sleep

[spicyorange]

Last night I got 5 hrs sleep. Today I feel so tired I feel sick. How on earth will I cope with a baby, with years of poor sleep.I think dh thinks I will turn to mush or be evil, and I think that adds to reluctance to bring ttc forward. People keep telling me "you just cope" but how are they so sure? Surely not everyone does. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a mom after all...

 

[baileybubs]

A lot of the time (for me anyway) it's not a lack if sleep but a disruption of sleep, so it's a different kind of tired. I may get 7-8 hours sleep but it could be in 2-3 hour slots as she might wake during the night (not so much now but definately when she was younger).

And you will cope, everyone figures out their own coping strategies, whether that be alternating who does the night feeds, or in our case having set days for lie ins, or maybe even having family have LO one night a week or something so you can catch up on that sleep.

When she was younger I found napping during the day was the best way to cope, don't forget babies do sleep for 16-20 hours a day at first so hopefully you can nap at the same time.

You are cut out for being a mum and you will be brilliant at it I'm sure, I hope that helps a little x

 

[spicyorange]

Thanks, I think the challenge is I intend to breastfeed so I'll be on my own for nights and we have no family near and dh works full time so I'm not going to get much help. I'm just worried that I won't actually manage to function or it will ruin our family rather than make it. :$

 

[HoneyBee144]

I completely agree with baileybubs, I can sleep from 9pm-8am but I'll be up every 2-3 hours to put DS dummy back in or blanket over him and give him a bottle about 5am. I don't sleep well anyway as I have a bad back and did all through pregnancy so I guess I've got used to disturbed sleep!
I breastfed, my DH works 5am-4pm so I didn't want him to help during the night as he was up so early. I won't lie I found it very hard and very lonely to begin with, all your hormones are all over the place which doesn't help and I had a 3rd degree tear so couldn't move around or even pick up DS very well. Saying that you just get on with it because to be honest you don't have a choice! You soon get used to it, I know it sounds cliche but you do, it just becomes your way of life.
Your days are different as well, you can stay at home and nap when baby does or take them out which can be easier, it sounds strange but if I'm ill the best thing I can do is go to the shops as DS is occupied by everything around him and I don't have to entertain him!
Please don't think that your DH can't help just because you are breastfeeding, that was my biggest mistake. When he does have days off or when he's on paternity leave even though you will feed the baby let him change their nappy if it needs it after, so you don't have to get up. Let him get you snacks and drinks, let him wind the baby after. Cry to him about your lack of sleep, let him see how hard it is for you, not to guilt trip him but to let him know you do need help otherwise he has no way of knowing. One of the first things my health visitor said to me was men aren't mind readers even though sometimes we expect them to be, she was so right!
Sorry I've probably gone completely off topic but the sleep disruption is hard, you need to take all the support you can to cope with it even if it's just your OH having baby for an hour when he gets home so you can relax, not even sleep (i couldn't sleep if baby wasn't, heck I wouldn't even leave the room!!) but just relax. I'm sure you'll make a fantastic mum

 

[RaspberryK]

You might be lucky like me and have a baby who sleeps, I had more sleep after baby than when pregnant.
Can you try anything like lavender in an oil burner or on your pillow to help you sleep.
Xx