Babies are morning people. Babies are late night people, babies are middle of the night people, and babies are morning people.
I'm don't really have many fears about being a mother. One fear I do have, though, is being able to function on little/no sleep for a few years.
How do you mothers of babies/young children out there do it? Is not needing sleep something that just comes with the territory? I sure hope so, cause I got up at 6:50am this morning and thought I was going to die. Not seriously. But it made me wonder how I'm ever going to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed EVER AGAIN.
8 comments:
Well, you sort of get used to it during pregnancy, and then it almost feels BETTER when you have to get up at night with a newborn! For real though, it's hard. At least with one baby you can sneak in a nap here and there, but with three.... well naptime never comes!
I do have faint memories of a good night's sleep. Right before I got pregnant with Emery it wasn't bad. Rowan was 3 1/2 and Bria was 1 1/2. They both slept through the night so it was livable.
I totally understand. I am not a morning person and, as you said, babies are all day and all night kind of people. But you know what? The Lord gives you the strength and energy you didn't think you would have. Seriously, I have said it over and over and over - somehow you get through it and I believe it is because the Lord gives you what you need at the time you need it. I am not saying you will be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed - I am saying you will survive. The Lord is taking care of you now and He won't forget you when you hold that baby in your arms. And, one day, you will sleep through the night again! I am!
It is hard but totally survivable (and you also have a husband to help :) I need sleep too. My doctor even told us that I wasn't getting enough so Tim has been amazing and often gets up at night for me (now that I am not nursing). That helps me a lot. We also often bring Alexis to bed in the morning and she will sleep longer. I swore I would NEVER do this but we were so exhausted we did and it works for us. But yes you do get used to it and it does work. There beautiful smiles and morning snuggles do make up for the lack of sleep.
I agree with Chantelle. God will give you the strength you need.
But the best advice I got is sleep when the baby sleeps. Cereal is a perfectly good supper, naps are always more important than anything else. And take full advantage of the hours when Dad is home. Brendan has been fantastic taking Sean so I can go to bed earlier and get those few extra hours of sleep I desperately need.
I don't know if you remember me or not, but I'm Amy and Leah's cousin. I've been lurking on your blog for a while and am ecstatic for you and your baby on the way! I just thought I'd offer you a little hope in that not all babies are morning people! So far I'm 2 for 2. I am so far from a morning person, and apparently my kids take after me and not their dad! My now 4 1/2 year old started her day around 9, and still does and my 10 month old usually wakes up around 8. If he wakes up earlier, I bring him to bed with me and he'll sleep til 9 or 9:30! I just hope that when #3 comes in August I don't have one that is a morning person. For the record, my kids do go to bed later than a lot. Chloe(4 1/2) is usually in bed between 9 and 9:30, and Tristan is usually asleep between 10 and 11. I prefer to have them up later because it works for our social life and obviousl for the sleep in the mornings!
In my extensive experience in being a mother, I have discovered that it's important to stop caring what time the click says? 2:00am? 4:30 pm? It's all the same... Get back to me tomorrow when I have both babies home, and we'll see if I've changed my mind :)
I bet you'll surprise yourself, Niki. The first few months are an exhausted blur - I would start sleeping at 7:30ish on the couch, feed Gav, and then head to bed before numerous mid-night wake ups.
I don't know what life with numerous kids is like, but been possible to have wake ups and still feel rested. G is late to bed (9ish) and often up just before 7. Not always easy - but you just find the energy. That - and I really, really like coffee :)
I'm de-lurking to comment... life w/a baby doesn't have to be sleepless! As a first-time mom, I've been blessed with a great sleeper! My baby is 3 wks old and (almost) sleeps through the nights. He'll sleep a 5-6 hr stretch, eat, then another 2ish hours. And has about four 1-2 hr naps throughout the day. I'm VERY thankful!
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