What a difference some sleep can make...
Wow. Well it wasn't a perfect night...but I did get to sleep, and so did G.
I went to bed promptly at 9:20pm (I should have been in bed at 9...but my mom called..) Gunnar went down at 7pm and though he did some crying in the first hour, it was nothing sustained.
At 10:30pm Gunnar woke screaming...after 5 minutes I went in to check on him to see if his eyes were open, which they weren't. So I left...closed the door (so the over protective and curious cats wouldn't feel obligated to jump in his crib and soothe him) and waited it out. I crawled into bed and tried to plug my ears with my fingers...but alas I could still hear his piercing screams. And I waited. I waited a horrid 20 minutes. (I'm not sure why this waiting was harder than the waiting I did yesterday afternoon...but it really was the worst this time. And tear inducing on my part.) But just at the last second, when I decided I had had enough and I was going to comfort my poor baby...it stopped. Silence. Bliss.
I put my feet back in bed and put my head back on the pillow...wow it worked. Followed by the sudden: Oh my God what if he's not breathing????? (This happens a lot) and then I rushed into his room as quietly as I could (tiptoed even) to make sure I could see the rise and fall of his back...he was out, peaceful, dreaming. And I went back to bed...until 2:30 when my body woke me up needing to pump. While I was pumping G woke up again. I stopped pumping to check on him...this time his eyes open, so I fed him and put him back down. And he slept until 6:30. So (sort of) 7.5 hours (with some cries halfway through) and then 4 hours...I'll take it!
I have no idea what today or tomorrow will hold but I'm realizing that I should take my own sleep as seriously as I take his. Because a tired mommy isn't a well functioning mommy. So many of you expressed having problems like this for weeks or even months. Well I'm not holding my breath...I know this could/will happen again and so I'm going to make a stronger effort to get myself to bed within two hours of putting him down. And maybe even nap more when he naps (if he naps...I hope he naps).
All you mommies out there amaze me. Thank you for your encouragement and thank you for your tips. A friend of mine sent me a blog that really rang true for me today and I'd like to share that with you:
(On the Right way to Parent)
My favorite line of this blog: "As long as you and your baby are happy and healthy, as long as you are doing what you believe is best for your family, you’re doing it the “right” way. And it doesn’t matter one bit what Susie McAwesomeMom from down the block thinks. Just do your best to ignore her, and your mother-in-law, and the cashier at Target." Amen to that! But I also have to say that as a new mom, it's good to hear what other mom's have to say. Because sometimes what worked for them...might work for me, and sometimes they won't. I hope to take every bit of advice with a "grain of salt" approach. I'll try anything once.
I hope no one reading this thinks I know the right way to Parent...because I certainly don't believe I do. I'm learning everyday.
Oh and one more thing...MOMMIES ROCK!
I went to bed promptly at 9:20pm (I should have been in bed at 9...but my mom called..) Gunnar went down at 7pm and though he did some crying in the first hour, it was nothing sustained.
At 10:30pm Gunnar woke screaming...after 5 minutes I went in to check on him to see if his eyes were open, which they weren't. So I left...closed the door (so the over protective and curious cats wouldn't feel obligated to jump in his crib and soothe him) and waited it out. I crawled into bed and tried to plug my ears with my fingers...but alas I could still hear his piercing screams. And I waited. I waited a horrid 20 minutes. (I'm not sure why this waiting was harder than the waiting I did yesterday afternoon...but it really was the worst this time. And tear inducing on my part.) But just at the last second, when I decided I had had enough and I was going to comfort my poor baby...it stopped. Silence. Bliss.
I put my feet back in bed and put my head back on the pillow...wow it worked. Followed by the sudden: Oh my God what if he's not breathing????? (This happens a lot) and then I rushed into his room as quietly as I could (tiptoed even) to make sure I could see the rise and fall of his back...he was out, peaceful, dreaming. And I went back to bed...until 2:30 when my body woke me up needing to pump. While I was pumping G woke up again. I stopped pumping to check on him...this time his eyes open, so I fed him and put him back down. And he slept until 6:30. So (sort of) 7.5 hours (with some cries halfway through) and then 4 hours...I'll take it!
I have no idea what today or tomorrow will hold but I'm realizing that I should take my own sleep as seriously as I take his. Because a tired mommy isn't a well functioning mommy. So many of you expressed having problems like this for weeks or even months. Well I'm not holding my breath...I know this could/will happen again and so I'm going to make a stronger effort to get myself to bed within two hours of putting him down. And maybe even nap more when he naps (if he naps...I hope he naps).
All you mommies out there amaze me. Thank you for your encouragement and thank you for your tips. A friend of mine sent me a blog that really rang true for me today and I'd like to share that with you:
(On the Right way to Parent)
My favorite line of this blog: "As long as you and your baby are happy and healthy, as long as you are doing what you believe is best for your family, you’re doing it the “right” way. And it doesn’t matter one bit what Susie McAwesomeMom from down the block thinks. Just do your best to ignore her, and your mother-in-law, and the cashier at Target." Amen to that! But I also have to say that as a new mom, it's good to hear what other mom's have to say. Because sometimes what worked for them...might work for me, and sometimes they won't. I hope to take every bit of advice with a "grain of salt" approach. I'll try anything once.
I hope no one reading this thinks I know the right way to Parent...because I certainly don't believe I do. I'm learning everyday.
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| My sweet little thumb-sucker! |
I'm so happy you are feeling better today! After reading your blog entry yesterday I was thinking about you two all day.
ReplyDeleteI know how hard it is, I've had several of those moments myself. (my youngest didn't sleep for 2 years)
Hang in there, listen to your gut. From what I see you are an amazing mother.
-Nora formerly, Conley
This picture of Gunnar is so sweet! I want to hold and squeeze him! - Great Aunt Mary Kay
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