Hey guys, thank you for your comments and support. GM called yesterday to give me a new mantra (other than the "torture" mantra), and that was "This is temporary." Thank goodness because...
Last night was (oh wow, I think I'm going to cry as I write this) worse. Yeah, it was worse. I took her to bed with me and it was still worse. I took off the swaddling and replaced it with a SleepSack for the night, and it was still worse. She woke up every twenty minutes to an hour all night long.
Chebbles also woke up three times. I was camped out in the guest room (next to Chebbles' room) so it was impossible to ignore her hollers, as she lost Mimi twice and then just generally wanted me to hang out with her.
SCREW OFF, KID!!!
Tonight, I'm just going to take Baby V to bed with me in the master bedroom, and Hub-D will have the guest room. It doesn't help entirely, because Chebbles screams for ME, even if he gets out of bed to help her, which he (and I don't blame him) doesn't always do.
So I'm going to just take her to bed with me, where she can kick me in the gut and pull on my boobs and hit me with her flying fists, and I can continue being paranoid all night long that she's going to die of SIDS. But perhaps I'll be able to stitch together one or two hours of sleep in a row.
The sleep consultant comes on Sunday.
4 comments:
I feel so bad for you. Going against the SIDS risk-reducing advice...does she seem to sleep well on her tummy? If so, then I'd let her have at it. With her head control (and a movement-sensing monitor, if you want), I think all would be fine. I read some parenting forum the other day discussing tummy sleeping, and I was shocked at the testimoials that affirmed their babies would sleep VERY short stretches except when curled on their tummies. Might be worth a try if you haven't tried it yet.
It's true, I have two friends who said they were part of the secret society of babies who tummy sleep. They are now active 5 & 6 year olds. I cannot reveal their names. :D
I'm so sorry about this sleep deprivation! That's what makes me fear another- how are 3rd babies born if not by accident? :) I do remember the hell of a waking toddler AND infant... ahhhh!!!
Ok---just so I don't freak and fear SIDS ( I don't really, I don't) our co-sleeping arrangement is as follows:
We use this: http://www.humanityinfantandherbal.com/humanityfamilybed.html it's awesome.
Unfortunately hubby is banished. Which is fine, because he snores.
All pillows, sheets and blankets have been removed. There's a body pillow in the crevice between the bed and the window. There is no headboard. I sleep with a down throw. It's big enough to cover me comfortably and small enough that there's no risk of smothering the babe in excess fluffery.
She goes to sleep in the swing by the bed. At first waking I bring her to bed. I groggily latch her on whenever she utters a peep.
When I put her in the swing I put in earplugs. When I bring her to bed, I take them out.
I get sleep---as much as I want or need--this is what worked for Claire too---so I stuck with that formula---minus any swaddling. Cate hates to be swaddled.
If Claire wakes up in the middle of the night for something like a drink of water or a cover rearrangement I refuse. If she is throwing up Daddy gets that shift. It's his turn, dammit. Yes, your child wants only you but I've found it's really good for their relationship if I bow out and let him learn how to comfort her. So I ignore them (hubby and Claire) for the most part at night because despite the fact that I get sleep there are still interruptions and more interruptions are the nail in my coffin. You have to take care of yourself to function well. Sometimes that means letting your husband do things that Chebbles would rather have done by you.
The mini-co-sleeper is yours. And I have one super-soft, yummy chenile sheet that is aching for a honking baby (any baby) to sleep on it.
Big, Big hugs for you.
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