Most people talk about lack of sleep in parenthood related to having a new born. Believe me that was nothing!
At least when Dorothea woke as a new born she wanted milk and would go back to sleep. Plus when she was tiny my hormones seemed to support my needs, and I was off work so could wear pjs and not brush my hair all day.
Although at 22 months she has slept through the night; it is not a regular occurrence. I want routine, stability and most of all sleep!
So many things seem to affect her sleep routine; we blame holidays, illness, late nights, jabs, too much sugar, growth spurts and being overstimulated. It seems so hard to maintain the right routine to help her sleep, but to be honest I think there’s no simple answer!
To be fair this blog is very ranty as I have not slept for two week! Two weeks! It’s ridiculous- and I have to hold down a job as a responsible human. Most days I’m staring into space, trying not to dribble, making horrendously long to do lists that I don’t have the energy (or mental capacity) to complete.
Last week Dorothea was Ill, the copious amount of snot she was producing was regularly waking her from sleep, and her rattling cough was keeping us awake too. This meant frequent wake ups which she needed settling after- and this meant she spent 5 nights in bed with me after midnight.
Cue Friday- she slept through! But I didn’t as was so used to being awake at regular intervals.
Then on Sunday she mastered the art of climbing out of her cot; rumbling the whole house (and making Mummy and Daddy shit themselves). So Sunday night was the first night of ‘big girl bed’. It’s fair to say it has not gone well since!!! (My eye bags support this)
So after nights punctuated with cries of ‘mama’, random 2am requests to stroke the dog, a bizarre amount of 4am yogurt eating- I am now beyond tired! I never thought I could fit on a cot bed with a toddler, a doll and 15 teddies but I can (and it bloody hurts!- my neck and back are in bits).
Yesterday brought a new idea 💡a bed guard- we thought this may help- it didn’t!
Please send coffee- I’ll post our future sleep deprived adventures. Zzzzz
Motherhood after IVF 