Sleeping Starfish
I have to put last night in the baby book as the first time Starfish slept through the night. After some seriously horrible tantrums during the day yesterday mixed with having barely slept from 3am yesterday until we put her down last night at 11pm, I imagine she must've been so exhausted that sleep just couldn't be fought any longer.
I was at my wits end, crying while she cried, wondering what I was or wasn't doing right when the hubby came home from his class last night around 9pm. I was just as exhausted as the little one was, maybe more so, because while she got in a few 30 minute naps (and by few I mean three all day long) I was searching for the next thing to try to calm her when she would inevitably wake up screaming.
I also managed to get the bed linens washed, dried and the bed remade, get the dishes done and make myself grilled chicken on the George Foreman (my only real meal of the day yesterday). I tried once to lay down and nap while she did but that was one of her 10 minute psych-out naps that she pulled out yesterday as well.
So anyway, when the hubby came home, we put the baby in the crib and let her cry while he held me and let me cry. I was exhausted and frustrated and sad. He comforted me and let me just get it all out. He's good about that. He's also good at reassuring me that I'm doing a good job and reminds me that I'm not always going to be able to calm her and that babies just cry sometimes.
When my good cry was over he suggested that I "top her off" by feeding her and then we would give her a good warm bath and put her down for bed. So I took her, soothed her and fed her and then we got the bath ready. Wouldn't you know it, she had a good time getting her bath (for the second time now, no more tears!). She didn't cry once, even cooed a little as I wrung the washcloth out over her belly. The bath went so well I thought the tantrums were over and she'd decided to be happy again.
But then, bath time was over and it was time to get diapered and dressed again. I swear, I think we're gonna have a naked jaybird running around the house in the future. She seems to despise having anything on.
She screamed like we were pulling out her toenails one by one while we got her dressed and ready for bed. But then daddy got her all bundled up in blankets and she settled right down. He looked at me and saw the exhaustion on my face and ordered me to leave the room and go to bed. I didn't need telling twice. I kissed him goodnight and gave Starfish a kiss on the head as well. I wasted no time finding the pillow and falling asleep.
I was apparently so tired that I never heard him take out all of the trash in the house, take a shower, or come to bed. All of which would normally wake me up.
When I woke, it was dawn. The sky was lightening, the birds chirping outside the bedroom window. And I started to feel a little touch of panic.... was she okay?
As I rolled to get out of bed, I also felt pain. Something I'd not yet experienced as a breast feeding mother had finally made its' debut and I was in agony. I'd never gone more than 5 hours without feeding the baby, so engorgement had never really had a chance to occur. But after 8, yes EIGHT, hours of sleeping without a feeding, my cups runneth over.
Since I didn't hear Starfish making any peeps, I figured I had best use the little bit of time I had to pump off some of the milk making me so miserable. I didn't want to go into the nursery to get the electric pump so I just grabbed the little manual pump I'd stored in the bathroom cabinet and used that. Once I'd achieved some relief, having pumped off just enough to take the edge off but still have enough to feed her when she did wake up, I decided it was time to face the fear that had been building.
I was starting to wonder why she hadn't made a peep all night. I went through a series of thoughts such as maybe she did wake up last night a time or two and I just didn't hear her and hubby took care of it, or maybe she's just happy and has been awake looking around and being good for a few hours....
Honestly though, I was terrified to go into the nursery because I was so afraid something had happened and I would find her... well... you can imagine my thoughts.
I mustered up my courage and opened the door to her room. She was stirring as I walked in, then she looked up at me as I leaned over the crib and she smiled so big it melted my heart.
She was fine. She'd just slept the whole night.
Then she cooed, stretched, and farted.
After I changed her diaper, I scooped her up and gave her tons of kisses and then we sat down to let her get a start on getting a full belly. Once she achieved milk-drunk status she got heavy eyed so I bundled her in blankets and rocked her in my arms. She was half awake for a good half hour, then she passed out finally so I placed her back into her crib. She was out sound as a pound, and stayed that way for 45 minutes.
When she awoke, she started crying and I thought for sure we were in for a repeat of yesterday. But she just wanted snuggles, so I held her and let her look around and I talked to her. After about 20 minutes of this she'd had enough and started getting fussy. She also started rooting around and I set up shop and fed her again.
She was happy and wanted to play for a few minutes after eating, so I sat her in her bouncy seat and attached the toy bar that has dangling toys on it. She discovered the other day that she could kick her legs to make the toys swing and bounce. So she was doing that, making gurgly noises and seeming quite content. Since she seemed completely uninterested in my presence, I decided to take advantage of the moment and sneak out for a quick shower.
When I came back to her room after my shower she was asleep. I have a feeling she'll be a sleepy head today. Yesterday was rough, for both of us. And if she wants to rest today I think that's just fine.
I was at my wits end, crying while she cried, wondering what I was or wasn't doing right when the hubby came home from his class last night around 9pm. I was just as exhausted as the little one was, maybe more so, because while she got in a few 30 minute naps (and by few I mean three all day long) I was searching for the next thing to try to calm her when she would inevitably wake up screaming.
I also managed to get the bed linens washed, dried and the bed remade, get the dishes done and make myself grilled chicken on the George Foreman (my only real meal of the day yesterday). I tried once to lay down and nap while she did but that was one of her 10 minute psych-out naps that she pulled out yesterday as well.
So anyway, when the hubby came home, we put the baby in the crib and let her cry while he held me and let me cry. I was exhausted and frustrated and sad. He comforted me and let me just get it all out. He's good about that. He's also good at reassuring me that I'm doing a good job and reminds me that I'm not always going to be able to calm her and that babies just cry sometimes.
When my good cry was over he suggested that I "top her off" by feeding her and then we would give her a good warm bath and put her down for bed. So I took her, soothed her and fed her and then we got the bath ready. Wouldn't you know it, she had a good time getting her bath (for the second time now, no more tears!). She didn't cry once, even cooed a little as I wrung the washcloth out over her belly. The bath went so well I thought the tantrums were over and she'd decided to be happy again.
But then, bath time was over and it was time to get diapered and dressed again. I swear, I think we're gonna have a naked jaybird running around the house in the future. She seems to despise having anything on.
She screamed like we were pulling out her toenails one by one while we got her dressed and ready for bed. But then daddy got her all bundled up in blankets and she settled right down. He looked at me and saw the exhaustion on my face and ordered me to leave the room and go to bed. I didn't need telling twice. I kissed him goodnight and gave Starfish a kiss on the head as well. I wasted no time finding the pillow and falling asleep.
I was apparently so tired that I never heard him take out all of the trash in the house, take a shower, or come to bed. All of which would normally wake me up.
When I woke, it was dawn. The sky was lightening, the birds chirping outside the bedroom window. And I started to feel a little touch of panic.... was she okay?
As I rolled to get out of bed, I also felt pain. Something I'd not yet experienced as a breast feeding mother had finally made its' debut and I was in agony. I'd never gone more than 5 hours without feeding the baby, so engorgement had never really had a chance to occur. But after 8, yes EIGHT, hours of sleeping without a feeding, my cups runneth over.
Since I didn't hear Starfish making any peeps, I figured I had best use the little bit of time I had to pump off some of the milk making me so miserable. I didn't want to go into the nursery to get the electric pump so I just grabbed the little manual pump I'd stored in the bathroom cabinet and used that. Once I'd achieved some relief, having pumped off just enough to take the edge off but still have enough to feed her when she did wake up, I decided it was time to face the fear that had been building.
I was starting to wonder why she hadn't made a peep all night. I went through a series of thoughts such as maybe she did wake up last night a time or two and I just didn't hear her and hubby took care of it, or maybe she's just happy and has been awake looking around and being good for a few hours....
Honestly though, I was terrified to go into the nursery because I was so afraid something had happened and I would find her... well... you can imagine my thoughts.
I mustered up my courage and opened the door to her room. She was stirring as I walked in, then she looked up at me as I leaned over the crib and she smiled so big it melted my heart.
She was fine. She'd just slept the whole night.
Then she cooed, stretched, and farted.
After I changed her diaper, I scooped her up and gave her tons of kisses and then we sat down to let her get a start on getting a full belly. Once she achieved milk-drunk status she got heavy eyed so I bundled her in blankets and rocked her in my arms. She was half awake for a good half hour, then she passed out finally so I placed her back into her crib. She was out sound as a pound, and stayed that way for 45 minutes.
When she awoke, she started crying and I thought for sure we were in for a repeat of yesterday. But she just wanted snuggles, so I held her and let her look around and I talked to her. After about 20 minutes of this she'd had enough and started getting fussy. She also started rooting around and I set up shop and fed her again.
She was happy and wanted to play for a few minutes after eating, so I sat her in her bouncy seat and attached the toy bar that has dangling toys on it. She discovered the other day that she could kick her legs to make the toys swing and bounce. So she was doing that, making gurgly noises and seeming quite content. Since she seemed completely uninterested in my presence, I decided to take advantage of the moment and sneak out for a quick shower.
When I came back to her room after my shower she was asleep. I have a feeling she'll be a sleepy head today. Yesterday was rough, for both of us. And if she wants to rest today I think that's just fine.
Comments
And N8 rocks! What a good dad.