Friday, February 02, 2007

Vent

Let me start by saying that I am so very grateful for the wealth of knowledge that is out there for moms. Websites, books, bulletin boards...all lifesavers in their own right.

HOWEVER.

I cannot read one more account of a mom who wishes her child would sleep more than three hours at a time. I hunger for three hours. I have a clear picture of myself burning every parenting book I own. Books that tell me that babies start to space out their nightly feedings by now. I am just delirious and sleep-deprived enough to believe that I may never sleep again.

Jackson went to bed at 10PM. Woke at 12...1...2...3...4. And nursed every time. Flat out refused a bottle, and I just can't blame him. He had one night where he slept in three hour stretches, for which I am eternally grateful, because I had the stomach freaking flu that night. I have not gotten more than two hours sleep in at least three months.

"Sleep when the baby sleeps."
God, this sounds reasonable. For moms with no other children, and maybe a housekeeper, too.

"Swaddle the baby. Use white noise in the nursery."
Yup. Tried that.

"Keep the baby awake during the day."
Disaster.

OhMyGodIJustWannaSleepForThreeHours.

How am I able to function? Drive a car? Converse with friends? This is a biological marvel. It boggles the mind, truly.

Now it is now 5:31AM. I just don't see the point in trying to go back to bed. I think I'll sleep on the sofa. The bed is too delicious. It has to be easier to get up off the sofa than a warm, soft, cozy bed.

I hope.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been "lurking" your blog ever since one of the Mama Bloggers posted a link to it. And because I have a 3 month old son I have enjoyed and can relate to every word you've written.

Amen to the praying for the end of sleep deprivation. I love my son, but if I don't get a good block of sleep soon I am going to go insane. And my husband and daughter are going to go insane from my sleep-deprived emotional outbursts.

Thank you for writing exactly what I'm thinking. At least I know I'm not alone.

sillypants said...

DOes he sleep with you? I slept with both kids and let them puppies hang and I would just plop them in their mouths and go back to sleep.

Not sure what Ferber would've said about that but I could have cared less. All I wanted was sleep and I would do anything to get it. Anything.

God Bless you honey bunny,

Silly