Why I set myself up for failure on all fronts, I'm not completely sure, but one thing is certain -we breed crappy sleepers. When you run into me and ask me if Zachary is a good baby, I will not answer, like so many new moms I have asked, "He's so great, he slept through the night after a couple weeks!" or "He only wakes once or twice throughout the night." Yeah, that's not me. He is, indeed, a GREAT baby, but sleep just can't fall into that box for me.
Before anyone offers me any reading material about how to get your kids to sleep through the night, please don't bother. I have read EVERY book known to man about helping babies become great sleepers. The fact of the matter is, and I suppose I should just come to grips with it, is that my kids don't sleep through the night for months, even years if you want the truth. Harry just started sleeping through the night recently and Luke was at least three. I'm sure due to the lack of sleep around the time Harrison joined the family, my memory has failed me when Luke actually started sleeping through the night - although he was a super sleeper at five months, and at six months had his seizures, which changed everything. That story is for another time.
As for the other ideals, I am slowly accepting the fact that I'm not the most patient or fun mom right now, but I'm doing what I can in my zombie-like state. The same goes for getting my groove back and losing the weight. Unfortunately, sweet little Zachary has been the worst of my early sleepers. But it can all only get better, right?
photo courtesy of my sister amy - my cute little crappy sleeper
7 comments:
Amen! I have never heard it put so perfectly. I have crappy sleepers myself. I should clarify - I have 4 crappy sleeps and 1 pretty good sleeper. My pretty good is my youngest. I have done everything the same and have read all the books and yet one gets how to sleep and the others don't? I call personality and genetics all mixed into sleeping.
By the way, your boys are so cute, as are you...
And now we know why the Lord sends them so cute. It's for their survival.
Bless your heart - I honestly feel for you as my baby is six months today and still wakes up. AAArrrgh! Best of luck and be sure to sneak in naps here and there!
I am sooooo sorry. The only way I got Lexi to sleep through the night was to leave for girls camp for a week. Apparently Brian could sleep through World War 3 and never know it. I don't know how you do it, but if you ever want a break, I'd love to take your boys for the afternoon so you can get a good nap in!
Sorry your not getting any sleep! That's so hard. You are a great mom to all of your boys!
Aaah Kat, I have just had to accept that for the first three to four months +, I won't loose a single pound, my newborn will only sleep on and off throughout the night, and everyone else is just going to have to be extra patient with mommy! Get some naps dear... love ya and I love seeing you in the faces of your beautiful boys.
Don't be too hard on yourself! I'm sorry about the sleep stuff. I definitely have to say, both of my kids have been (and still are) completely different sleepers. The first was one of those dream babies who slept through the night very early on. The second...not so much. You're right--no amount of reading is going to change their little internal clocks.
In the mean time, hang in there! Your body has recently gone through a MAJOR change--hormonal and otherwise. You're running on less sleep than ever before, and with 3 kids now, more is required of you than ever before. Of course you're not going to be the perfect mother! Who ever is under those conditions? (If you think you know someone who is, just remember appearances can be deceiving!) I hope things start smoothing out for you soon!
And, if it helps you feel any better, I ALWAYS gain 10 lbs. when I'm breastfeeding. I do lose a lot when the baby comes, but the last 10 lbs. stay on...and each pound brings a friend. It took me 2 years to get the weight off last time!
Post a Comment