Sleep

I still need to post pictures and stories from the past weekend when my parents were in town and Abigail celebrated her first birthday... but I'm too tired : ) 

Abigail has generally been a very good sleeper - much better than Grace was.  But, since August, she has been waking up at night.  Now, I fully acknowledge that there are babies out there who are TERRIBLE sleepers and Abigail is not a terrible sleeper.  So, do I really have the right to complain?  I don't know if I have the right, but I'm going to anyway.

She usually wakes up once a night - we had been giving her a bottle (which usually put her back to sleep within a few minutes), but then we decided that we really shouldn't be feeding her as she doesn't "need" that extra bottle at night.  She was teething so we tried motrin and that seemed to help some nights.  Other nights we would rock her and that would put her back to sleep.  Some nights we let her cry-it-out.  (Those of you who are moms know the "CIO" method can be very controversial - ha!)  There are some nights when she will sleep through the night, but here we are, two months later and she is still waking up several nights a week.

I asked the doctor if she had any tips.  "Well, you shouldn't be picking her up, or rocking her, and definitly shouldn't be feeding her.  Just go in, pat her back and then go back to bed."  Ummm... ok.  Does this woman have children?!  Ok, I decided to try it.  Monday night she woke up at midnight... went in, patted her back, and slowly left.  Our horrendously old, creaky wood floors are just wonderful for startling her.  Of course once I leave the room then the real crying begins.  And, then, Grace wakes up and starts crying saying she can't get back to sleep. Abigail finally fell asleep again around 1:30 a.m.  I got a whopping 4 hours of sleep.  And on it goes...

I need my sleep - most people do.  There are those eccentric few who only need a few hours of sleep.  I'll never be one of those people.  I am cranky and irritable and overly emotional - I could cry at the drop of a hat when I am over-tired. If I weren't at work, I'd probably start crying right now for no apparent reason.

And so, I give myself a few minutes to feel sorry for myself, and then I think about all those other babies out there who may be sick or have other problems that keep them and their parents up night after night.  My brother has a friend whose son, among other health issues, doesn't produce melatonin.  And because of his other health problems, can not take melatonin supplements.  So, night after night, they have no idea what they are in for - many times their son may stay up most of the night.  It's when I think of those poor parents that I get mad at myself for even feeling sorry for myself for one second.

Then I thank God that I have a healthy baby girl who will one day sleep, consistently, through the night - I hope!