SLEEP! Everyone told me during my 9 months of pregnancy, "Take advantage of your sleep now before your baby comes because you wont sleep again ever the same". I listened to the advice and did sleep in when I could (I'm not a person that sleeps in to begin with so this was a new trained habit). Until having baby Iyla I didn't realize to the full extent why everyone stressed this advice so much.
Right now I'm averaging about 5 hours of broken sleep a day. I know I should be taking naps whenever Iyla sleeps, see the thing about that is that I don't do naps. I've never ever been a napper, so as much as I try to nap when Iyla does I just lie fully awake. That was until I learned that having her nuzzle into me helps put me to sleep at the same time as her. So we now have a mother daughter nap together in the afternoon.
I'm very blessed to be honest. My husband is super hands on and helpful and wants to do everything in his power to support her and I, especially since she depends on me for food. So what he has done since coming back from the hospital is take the 3am feed with her. He's a big napper and knows I've never been so he insists on this so that I can get some shut eye before her 6am feed. I pump ahead of time and he is able to give her the bottle then soothes her back to sleep with a song or story and his own great version of the swaddle.
Now with my training coming up and Kevin beginning his pre-season with the University Soccer Team he coaches, we will be moving things around and have created a plan. With coaching, when Kevin is in season (August-November) he works near 7 days a week. His unconventional weekly hours see him begin early afternoon and continue to late evening with practices, then weekends are matchdays. August is the exception where the team isn't in school yet so they will have two-a-days with meetings at night. All day!!!During pre-season (August) we are fortunate because Kevin's brother and girlfriend Carole are visiting from Scotland and can't wait to have their hands on deck to help with Iyla (thank goodness).
Once season begins (family is back in Scotland) I will be going to bed and putting Iyla to bed before Kevin gets home and he will be doing her late evening feeding. I will then get up to do her early morning one, whatever time that will be...she will decide. Then I will put her back to bed and head out for my early morning run while Kevin is at home with her. I've always ran early in the morning but this is a new early for me and as the weather gets cooler and the sun rises later I will probably even have to use my headlamp. At least I wont have to worry about moving for walkers, since I doubt many will be up at that time. I'm actually kind of curious to see who is up at that time and I already know I will feel great knowing my day has started with a run and it's all done before 6am ha.
Sleep Tight ...(as my dad said to me and I now say to Iyla) and Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite!
No comments:
Post a Comment