. He also is (finally!) starting to stretch out his sleeping time to 4-5 hour blocks at a time. I thought we would never get here.
Jacob was a fabulous sleeper, from the very beginning. He started sleeping through the night around 6 weeks, and taking 2-3 hour long naps during the day...meaning I could nap along with him. What an amazing way to start out parenthood = rested!
Wyatt came along, and slept through the night only a handful of times by about 8-10 weeks old. He was a more difficult baby, sleep-wise and not. By the time he was 3 months old, I was beginning to question my sanity. Thoughts like, "Why isn't he sleeping throught he night? Jacob did at this age!" and "why doesn't he nap more than 30 minutes at a time? how can I make him nap better?" went through my head on a regular basis. I read every book under the sun, and researched, and questioned other moms. All the information I got back was conflicting, and essentially made me want to tear my hair out. Wyatt continued to scream for hours, and it would be accompanied by back arching, flailing, and wailing. He would go down screaming and wake up the same. Nothing seemed to comfort him ~ and it led to utter frustration & exhaustion for all of us, which didn't help matters any. He was put on Zantac @ 4 months, and almost immediately, his demeanor changed. But...he still didn't sleep. We lived in a haze for the first 6-8 months of his life. And honestly, I don't remember much of his infancy. I rarely slept more than 3 hour chunks, and had to keep up with an infant and a toddler, as well as work full time ~ and there was no resting for Mama! In all honesty, I was angry about being so.darn.tired. allofthetime. So....grumpiness won, mostly. I wish I could change that about myself. Hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it? All I can really do now is seek forgiveness, and learn from my mistakes.
So....
When Nate was born (and even further back, into my pregnancy with him), I made peace with the fact that I would never sleep again. Literally. And I was okay with that, as long as I maintained my happiness. Because, let's face it: a Happy Mama is a Happy Family. True, no? The simple fact that I made the choice to be happy despite my utter exhaustion made all of the difference in the world. Don't get me wrong, it's not all sunshine and roses all of the time, but everything is so much more enjoyable this time around. I'm loving every moment of Nate's infancy, and Jacob & Wyatt's toddlerhood. Well, almost every moment. But that's another post for another day!
And what MckMama wrote recently was a great reminder that parenting small children all goes by way too quickly.
I digress.
Nate is starting to sleep. On his own! His sleep habits are forming slowly, but are definitely there. I'm so grateful that he's getting the rest he needs. He wakes cheery, cooing, screeching (it's his "happy sound"), and kicking. I can see a clear pattern of wakefulness, the need to eat, and when to sleep. We're on a schedule ~ albiet a very flexible one, but something we both need. He likes a pacifier to soothe to sleep, and sometimes needs a soft blanket or lovey in his hands, so they don't flail and wake him up.
Here's what a typical day looks like for us ~ if I'm home with the boys during the week, and on the weekend (sorry to bore you; I suppose it's more for me than anyone else):
6:00 AM ~ wake, nurse, nap - usually in our bed
7:30 AM ~ big boys are awake in their room, usually jumping on their beds and laughing
8:00 AM ~ all of us get out of bed
8:15 AM ~ breakfast
8:45 AM ~ play, change clothes, get ready for the day
9:30 AM ~ change Nate, nurse, nap in his crib
10:30 AM ~ awake, play, snack (big boys)
12:00 PM ~ lunch
12:30 PM ~ play, change, read books
1:15 PM ~ all 3 boys down for naps (Jacob in the boys' room, Wyatt in the PNP in the nursery, Nate in his carseat in our bedroom. I know the carseat is not the most ideal sleeping environment, but for now it works. He'll sleep for 2-3 hours in his carseat vs. 1 hr flat on his back. Also I'd love to have the big boys nap in the same room, essentially freeing up our room, but that hasn't worked as well as I'd hoped, so for now, they are much better rested when they nap alone)
3:30 PM ~ wake, snacks, TV or movie
4:00 PM ~ play
5:00 PM -ish ~ Nate nurses & has a short nap, 45 min-1 hr.
5:30 PM ~ dinner as a family
6:30 PM ~ play, clean up, & baths
7:30 - 8:00 PM ~ books & bed
Nate will wake 2-3 times during the night, depending on if he's unable to soothe himself back to sleep, or if he's poopy. He can now go about 8-9 hours without needing to nurse, usually 8 PM is the last feeding, and he can go until about 4 AM before he eats again. He will wake between 12 & 2 AM, and again @ 4 AM.
And now that I think I've got it all figured out, it's bound to change again!
ETA: Yep, I should have known better than to start cheering. N barely napped today, and only once in his crib, and now he's up from what I thought was bed for him @ 7:30 PM. Husband wants to let him cry it out for 15 minutes...which I thought was too long, but now @ minute 11, there is silence....hmmm....we shall see!
Jacob was a fabulous sleeper, from the very beginning. He started sleeping through the night around 6 weeks, and taking 2-3 hour long naps during the day...meaning I could nap along with him. What an amazing way to start out parenthood = rested!
Wyatt came along, and slept through the night only a handful of times by about 8-10 weeks old. He was a more difficult baby, sleep-wise and not. By the time he was 3 months old, I was beginning to question my sanity. Thoughts like, "Why isn't he sleeping throught he night? Jacob did at this age!" and "why doesn't he nap more than 30 minutes at a time? how can I make him nap better?" went through my head on a regular basis. I read every book under the sun, and researched, and questioned other moms. All the information I got back was conflicting, and essentially made me want to tear my hair out. Wyatt continued to scream for hours, and it would be accompanied by back arching, flailing, and wailing. He would go down screaming and wake up the same. Nothing seemed to comfort him ~ and it led to utter frustration & exhaustion for all of us, which didn't help matters any. He was put on Zantac @ 4 months, and almost immediately, his demeanor changed. But...he still didn't sleep. We lived in a haze for the first 6-8 months of his life. And honestly, I don't remember much of his infancy. I rarely slept more than 3 hour chunks, and had to keep up with an infant and a toddler, as well as work full time ~ and there was no resting for Mama! In all honesty, I was angry about being so.darn.tired. allofthetime. So....grumpiness won, mostly. I wish I could change that about myself. Hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it? All I can really do now is seek forgiveness, and learn from my mistakes.
So....
When Nate was born (and even further back, into my pregnancy with him), I made peace with the fact that I would never sleep again. Literally. And I was okay with that, as long as I maintained my happiness. Because, let's face it: a Happy Mama is a Happy Family. True, no? The simple fact that I made the choice to be happy despite my utter exhaustion made all of the difference in the world. Don't get me wrong, it's not all sunshine and roses all of the time, but everything is so much more enjoyable this time around. I'm loving every moment of Nate's infancy, and Jacob & Wyatt's toddlerhood. Well, almost every moment. But that's another post for another day!
And what MckMama wrote recently was a great reminder that parenting small children all goes by way too quickly.
I digress.
Nate is starting to sleep. On his own! His sleep habits are forming slowly, but are definitely there. I'm so grateful that he's getting the rest he needs. He wakes cheery, cooing, screeching (it's his "happy sound"), and kicking. I can see a clear pattern of wakefulness, the need to eat, and when to sleep. We're on a schedule ~ albiet a very flexible one, but something we both need. He likes a pacifier to soothe to sleep, and sometimes needs a soft blanket or lovey in his hands, so they don't flail and wake him up.
Here's what a typical day looks like for us ~ if I'm home with the boys during the week, and on the weekend (sorry to bore you; I suppose it's more for me than anyone else):
6:00 AM ~ wake, nurse, nap - usually in our bed
7:30 AM ~ big boys are awake in their room, usually jumping on their beds and laughing
8:00 AM ~ all of us get out of bed
8:15 AM ~ breakfast
8:45 AM ~ play, change clothes, get ready for the day
9:30 AM ~ change Nate, nurse, nap in his crib
10:30 AM ~ awake, play, snack (big boys)
12:00 PM ~ lunch
12:30 PM ~ play, change, read books
1:15 PM ~ all 3 boys down for naps (Jacob in the boys' room, Wyatt in the PNP in the nursery, Nate in his carseat in our bedroom. I know the carseat is not the most ideal sleeping environment, but for now it works. He'll sleep for 2-3 hours in his carseat vs. 1 hr flat on his back. Also I'd love to have the big boys nap in the same room, essentially freeing up our room, but that hasn't worked as well as I'd hoped, so for now, they are much better rested when they nap alone)
3:30 PM ~ wake, snacks, TV or movie
4:00 PM ~ play
5:00 PM -ish ~ Nate nurses & has a short nap, 45 min-1 hr.
5:30 PM ~ dinner as a family
6:30 PM ~ play, clean up, & baths
7:30 - 8:00 PM ~ books & bed
Nate will wake 2-3 times during the night, depending on if he's unable to soothe himself back to sleep, or if he's poopy. He can now go about 8-9 hours without needing to nurse, usually 8 PM is the last feeding, and he can go until about 4 AM before he eats again. He will wake between 12 & 2 AM, and again @ 4 AM.
And now that I think I've got it all figured out, it's bound to change again!
ETA: Yep, I should have known better than to start cheering. N barely napped today, and only once in his crib, and now he's up from what I thought was bed for him @ 7:30 PM. Husband wants to let him cry it out for 15 minutes...which I thought was too long, but now @ minute 11, there is silence....hmmm....we shall see!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Three Nights
When attempting a new or change in routine, the key is always "three nights".
Sometimes I have to remind myself of this rule.
For example, changing from a crib to a toddler bed. Night one = worst.experience.ever. Night two = screaming & crying when put down, not letting Mommy leave, etc. but better than the first night, still not great, no wake ups until 5:30 AM (some pitter patter of feet and later found blanket moving) but no crying out until 7:45 AM. Night three = say prayers, sing song, put music on, give hugs & kisses, and walk out the door. There was a tiny bit of pleading for Mommy to stay, but I told Jacob I had to go put Wyatt to bed, and that I'd be back in to check on him later. So far, so good. It's pretty quiet in his room, with the exception of the music.
The boys are wiped out today, as my parents (who watch them on Mondays) didn't put them down for their naps b/c they were out and about on fun summer adventures (and let's be honest, they let the boys run the Grammie & Papa show!)....Grrrr.....post for another day.......needless to say, they're simply exhausted. Thankfully, the exhaustion is helping us transition.
YEAH! Here's to what I'm hoping is a "return to normalcy" ~ that is, until we move Wyatt in with Jacob. Oh yeah, and then their Little Brother comes home to stay.
Ha, ha!
Sometimes I have to remind myself of this rule.
For example, changing from a crib to a toddler bed. Night one = worst.experience.ever. Night two = screaming & crying when put down, not letting Mommy leave, etc. but better than the first night, still not great, no wake ups until 5:30 AM (some pitter patter of feet and later found blanket moving) but no crying out until 7:45 AM. Night three = say prayers, sing song, put music on, give hugs & kisses, and walk out the door. There was a tiny bit of pleading for Mommy to stay, but I told Jacob I had to go put Wyatt to bed, and that I'd be back in to check on him later. So far, so good. It's pretty quiet in his room, with the exception of the music.
The boys are wiped out today, as my parents (who watch them on Mondays) didn't put them down for their naps b/c they were out and about on fun summer adventures (and let's be honest, they let the boys run the Grammie & Papa show!)....Grrrr.....post for another day.......needless to say, they're simply exhausted. Thankfully, the exhaustion is helping us transition.
YEAH! Here's to what I'm hoping is a "return to normalcy" ~ that is, until we move Wyatt in with Jacob. Oh yeah, and then their Little Brother comes home to stay.
Ha, ha!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
S-L-E-E-P (or lack thereof)
Today's feelings:
changing the crib to a toddler bed was the biggest mistake of my life.
Ugh.
Jacob was up at least 4 times last night, if not more. I honestly lost track. He opened the door, and came looking for us. Tim slept on his floor most of the night. He kept screaming, not wanting him to leave, and really just having a hard time.
Wyatt was up from 1-3 AM about 4-5 times, crying and whining. I'm thinking the restlessness was from teething pain (eye teeth are on their way in), but still....the same night, at that.
Jake slept an hour for a nap today. He's exhausted. We are too, and that is an understatement.
I told someone at church today that I would gladly put the crib back together and let him stay in it until he's 7, if that meant we would go back to normal sleep at our house. I'm too tired at this point in pregnancy for this ~ I need to savor every moment of sleep now that I can, because I know all to well what is to come....
and I am a better mother, a better person, when I'm more rested!
changing the crib to a toddler bed was the biggest mistake of my life.
Ugh.
Jacob was up at least 4 times last night, if not more. I honestly lost track. He opened the door, and came looking for us. Tim slept on his floor most of the night. He kept screaming, not wanting him to leave, and really just having a hard time.
Wyatt was up from 1-3 AM about 4-5 times, crying and whining. I'm thinking the restlessness was from teething pain (eye teeth are on their way in), but still....the same night, at that.
Jake slept an hour for a nap today. He's exhausted. We are too, and that is an understatement.
I told someone at church today that I would gladly put the crib back together and let him stay in it until he's 7, if that meant we would go back to normal sleep at our house. I'm too tired at this point in pregnancy for this ~ I need to savor every moment of sleep now that I can, because I know all to well what is to come....
and I am a better mother, a better person, when I'm more rested!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Broken Sleep
**Warning** - This a crabby post, so if you want to stay in the great mood that you're in, skip this one!
I dread the nights. I hate to say that as a second-time-round Mom, but it's true. I dreaded the nights with newborns for a few weeks, especially the first time around - all those unknowns about breastfeeding & changing projectile poop in the dark in the middle of the night when you're half awake...well, need I explain further?
I still dread the nights with W. He wakes anywhere from one to six times per night. Still. Yes, on a bad night it's SIX times. It's no wonder why we're constantly sucking down the coffee and have huge circles under our eyes. We're a bit deprived in the sleep department. Exhausted is an understatement.
His new thing is to wake and scream bloody murder. We let him scream it out for 45 minutes last weekend, and he eventually put himself back to sleep, and then woke once for the next few nights. We were in heaven - thinking we were turning the corner in the sleep department. We were wrong. This is what last night looked like:
-Bed at 7:30 PM, fussed and wiggled until 8 PM
-Woke at 12:45 AM and fussed for a 1/2 hour. Fell back asleep.
-Woke again at 2:15 PM, screaming bloody murder, fussy, almost inconsolable. He fussed for a 1/2 hour. Fell back asleep.
-Woke again at 3:20 AM. I finally gave in and fed him a little bit, then put him back in his crib, inserted the "plug" (AKA paci) to which he spit out, and started kicking and flailing his arms and cooing - like it was time for a mid-day play date.
-He slept from 3:45-6:40 AM. He's exhausted today, and so am I. We all are. I am so over it! But I am at a loss to what the problem is and how to solve it. HELP!
W's behavior at night:
-wakes screaming
-arches back
-kicks legs
-gassy
-no poop (he has only pooped at night a handful of times in his life)
-will eat if offered the boob
-falls asleep nursing
-will wake immediately if put into his crib following falling asleep nursing
Other W tidbits:
- he is a poor daytime sleeper, naps 30-45 minutes at a time
- can put himself to sleep most times in crib
- occasionally falls asleep in swing, carseat, stroller, someone's arms
We have tried:
-elevating head of mattress
-gas drops
-gripe water
-modifying my diet (rice milk, bland foods, etc)
-small amount of rice cereal in the evening
-bedtime routine @ 7:30 PM
-letting him cry (okay, scream!) it out
-soothing
-white noise
I don't know if he is uncomfortable/in pain (I was doing some research and some of his behavior/symptoms sound similar to "silent reflux"/GER/GERD) or if he's "playing us" (to quote my husband this morning) in the middle of the night.
I love my children. I am so blessed to have 2 sweet little baby boys. I want the best for them, as any parent does. I want them to sleep well and wake feeling rested and refreshed. Selfishly, I also want a little of that for myself!
I dread the nights. I hate to say that as a second-time-round Mom, but it's true. I dreaded the nights with newborns for a few weeks, especially the first time around - all those unknowns about breastfeeding & changing projectile poop in the dark in the middle of the night when you're half awake...well, need I explain further?
I still dread the nights with W. He wakes anywhere from one to six times per night. Still. Yes, on a bad night it's SIX times. It's no wonder why we're constantly sucking down the coffee and have huge circles under our eyes. We're a bit deprived in the sleep department. Exhausted is an understatement.
His new thing is to wake and scream bloody murder. We let him scream it out for 45 minutes last weekend, and he eventually put himself back to sleep, and then woke once for the next few nights. We were in heaven - thinking we were turning the corner in the sleep department. We were wrong. This is what last night looked like:
-Bed at 7:30 PM, fussed and wiggled until 8 PM
-Woke at 12:45 AM and fussed for a 1/2 hour. Fell back asleep.
-Woke again at 2:15 PM, screaming bloody murder, fussy, almost inconsolable. He fussed for a 1/2 hour. Fell back asleep.
-Woke again at 3:20 AM. I finally gave in and fed him a little bit, then put him back in his crib, inserted the "plug" (AKA paci) to which he spit out, and started kicking and flailing his arms and cooing - like it was time for a mid-day play date.
-He slept from 3:45-6:40 AM. He's exhausted today, and so am I. We all are. I am so over it! But I am at a loss to what the problem is and how to solve it. HELP!
W's behavior at night:
-wakes screaming
-arches back
-kicks legs
-gassy
-no poop (he has only pooped at night a handful of times in his life)
-will eat if offered the boob
-falls asleep nursing
-will wake immediately if put into his crib following falling asleep nursing
Other W tidbits:
- he is a poor daytime sleeper, naps 30-45 minutes at a time
- can put himself to sleep most times in crib
- occasionally falls asleep in swing, carseat, stroller, someone's arms
We have tried:
-elevating head of mattress
-gas drops
-gripe water
-modifying my diet (rice milk, bland foods, etc)
-small amount of rice cereal in the evening
-bedtime routine @ 7:30 PM
-letting him cry (okay, scream!) it out
-soothing
-white noise
I don't know if he is uncomfortable/in pain (I was doing some research and some of his behavior/symptoms sound similar to "silent reflux"/GER/GERD) or if he's "playing us" (to quote my husband this morning) in the middle of the night.
I love my children. I am so blessed to have 2 sweet little baby boys. I want the best for them, as any parent does. I want them to sleep well and wake feeling rested and refreshed. Selfishly, I also want a little of that for myself!
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