That is, the new sleep deprived "Mommy" me.
My life has changed so much over the last couple weeks. I won't say I wasn't warned. I was. I just don't know that I was completely prepared.
Here is a sampling of my new life starting with the thing that happens the least - SLEEP.
3 AM: Go to bed.
Robert is finally done eating, pooping and spitting up - at least for a moment.
3:45 AM: Robert is hungry and poopy. I take a moment to contemplate whether selective hearing will work in this scenario. Probably not. For the next 2-3 hours I'm held hostage while Robert goes through a continuous cycle of eating and pooping. Eat. Poop. Cry. Repeat... It's pretty much miserable while I sit and wait for him to decide when this process will end.
6:30 AM: Robert is ready to sleep - maybe, if we're lucky.
Alex is up and ready to take over. He has the magic touch and usually manages to keep Robert asleep for a couple hours while I sack out.
9:30 AM: Robert is hungry... and poopy.
I'm still in bed, in denial, hoping that he'll go back to sleep once he's eaten.
11:30 AM: Robert - hungry again, but not poopy... until I pick him up. He explodes and immediately cries, demanding to be changed. While I'm changing him, he pees on me. Awesome. While I'm cleaning that mess, he spits up. Thanks, Bud. Mommy loves you, too.
1:30 PM: I get up for the day. The baby has no intention of sleeping. No sleep for baby = no sleep for me = unfortunate, but typical. I had high hopes this day would be different.
2:00 PM: Robert gets a bath. He hates it.
While I'm dressing him and appreciating his clean baby goodness, he poops and spits up all over himself. He was clean, for a moment. All that matters is that moment.
3:45 PM: Robert is hungry.
He eats. He poops. He cries. We change him. He smiles (so cute!). He's happy... for a moment. Once we've changed him and buttoned him all up. He poops again.
4:00 PM: I attempt to start dinner... Robert decides he's still hungry.
5:00 PM: Dinner is in the oven, an hour late. Alex is hungry.
6:00 PM: Dinner is hot and ready! Robert wants to snack and has a poopy diaper. Again.
7:30 PM: Robert sacks out. I try to sleep, but have a hard time. There's so much I didn't get done during the day. I settle on washing the dishes. Then, I nap.
10:30 PM: Robert is hungry. He cries.
11:15 PM: Robert is poopy. He cries.
12:00 AM: Robert pretends he's going to sleep. He hears the bed creak as I crawl into it and starts crying. C'mon Mom, did you really think I was going to let you go to sleep?
12:30 AM: Hungry. Again.
3:30 AM: Finally... going to bed... for a few minutes.
I'm looking forward to the day when he starts sleeping more during the night, but for now, this is my life.
Here are a few pics of the little poop machine...
A rare moment, Robert is content.
In his new sleeper. Thank you, Grandma Horn - he loves it!
After his bath.
This is a variation of his pooping face. Super serious with flared nostrils.
Checking things out.
Posts
11 comments:
Everyone says "enjoy it!" but the first 6-8 weeks just plane are hard.I actually dont remember much...I just for some reason need to take a nap just thinking about it. It actually does get better. But I know how you feel, I remember thinking: "honestly, THIS is what people are so excited for?". But trust me, it does get better. Good luck! There is a reason God makes babies incredibly cute. Its their only defense mechanism.
wow, can you tell its early? i like to mis-spell easy words.
It doesn't take away your challenge, but just remind yourself that your parents and grandparents survived these times... and you will too. It does get so much better once he's sleeping more at night and for longer bits of time.
If he's wanting to eat sooner than two hours apart when awake, I wonder if he's using you a little more like a human pacifier... but you did say he's got it coming out the other end also... and that will make a person's stomach feel empty pretty quickly. I hope while we're there you can disappear and take a few naps... we'll see if we're able to keep him contented enough for that to happen. He might just want you.
I was in bed for 10.5 hours last night ... getting up a couple of times. After a couple of hours in the yard yesterday, I really crashed last night... literally dropped in my tracks. There are DVDs on the kitchen table I was starting to label for Diane when I had to leave. They're still waiting this morning. ;-) Might be a good sign that the jet lag is about to be done... with a few more nights of sleep.
Maybe I'll talk to you later... my phone is on. Hope you manage at least a three hour chunk of sleep this morning.
Okay, I realize that you must be completely miserable right now with hardly getting any sleep...but this post had me rolling like usual. I know it will get better; I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will be better sooner than later. :)
Niklas and I look forward to seeing you Sunday! Hoping we won't be too much of a burden on you. Don't worry about having to tidy everything or cook us meals, etc. We can fend for ourselves, and appreciate that you're letting us stay when you have so much going on.
Love you both, and we'll see you soon.
I love the the "pooping face with flared nostrils!" Not to mention the crazy hair!! He is SO cute...here is one positive thing about the poop...at least it doesn't stink!!
Does he really, really poop that much? That's AMAZING. Also, he is probably one of the cutest little babies I have ever seen. Really. Let me babysit him.
I wish I could say this post was an exaggeration. It's not. He really does poop that much and he really doesn't let us sleep that much...
Sorry ladies, just wanted to provide a glimpse into your futures.
WOW!
A- What a cutie!
B- So sorry for the lack of sleep lately and seriously hope it gets better soon.
C- A few things you might want to consider talking with your pediatrician about. Your story sounds a lot like what I went through with Clark. He had acid reflux really bad and it kind of sounds like Robert might be suffering from some of the same...spitup=cries...lots of poop...just plain not happy tummy. I don't remember what the medicine is actually called, but it is basically baby zantac and it is a WONDERFUL thing if that is his problem. (Carlee Tulett and Jocelyn Williams (from b'ham) also put their little ones on it as they had the same problem and we'll all tell you that it is a mircle what a difference it makes if it is acid reflux), so just an FYI that you might want your Ped to look at if you think it might be a possible problem ( I am sure you can look up more specific symptom online).
Also, just as a heads up for a more severe problem....watch his poop for any blood. Sometimes little ones have problems digesting proteins in breast milk or are allergic to something in it and it will go straight through them without absorbing much and they poo all the time....there is normally blood in their poo though as their intestines are irritated.
A change in diet for you, him or both fixes this one.
REALLY don't want to worry you or stress you out, just wanted to give you some FYI that I wish I had when I was figuring out my kids problems. Just things you can consider and talk to your PED if you think they maight be an option.
Sorry that was a long comment and don't want to overwhelm you. Just wanted to help if possible.
Hope all is well considering the lack of sleep.
Good thing babies are adorable, so that we forget all sleepless nights after they are over.
Good luck!!!!!
Natalie Jensen
Hey, you.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
If you think YOU'RE feeling old to log in another decade... how do you think it makes us feel? ;-)
Looking forward to seeing you folks in a couple more days.
Love, Mom
Kristine -
Hang in there I think Natalie is on to something with the acid reflux. None of my kids personally had it but I had girl friends who had babies that did and it sounds very similar. Call your Peditrician and talk to them this whole pooping/spitting up that often is not "normal"
You two know I am only a phone call away day or night if you need anything.. It's lucky for him Little Man Robert is so cute! :) Love you - Stephanie
Hi Kristine, Happy Belated Birthday! Sounds like good advice from these ladies that commented before me. I have one other piece of advice. Maybe you're already doing this, but if you're bathing him in a baby tub, that may be why he hates it. Adrienne hated it too, then I started bathing her with me and she loved it and it was soothing for me too. I never went back to the baby tub, so Colette and Edward also bathed with me. Baby tubs are annoying anyway because then you have to clean them, and they take up space. Anyway that only (possibly) solves one minor problem in the whole rigmarole you've got going on, but hang in there!
Post a Comment