Sleeping Like A Baby

That phrase is total bull shit. It is always meant like the person is sleeping really well, really soundly, really peacefully, but that is not how babies sleep!! They are up and down all night long and really only fall soundly asleep 2.4 second before the alarm goes off and you have to get out of bed.

The last few years (OK, only days, but it feels like years), Smug-Baby has been having trouble in the sleep area. I think that the combination of her schedule change and teething is responsible, but bottom line, she is not sleeping through the night anymore. On a wonderful night, like last night, she wakes only 2-3 times, I move her to my other side to switch Binky's and she nurses right back to sleep and I am able to fall back asleep quickly. On a bad night, she might go to sleep like normal about 9pm and then wake up and want to play a few hours later, or not be ready for sleep until 11 or midnight.

Since I started working for Smug-Sister, Smug-Baby's naps have been sporadic with no real routine to them. Both babies tend to take their nap together sometime between 11 and 1 in the afternoon and if my sister is able to nurse hers to sleep, then I can focus on nursing Smug-Baby to sleep. However, Smug-Baby does not allow me to put her down during this nap time. I don't really have a bed or good place to put her down there yet, and if Smug-Niece wakes before Smug-Baby does and then I try to put her down to get Smug-Niece, Smug-Baby wakes and cries as though her heart is breaking until I can pick her back up and nurse.

Smug-Grandma offered to bring over her old yoga mat which is about 4 inches thick and almost the size of a twin bed. We could keep it rolled up when not in use and only unroll it for nap time. I hope that this will work and Smug-Baby can start getting a good nap at a pretty set time of the day. I think that this will help her to get on a routine and help her sleep better at night.

I know that within a few short months, Smug-Niece will be more able to play on her own and with Smug-Baby and Smug-Baby will adjust to sharing her mommy with her cousin. They will both adjust to the new way of life and all will be wonderful (hush, I need my dreams!!) but getting there is tough! It's not like I can (or would) just quit working for my sister because Smug-Baby isn't sleeping well at night, but its hard to get up every day and just get through it when I haven't slept well.

All that being said, last night was pretty wonderful! She nursed to sleep and we climbed into bed at 9 on the dot and except for a phone call at 9:15 (which I answered and hung up on all in one quick movement and Smug-Baby stayed asleep), we both drifted into dreamland. She woke to switch sides and nurse at 11:45, 2:30, and 4:15, but only for moments to move and get latched on and I was able to go back to sleep easily each time, except for the one at 4:15, I just turned the alarm off and got up.

So, next time someone asks you how you slept - think about what it means before you tell them you slept like a baby :)