I’ve never been a heavy sleeper, and can’t remember the last time I slept an entire night without waking up (it was well before having kids). After Eli was born, he slept in our room. That is, until we couldn’t take it anymore. I swear all he would do is sigh and I would bolt upright, wide awake. Is he okay? Is he breathing? Having him close meant fewer seconds of panic, and almost immediate reassurance.
However, the slightest little fuss, coo, or kick would wake me up. Vinny learned to sleep through it all pretty quickly, as he is a heavy sleeper, and has never woken up during the night since (either that, or he puts on a really convincing show in the name of not wanting to get up). After a few weeks of this up-even-when-the-baby-isn’t-hungry-crying-etc. routine I was desperate for sleep, so I decided it was time to move Eli to his crib.
Well, that was harder than I anticipated, too. Sure, he was only maybe twenty feet away in the next room, but that short space felt like miles to me. What if I couldn’t hear him? What if something happened and it took me longer to discover something had gone awry?
People like to say, “Well, I don’t know if the baby is ready to move into his/her crib in his/her own room yet.” Fess up, people. It has nothing to do with the baby and everything to do with our own comfort and need to have the baby close.
So I was torn. Baby close and no sleep or baby slightly further away and potential for no sleep because I’m panicked? I decided there wasn’t much of a difference sleep-wise and gave it a try.
The first night was rough. I probably got up ten times just to check on him. So I couldn’t make the call either way after that trial.
The next night I was a bit calmer (and wouldn’t you know, really, really tired … maybe from getting up so many times the night before?), and fell asleep quickly.
Here’s the amazing part, friends: Mom Radar works even at a distance.
I don’t know how or why, but if either of these kids wakes up and makes even the slightest fussing noise I wake up. Sure, they may be into a full-fledged wail by the time I actually get to their bedside, but it’s never taken them getting to that point before I wake up. And somehow, I only seem to wake up when they actually need me, and not for every little sigh, coo, or kick. It’s a beautiful thing.
Here’s the equally amazing part: Mom Radar only works with kids. Vinny can get up in the middle of the night, toss and turn, cough, elbow me in the head, etc., but if I’m already asleep this does not wake me up.
And of course, Mom Radar works during the day, too. I suspect it’s one of those “perks” of being a mom that never goes away. But it has saved a few spills off the couch and other such catastrophes (though by no means all).
I’m sure there’s some kind of headache-inducing scientific explanation for all this. Mostly I find it very cool, and know I can rely on Mom Radar on any given night, although there are moments where I wish to once again be a heavy enough sleeper that my husband was bolted awake before me. Just for one night.
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ReplyDeleteaka Jules said...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
yes, yes... I do know all too well the waking up at the slightest little sigh, coo, etc. Our little bird has been in bed with us since his birth in our bedroom. He is 13 months now and when he goes to sleep (before us), we put him in his room. He wakes to nurse 2 or 3 times before we go to bed but he goes back down in his own bed. But lately, as we go to bed, we've been leaving him in his bed until he wakes again. The first time was almost unbearable as I laid awake waiting for him to wake up. But it got easier. That mom radar really is a keen sense. And it's nice because I feel like we have the best of both worlds. My partner and I get some good snuggle time together, before the little bird moves into our bed.
But some nights just have their way. Last night, our little bird was a fish out of water. He flipped and flopped and finally I got up and rocked him down and put him to bed in his room for a few hours in the middle of the night. We all got some good sleep and then my mom radar went off and I jumped from my nest to get him from his nest. He joined us in the family nest and we snuggled in together to sleep well for the remaining hours.
Life is good.
http://journeyaroundtheson.blogspot.com/
Thank YOU for sharing, Jules. I love to hear about what others do, their routine, how we each settle into life with our little ones. It's been fascinating to experience this all over again with Sophie and to see the similarities and differences between the two...
ReplyDeleteSounds like your little bird has a perfect nest ;)