I like sleep. I always have. I function best with eight to nine hours of sleep a night. Maddy spoiled us and started sleeping though the night at 2 months old. No I’m not lying, or embellishing even. Glorious eight hour lengths of sleep each night, turned into nine and then 10 or more. We didn’t question it, we knew we were lucky. We just celebrated and then slept well almost every single night for the four and a half years to follow. Seriously.
The last 10 weeks? Well, the last 10 weeks have been painful. Painful in a way I was not ready for. I knew having a newborn was going to throw my sleeping habits for a loop. After all pregnancy had me out of bed several times a night. Luke and I struggled to figure out a rhythm. If Luke was working all day and I was with the girls all day when would either of us find the time to nap? Even though we obviously needed naps, we haven’t been getting them. I’ve been sleep deprived and at times delirious. We both have. Two kids is tiring. More tiring than I could have imagined.
The first night Delaney slept for seven hours straight I was dumb founded and couldn’t make sense of what the clock said. I was sure that five I was seeing was really a two and my overly tired brain was playing tricks. Once I shook the confusion I did a happy dance similar to a touchdown celebration. If I’d of had a ball I would have spiked it and I probably would have been flagged for excessive celebration as I made my way across the hall to her room. While I changed her diaper I whispered praise and promised her a number of things as a reward including a pony, a cupcake and roller skates. Not that they make infant-sized roller skates, ponies or cupcakes for that matter.
In the last week Delaney has slept for seven hour stretches three times. Three times I’ve woken happily to nurse her in early morning hours feeling relatively refreshed and rested. Those seven hours of sleep in a row have made a world of difference. I’ve been happier, more alert and functional. Mostly. I’m a little worried though. If for some reason she decided to keep this up and gift us with consistent seven hour stretches each night I might actually survive this parenting two children thing. Here’s the thing though. I know she is capable of sleeping for more than the four to five hours she was sleeping for before. I also know that her sleeping for seven hours three of the last five nights doesn’t mean she will continue doing so. If I get my hopes up I might get crushed. And crushed I would be. Also tired, irritable, and living in a state of continuous mental haze. If I ever get caught by the enemy they now know the key to getting me to spill my classified information. Sleep deprivation. Wait, does this mean my beautiful children are the enemy?
I’m joking. I know they’re not the enemy, most of the time.
When did your kids start sleeping through the night? What were your tricks to help them sleep through the night?
4 comments
All my kids were horrible sleepers. I remember being so happy when I could get 4 or 5 hours in a row of sleep. It was fabulous.
Oh and my kids never consistently slept through the night until they were about 1.5 years old.
You win, Jen. I’m not sure I would survive a year and a half of sleep deprivation x 3.
Charlotte was the worst…still is. She only goes about 9 hours, is up at 6 most days…sometimes 5:45, for that I blame my neighbor’s sprinkler system going on at that time every other day. Nothing worked…she just doesn’t sleep. Rebecca is a better sleeper, but neither slept straight through until around 18 months…yep try 3 1/2 years of that! 4 hours in a row was heaven. Good luck with that…I did get a sleep book that really helped, you are more than welcome to it. But really didn’t start sleep training Rebecca until 4 months old…she is better she sleeps a good 11-12 hours at night.
Looking back I think my babies worked 3rd shift. They loved the night. Right as soon as my husband or myself put our head on the pillow in a cumfy way we were doomed. Never relax they have extra powered sensors that can tell. It is a beautiful world when when they give you that gift of sleep and when they do they look so beautiful. What a gift.