Little Miss Emily is a hit wherever we go. People love newborn babies and ogle at her. They ask her name and how we are doing. Then they ask the dreaded question:
“How are you sleeping?”
The truth? We are up every few hours so that she can nurse and I can go deeper into sleep deprivation. I’m seriously in the red right now. I have a nap almost every day (thanks, Honey!) but it just helps to keep me somewhat functioning.
My usual response is that she’s sleeping like a newborn, and people give you that nod and the “poor you” look. Then there are the other few that like to tell you how their baby slept in 8-hour stretches from Day One.
Bully for you.
I’m not complaining. I know that it is temporary and she will be sleeping longer stretches in no time. It’s also the last time I will have a newborn, so I am truly treasuring this experience. There’s just something about that sleeping question that makes you feel like you are doing something wrong.
Which got me to pondering the phrase that people use when they have had a fantastic sleep. The say that they “slept like a baby.” They obviously weren’t referring to a newborn baby. Maybe they meant an older baby?
Or maybe they’re referring to the quality of sleep, as opposed to the quantity. Because when a baby is sleeping, it is the most peaceful sight on Earth. On top of that, nothing seems to disturb a newborn baby’s sleep. Emily will be sleeping in her chair in the living room, with her brothers running willy nilly around her and she doesn’t even stir.
Doesn’t she look peaceful to you?
I remember that no-sleep stage, and I will be honest and say that I doubted my capabilities of a mother during those months. Kynan still is not the best sleeper, but he is so much better than before, but there comes a point where you actually become use to the no sleep. So “they” say. I have never gotten use to my sleep interuptions and that is the one thing I fear with baby #2. If you ever need to just have a nap, and I am able to come watch the boys, please just call. I use to love it when Carleen would show up at our house to rock Kynan a few hours while I got some shut eye.
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I remember hating it when others told me their babies slept through the night when Jack didn’t. In fact he wasn’t even close….
Bully for you is exactly right!
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She sure does look peaceful!! I’m sure you’ll all be getting more sleep soon, you know it is just a stage and it won’t last forever. Hang in there!!
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I don’t remember you saying before that this was the “last time you would have a newborn”? Somehow I figured you’d have more, you supermom you. I finally feel (after 4.5years) that I am getting a good night sleep…there isn’t really many peaceful sleeps with newborns/teething toddlers/scared preschoolers! Oh well…one day I’ll be waking my boys up at 9am to mow the lawn;) Hugs to you!
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She’s totally beautiful.
When people ask me how I’m sleeping, I reply with “Oh, my cat sleeps through the night.”
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I too have often wondered what “sleeping like a baby” meant. I think you hit the nail on the head.
She looks like a little angel sleeping.
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She does look like she’s ‘sleeping like a baby.’ What a precious baby girl! Don’t you just wanna snuggle her?
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It’s so nice that you have a hubby who works form home so you can nap during the day. I seriously don’t know how I will so it. I will be fantasically outnumbered. (sigh)
But it’s worth it isn’t it?
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I also think there’s something about time implied in that phrase. My children have both slept in long good stretches from the beginning, just never at night, or when I’m tired, lol. Emily does look peaceful though and there’s something about quality sleep that can never be matched with quantity sleep.
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Oh man do I knowwhat you are talking about. For us people have gone from that question to now we get, “he’s sleeping through the night now hey?” And we look at eachother and laugh. Things have gotten better around here, but not huge stretches. One day. I make it through the day ok now without a nap.
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Ahh.. who needs sleep when you’ve got all that love? HA!
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Babies sleep HARD when they sleep, don’t they! Its hard when you’re trying to function through the fog of sleep deprivation. Don’t question how you’re doing though – I’d be more worried if she WERE sleeping solidly at this age. Emily looks like you are both doing all the right things.
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Just remember your Riley themesong…”Sleep, no I never get enough…” Sad, but true. Avelyn has taken to waking up at 4:00 am. It’s neat.
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Ahhh yes sleep…people always ask me (now that she’s a month old) she must be sleeping better now..umm no..not at all! but I’m lucky that I can sleep in with her in the morning I can imagine it must be so much more difficult with two others running around!! My hat is off to you!
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Oh, I too just love it when people they tell me their baby slept through the night ever since they came home from the hospital. All I know is that they are either lying or seriously stretching the truth! Even if by some totally remote chance that they do have a completely superhuman newborn, why on earth would they choose to share such information with a sleep-deprived mom?
Hey, and I too picked up on your comment that this would be your “last newborn”. I often wonder if I will ‘just know’ or if it’ll have to be a conscious decision. I just don’t ever want to look back later in life and regret not having more, but at the same time don’t want to have so many that it starts to become old news (or I start mixing up their names!), like they are just a number or something! I dunno=)
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