I, on the other hand, would love to sleep. I've had insomnia the past couple of nights and even when she was sleeping, I wasn't. So now when I'm dead tired, she's wide awake.
On the bright side, she is really getting the hang of breastfeeding, which is a huge relief to me. How can a species survive when the act of feeding is so hard for so many babies? If I'm engorged, like first thing in the morning, she has a hard time latching on, but otherwise, she's a champ. And, at last, I don't feel like such a idiot that can't even figure out how to feed her baby.
I may end up going to sleep here on the couch, just so Vivian doesn't keep Richard up (since he has to go to work and all).
She's starting to fuss again, so I'll finish up here. I'll end with a cute baby photo to remind myself why this is all worth the exhaustion.
Vivian at a more restful time, wrapped in a beautiful blanket hand knit by Mel
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4 comments:
I'm not sure that I've said Congratulations yet, so Congratulations! She's just so beautiful.
Isn't it crazy how we spend 9 months in fear of labor day because of all the hype, then it turns out what we should have been fearing was the first 2-3 months after labor day? I was shocked at how hard nursing was. I had latch on problems, engorgements, mastitis. All inhibitions were thrown to the wind when the visiting nurse came by the house a week after my daughters birth. I was throwing my boob at her begging her to help me nurse my child. Then the husbands wonder why we don't want them touching us anymore. The bar is closed, buddy, no MILK FOR YOU! Ally eventually got the hang of it and would nurse for an hour. My son, on the other hand, would only eat for maybe 5-10 minutes then be done. So I'd have to pump one side while he nursed the other side to avoid infection...every time. He was the same with sleeping, short little naps and long periods of play time....at 3 a.m. It is most definitely a crazy ride and I now tell new moms, it's not Labor Day that's hard it's what comes after. Through it all things gets better or we just get used to it. They start sleeping for a little while, then stop sleeping for a little while, back and forth probably until they're 18. Just keep taking photos of the little sleeping baby. I still look at those photos and remember the first few months, but I can't feel the hard parts like I can feel the moments of unconditional love and joy.
Never underestimate the power of physical contact to put a baby to sleep. A little over-the-shoulder holding, a little bouncing, a little back rubbing and Mark could usually be counted on to zonk right out. Plus you have the added benny of watching your child fall asleep on your shoulder. :)
And silly as it sounds, soft singing helps too. Even with a voice as terrible as mine, Mark doesn't seem to mind one bit. I was stunned the first time I sang him to sleep.
Yeah, that "sleep when the baby sleeps" thing never really works out like it should.
Richard could always pull a George Castanza and make a little man-crib under his desk.
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