BLOG: Twelve months anniversary: of having no sleep!

Baby Blog
Francesca Naylor — Baby Blog Francesca Naylor

Poppy had a little teaser of a month where she was sleeping through until 4/5am then back to sleep until 8.

Right now we’re on a month straight of pretty much hourly wakings.

You know my stance on sleep training and despite the constant fog of tiredness that has permeated my entire being, that remains unchanged. I will parent as responsively during the night as I do during the day.

I’m tired of looking for excuses, is it another tooth? Is she coming down with another cold? Could it be wind? Stomach ache? That morsel of casserole she are at lunch time might have been a bit onion-y. Check the Wonder Weeks app, she must be having some kind of major mental development.

Let’s just face facts here guys, my baby isn’t one of those angel-baby, dream sleepers.

She wakes up. A lot.

But I’m OK with it now because I’ve learned:

A) it’s totally normal for babies to wake frequently during the night to nurse/for comfort well into the 2nd year of life - check out parentingscience.com

B) I can’t change my baby or force her to act or be a certain way because it would be more convenient for me

C) this won’t last forever and actually, midnight cuddles in the dark, calm, quiet are actually pretty nice

So the tactic is what can I do to make it easier whilst I am still totally shattered?!

We’ve made alterations so the cot is now side-carred with the bed so I have more space plus it’s safer now Poppy is rolling and crawling.

Co-sleeping means I barely open my eyes just roll over and either pat, cuddle, feed or whatever but barely waking up myself.

Sleep when Poppy sleeps, although I have to point out sleep-deprivation insomnia is a genuine thing.

Eat well - or try to, this may or may not include a rather generous Snickers quotient.

Be kind to myself. Having wrangled with thoughts that I must be doing something wrong, I’ve realised this is just the way it is for now. Next week it’ll all have changed...I hope!

Contact me via my email address: [email protected] or my Twitter account @CescaNaylor

Read Francesca’s previous blogs - click the links below

2014

July Hello new mums everywhere - can we help each other?.

The day my life changed forever.

Its scary but awesome being a mum.

It’s not easy being a mum

August: read more

August: Life is on hold but that’s alright.

August: Guilty secret.

August: In two minds.

August: Weaning issues.