Well, you can tell I’m caring for a newborn baby right now by the fact that she’s 6 weeks old and I’m just now writing my first full post about her…or by the bags under my eyes – ha! For those of you that have done this before, you understand. People may say that newborns sleep a lot, but it’s usually never more than 3 hours at a time. This makes for a pretty crappy sleep schedule for the parents, which can certainly get to you. But with my second baby now, I’ve learned to let it get to me less than the first time around. I compare it to The Neverending Story. Remember? “Don’t let the sadness of the swamp get to you”, he told his horse. Same theory. The situation – the lack of sleep, crying, hormones, etc. – can wear you down and eat you alive if you let it. The key is to stay strong and remember that it’s only temporary. If you need to vent and have a cry fest, go for it. But then get a hug, dry it up, and move on. Trust me, if anyone believes you deserve a bit of a pity party, it’s me. But if you drag it on and on, it will get you. Stand up to that bitch and show her who’s boss (the situation, not the baby). 🙂 And just when you think it will never get better, your baby will have a 4 hour sleep cycle instead of her normal 3, and you’ll have hope. Although I was a cheerleader in my younger years, and you’d expect that I would be good at pep talks like this one, I’m also a bit of a wimp when it comes to a lack of sleep. So if I can figure this out, anyone can. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had my whiny moments (my husband could tell you all about those), but overall I’ve found a way to handle this newborn sleep pretty well. And when that sweet little baby of mine gives me a little smile, even if it’s by accident when she’s sleeping, I calm down, smile back, and count my lucky stars. I’m a lucky gal. I really am.
Sweet dreams.
Kind Kiddo 