Things that are rough about being a new parent
It's been a rough week for we adults here. The munchkin's new years resolution was evidently to wake up more often at night. It's hard to tell if it's the jet lag lingering on - she is sleeping more or less in per usual pattern with one small adaptation. This is to wake up crying her brains out every 40 min or so for the first 3-4 hours of sleep. The books will tell you this is the first time at which most babies emerge from their deep sleep cycle, so it's quite common for them to wake up then if something disturbs their rest during the following light sleep cycle. Our kiddo, she likes to follow it by the book.
And then something totally awesome happens that makes you so glad you are a new parent
Last night the same deal as the rest of the week began. We put the munchkin down to sleep and just managed to eat dinner before 40 minutes later we heard the crying. OH went up first to try to wrestle her back to sleep land. We gave her a bottle even though she'd just nursed. No good. She would not take the binky/pacifier. She was getting steadily more wound up and angry. It was clear she was very tired but for some reason would not/could not get to sleep. After about 30-40 minutes I tagged in. Often the first parent will be getting extremely frustrated when something like this happens and the other of you needs to tag in whether you are asked to or not. OH and I, I think, do this pretty well. Otherwise the stress that builds up while trying to get this damn kiddo to sleep starts thwarting your own efforts inadvertently. Certainly there is nothing new or different that the other parent is going to do - it's just fresh (wo)man in.
I go up and the munchkin is writhing around and crying in her bassinet. I pick her up and cradle her in my arms. Not a limp grip - our child, she has a will you see. So it's firm but gentle. I hold the binky in her mouth. She fusses and writhes furiously for about three minutes. Then with a shrug she goes limp. She accepts the binky quietly, and looks straight up at me. At first I try to cover her eyes because I want her to go to sleep. The room is dark, we have only the dim, blue light from the bathroom nightlight to illuminate us. But I can see every time I peak under my hand that she's still looking up at me. I lift my hand, and I see she's got a little smile on her face. Very calmly, she is looking up at me with this small smile. I smile back. I rock her a bit more, because I am falling in love with the moment. But this kid's gotta sleep. So I tell her as much very quietly, and place her in her bassinet again. She looks up at me from the bassinet, still smiling, then with a sigh closes her eyes and drops off to sleep.
It's been a rough week for we adults here. The munchkin's new years resolution was evidently to wake up more often at night. It's hard to tell if it's the jet lag lingering on - she is sleeping more or less in per usual pattern with one small adaptation. This is to wake up crying her brains out every 40 min or so for the first 3-4 hours of sleep. The books will tell you this is the first time at which most babies emerge from their deep sleep cycle, so it's quite common for them to wake up then if something disturbs their rest during the following light sleep cycle. Our kiddo, she likes to follow it by the book.
And then something totally awesome happens that makes you so glad you are a new parent
Last night the same deal as the rest of the week began. We put the munchkin down to sleep and just managed to eat dinner before 40 minutes later we heard the crying. OH went up first to try to wrestle her back to sleep land. We gave her a bottle even though she'd just nursed. No good. She would not take the binky/pacifier. She was getting steadily more wound up and angry. It was clear she was very tired but for some reason would not/could not get to sleep. After about 30-40 minutes I tagged in. Often the first parent will be getting extremely frustrated when something like this happens and the other of you needs to tag in whether you are asked to or not. OH and I, I think, do this pretty well. Otherwise the stress that builds up while trying to get this damn kiddo to sleep starts thwarting your own efforts inadvertently. Certainly there is nothing new or different that the other parent is going to do - it's just fresh (wo)man in.
I go up and the munchkin is writhing around and crying in her bassinet. I pick her up and cradle her in my arms. Not a limp grip - our child, she has a will you see. So it's firm but gentle. I hold the binky in her mouth. She fusses and writhes furiously for about three minutes. Then with a shrug she goes limp. She accepts the binky quietly, and looks straight up at me. At first I try to cover her eyes because I want her to go to sleep. The room is dark, we have only the dim, blue light from the bathroom nightlight to illuminate us. But I can see every time I peak under my hand that she's still looking up at me. I lift my hand, and I see she's got a little smile on her face. Very calmly, she is looking up at me with this small smile. I smile back. I rock her a bit more, because I am falling in love with the moment. But this kid's gotta sleep. So I tell her as much very quietly, and place her in her bassinet again. She looks up at me from the bassinet, still smiling, then with a sigh closes her eyes and drops off to sleep.
6 comments:
How sweet!! You're a genuine mom!! Congratulations!!
Being a parent is a whole new life isn't it? I am glad there are so many great moments to remember. It is great that your flight with little munchkin went well too. Now you will take more.
I'm also glad you're getting this all down in writing. It will be so wonderful when you get older to have this kind of detail to go back to.
Isn't amazing just totally humans they are. Who knows what is going in in those little heads.
Sometimes, they just need to be awake. We just bring Rose down and let her roll around until she rubs her eyes and actually falls asleep! But good tag team parenting, it is very very important!
yes Lauren, we did that for the first couple nights because it was clear she wasn't sleepy at all! But then after about night 3 or 4 we wanted to start getting the pattern down.
True you had to break that jet-lag thing. Hopefully, you are all back to normal now!
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