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Thursday 18 November 2010

Sleep

Yes, another sleep post.. probably a short one because, well.. I'd like to go to sleep....

It got better, very much better although I still think there was room for improvement, and then....... it's getting bad again.
It's about ten o'clock now. It was only at nine that she finally fell asleep. Eight was my happy hour until very recently. Eight o'clock was when I knew I had my little time for myself, to have supper, a bit of computer before going to sleep (alas I'd tell myself two hours, but as a night owl I couldn't just go to bed so would stay longer), pumping. She really does not sleep during the day, I mean there is a little morning nap which I sleep with here, and another short one with the nanny. Here and there I'm doing things during the day when she's around, but it's still nice to have my free time. Anyway I think I'm digressing (and have I mentioned above before?). Last night she was fast asleep the moment I put her in bed (happens..) but then the night before she was fine until I put her in bed, at which point she started s-c-r-e-a-m-i-n-g. Had to call my sister for help (lucky I had someone to come help) me get her to sleep. [I think her inner clock is a 48 hour one because more than once she would be great one night and worse the next]. And tonight I tried most everything until she fell asleep (on the breast, not to my liking).

And yes, I know\understand what's behind it, and there's more than one reason - first of all she is teething. It probably disturbs her more at night when there are less distraction from the pain from the day. Then there's the cold we both suffered from (I'm more or less at the end, but she is still not too well) and we also had a growing spurt. Yes, six months is when it's supposed to happen, but she was always early on those.. but while previous ones were also a lot of sleep, this was quite the reverse - for two full nights she was sucking and sucking and sucking. All night long! After the second night we had a lovely long morning nap (two and a half hours!) and I knew that's it, but it was two most exhausting nights in a time when nights are not easy anyway..
So yes, there are reasons, but I still don't know what to do, how do we get through this rough period. I breastfed her tonight against my wishes (middle of the night I breast feed her to sleep, so do I do so for the morning nap, but going to sleep for the night I try teaching her to do it by herself, with no aid). I know once or twice it's o.k to step out of plan, especially when the little girl is really not feeling too good, but I heard enough about how when child was sick/teething etc parents did so and so and how when child was better that habit remained. I don't want to teach her now that she needs me and well a very certain part of me to go to sleep.

And of course she woke up while writing this post.. and I do still need to pump..

1 comment:

Tiara said...

What a time you're having...I'm hearing more & more that sleep is such a challenge, both getting your little one to & getting some yourself! Teething & growth spurts don't help!