Is anyone else worried about...

the lack of sleep we are gonna get?

I plan to BF and i know that it is so stressful and demanding. I dont mind that as much, but i just cant imagine how little sleep Im going to be getting soon.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

that is actually my biggest worry, and i actually lose sleep now over it.. with ds my husband worked evenings so he would come home and tend to ds for a while (i would pump so he had a bottle to give) and i got atleast 3-4 ghours straight... this time around he works nights AND i will have a 15 months old

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

yes! Esp bc I already have one DC and know how bad it is!

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Definitely! I haven't slept good for the last month (between pee breaks and restless legs) so I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like when arrives!!

But I am going to try really hard to sleep when she does - I hate naps and always try to catch up on random stuff - but I'm going to force myself. At least that might help if I don't get much sleep at night!

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Yes, I am completely freaked out about this. But we have to be positive and think we can do it!

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

i'll be honest - in the beginning it's HARD. but for me, it only lasted 3 weeks or do before DS started sleeping longer stretches. this also had a lot to do with the fact that i waited to swaddle DS - i think he would have been sleeping longer sooner.

there are things you can do to help:

sleep when the baby sleeps! it's the best advice and not enough mommies do it. it\'s especially hard because you'll have company and you'll want to get things done around the house. let your DH do it if you are BFing. seriously. tell him THAT's the help you need.

also, on the same note, try and prevent having too many people come over unless you are willing to nap when they are there!

swaddle, swaddle, swaddle. the baby may fight it at first but that's a normal reaction for them. it's really very soothing for them and it WILL help them sleep.

obviously it wasn't that bad - i'm doing it again less than 2 years later

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

I've been trying to mentally prepare for it...though that's impossible.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

I am! I barely function at work now as it is, I almost fell asleep the other day while I was testing a student and thats just from the pregnancy!
I can't imagine getting up at least 3-4 times a night and most likely staying up for 45 minutes, then going to work in the am, to come home only to do it again.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Is your Dh taking time off?? Maybe in the beg. you can take with feedings? Do you plan on pumping at all so he can help feed?

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Posted by headoverheels

i'll be honest - in the beginning it's HARD. but for me, it only lasted 3 weeks or do before DS started sleeping longer stretches. this also had a lot to do with the fact that i waited to swaddle DS - i think he would have been sleeping longer sooner.

there are things you can do to help:

sleep when the baby sleeps! it's the best advice and not enough mommies do it. it\'s especially hard because you'll have company and you'll want to get things done around the house. let your DH do it if you are BFing. seriously. tell him THAT's the help you need.

also, on the same note, try and prevent having too many people come over unless you are willing to nap when they are there!

swaddle, swaddle, swaddle. the baby may fight it at first but that's a normal reaction for them. it's really very soothing for them and it WILL help them sleep.

obviously it wasn't that bad - i'm doing it again less than 2 years later

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

As a working mom who is still BFing her 11 month old who STILL wakes up once a night- I can tell you that you will amaze yourself at what you can do on fragmented sleep.

Except when we went away to Mexico when #1 was 8 months old I haven't gotten a full 8 hours of sleep in almost 3 years

For first timers- "sleep when the baby sleeps" really is the best advice. I cannot stress enough how energized you get when you get a nap during the day.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

I know sleep when baby sleeps didn't work for me bc baby was colic and didn't sleep for more than 20 minutes. also I was pumping so once he went to sleep, I would pump and he would wake up! I pray this next child is not colic or have reflux like DS

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Yes, yes I am

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Yes. I am already trying to figure out a schedule for us. DH works 3pm-11pm. So I figure with his schedule & this being our first DC I will be able to sleep a few solid hours a day. Either when he comes home from work ( he is a night owl), or in the morning before he goes to work. DH already said that at the end of his 5 day work week that night is his. He also said the next night is his too. As long as he doesn't have work in the morning he wants to be on baby duty b/c he feels like he misses out not being home during the day. I am all for it. Let's see how it really plays out when DC gets here. I am so not against calling for help either. If I am going to pass out I will call SIL or BIL who live close & ask for help so I could take a nap. Plus I am going to force myself to sleep when the baby sleeps. I don't care if the dishes pile up, the laundry needs to be done. Those are not as important.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Posted by headoverheels

i'll be honest - in the beginning it's HARD. but for me, it only lasted 3 weeks or do before DS started sleeping longer stretches. this also had a lot to do with the fact that i waited to swaddle DS - i think he would have been sleeping longer sooner.

there are things you can do to help:

sleep when the baby sleeps! it's the best advice and not enough mommies do it. it\'s especially hard because you'll have company and you'll want to get things done around the house. let your DH do it if you are BFing. seriously. tell him THAT's the help you need.

also, on the same note, try and prevent having too many people come over unless you are willing to nap when they are there!

swaddle, swaddle, swaddle. the baby may fight it at first but that's a normal reaction for them. it's really very soothing for them and it WILL help them sleep.

obviously it wasn't that bad - i'm doing it again less than 2 years later

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Yes, but I'm sick and tired of all the other parents/older generation saying 'oh just you wait until the baby comes, you think you're tired now'. I'm like thanks, I haven't been living under a rock my whole life, I'm very aware that baby = exhaustion!

I'm definitely a girl who needs her sleep so yes, I am worried about it, but I try not to let it show to anyone other than dh!

ETA: All 6 of my inlaws are showing up right after Christmas (I'm due Dec 5 but if the baby's late it may not be very long after I deliver that they arrive), and I'm worried about having the patience to deal with them on no sleep LOL. We have a very small apartment and I feel like they're going to want to spend all their time here and I just want peace and quiet. Sigh. I know I"m not alone here....

Message edited 10/11/2009 2:02:38 PM.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Yes I am worried. I do not do so well on minimal sleep, but I keep telling myself this will be different. I am very lucky, though, my mom is only 10min away and plans on doing all the: cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping for the first few weeks to help me as I need it. At this point i'm more afraid my mom will never leave

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

I'm not sleeping now at night. I haven't slept at night for 4 days in a row. Don't think its going to be much different after Jr. comes. I have learned to deal with it. I sleep when I can now. My Mom is coming to stay with us after Jr is born. Hubby needs all the help he can get. I plan on using formula at night. Hubby works a rotating shift. Either three 7am-7pm shifts with two days off in between or three 7pm-7am shifts with 4 days off in between. His job also requires a lot of overtime. So after Mom goes home, 2-3 weeks, it will be me and Jr. I like my sleep too. So we will see what happens when he comes. Hopefully he will be just like me when I was a baby and sleep 20 hours a day...

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

YES! Very worried actually. I need my sleep otherwise i am so cranky, i don't know what i will do.

i'll just try to sleep when the baby sleeps and just learn to deal without for a while.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

You adjust - and your body adjusts. You will be amazed at how little sleep you need.

I also agree with everything LB said!

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

YES!

I barely sleep now because of just being uncomfortable. As is I find myself being cognitively inept (i.e. I got lost on my way to work on Friday...true story ).

I plan on BF-ing too. At first I was dead set against getting a bassinet, but am now starting to think it may just save what is left of my sanity when I am waking up every 2 hours.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

yes!!!

mine was nocturnal nightmare!

mine was up every 2 hours. and on rare chance he did go longer, it was a fluke

I think I had worse case scenerio and lived through it....this one can only be better

its the ebf that makes it hard imo. you are basically on your own with nips that are on fire. i swear everytime he would wake and it was my left side's turn
I would break out in a nervous rash! and if he did sleep it wasn't worth it since i would wake crazy engorged and leak all night.

but it does get better...its for a short while.
i def had a lot of solid bonding time with my baby during the night.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

Posted by LittleBlueBug

YES!

I barely sleep now because of just being uncomfortable. As is I find myself being cognitively inept (i.e. I got lost on my way to work on Friday...true story ).

I plan on BF-ing too. At first I was dead set against getting a bassinet, but am now starting to think it may just save what is left of my sanity when I am waking up every 2 hours.

Message edited 10/11/2009 8:49:12 PM.

Re: Is anyone else worried about...

I won't lie, the beginning is really hard. The lack of sleep takes a toll on your body. All I can say is it does get better. It will take a few months, or a few weeks for some lucky parents. Every month is seemed to get a little better. Now at 7 months, DS is sleeping through the night. Either 6-6:30 or 7-7.

The only advice I have is like another poster stated. Sleep when the baby sleeps. If your DC is anything like mine, they sleep a whole lot during the day. Also, just keep it in your mind that some day you will sleep again.

Message edited 10/11/2009 8:50:20 PM.