Sleeping through the night? Bah!
January 10, 2011 by Shannon
If I could take a picture of myself right now and publish it along with this post, it would scare your socks off. I look like a walking zombie. And this is after I showered and got all made up. Yep, it’s one of those days where makeup doesn’t even help.
The universe is dealing out some paybacks after I casually mentioned to another mom about one great night of sleep Ella had over the weekend. She only woke up once! At five am! It was glorious.
And then…last night happened.
First, Kellan woke up saying he was scared of the dark. (He has a really bright nightlight in his room, but apparently that didn’t help.) That was at 1 am.
Then Ella woke at 2 am. In my already desperately tired state, I nursed her to get her back to sleep quickly and quietly.
At 4 am, another wakeup call from Ella. This time, for some reason, I was determined NOT to nurse her back to sleep. After much screaming and many soothing attempts, she finally put herself back to sleep around 5 am.
Naturally, the sound of my alarm came way too soon after that. So I’m super exhausted and I have to make a big grocery run with both kids this afternoon. I’m depressed just thinking about how tired that will make me. (I just resorted to a little chocolate therapy. Six mini peanut butter cups later, I just feel sugared up and tired. Bleh.)
I know that if I can just sleep train Ella to stop waking so many times – if I can just fight the urge to take the path of least resistance and nurse her back to sleep every time – I’ll thank myself later. It’s just so hard to do when I’m already so very sleep deprived.
But I just have to complain a little bit here: how in the hell do some moms get their babies to sleep through the night by six months? I mean, really. All the books tell me sleeping through the night means 5 or 6 hours straight. But then I talk to other moms – actual people – who tell me that their kids sleep from 7:30 pm to 7 am. What?!?!? Did they accomplish this feat through sleep training? Or do the babies just do this on their own? Are these formula-fed kids we’re talking about?
I don’t know. I guess I just need to stay strong and make sure nursing doesn’t become my preferred back-to-sleep method. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll end up with one of those miracle babies.
Or maybe my eyeballs will fall out from exhaustion. Only time will tell.
Comments (9)
Yeah, I’m convinced those miracle babies are an urban legend. I think people lie. Or at least that’s what I tell myself to feel better.
I was about to write that neither of my kids slept through the night till at LEAST 10 mos, but that’s just the first time they ever did; it wasn’t a permanent thing. Even now, at ages 4 and 22 mos., 1 or both are up at random times on any given night because of a nightmare, dirty diaper, web bed, illness, or whatever. Hang in there!
oops! God forbid I have a typo on Anchormommy!! I meant “wet bed.”
I hope you get some sleep soon - both of you! Do they have grocery delivery in Boise? We’ve used it here before and when life is hectic it’s such a treat!!! And you don’t buy crap you don’t need!
Shannon, you are going to hate me but at almost exactly 3 months, Belén started sleeping through the night and she was exclusively breastfed. We were convinced her buddy Gracyn taught her how because we had been in Sun Valley with them that weekend. We did sleep training and followed the teachings in, “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.” But I do have to say I am convinced it depends on the kid. Belén started going down at 9 and sleeping til morning and pretty soon we were at exactly what you mention, and where we still are today, 7:30pm to 7am.
Now I am pretty sure Baby #2 will not be this way, I do think we just kind of got lucky. Good luck! If you have not read that book, it is great!
I’ve been checking out your blog for awhile now & in honor of national delurking day as stated by Blogher.com I’m going to comment & say “hi” for once.
And I do think formula may have a lot to do with it. I hope I don’t get hung for saying that. Both my boys were formula fed & both slept mostly through the night (6-7 hours) at 8 weeks. And now sleep much longer depending on the timing of naps. ‘
I wish you luck. Sleep deprivation sucks big time!
xo, the other Shannon
You just never know. Pele took 2 1/2 years to start sleeping through the night and Vic did it in 3 months. I don’t think I did anything different between the two, they just have very different personalities. Of course I don’t remember much about those times either so unfortunately I can’t really tell you what I did. Just hang in there, she’ll figure it out and everything will work out.
Oh, see I don’t miss those days… I’m sorry! It does get easier, sort of. But at the same time, even you’re so tired, enjoy this time, too, even the sleepless nights rocking your baby back to sleep because honestly, they grow so fast!
Shan, they are lying or greatly exaggerating. If any has a kid Ella’s age sleeping 12 hours strait, they forgot to turn on the monitor.
I remember complimenting my children on some great accomplishment, only to have them throw it in my face that or the next day! Hang in there, and don’t get too down on yourself for nursing her back to sleep, this too shall pass. Keep repeating that to yourself. I love you.
Jezz
What is this sleeping through the night business you speak of???