Friday, January 08, 2010

Sleep Deprivation

Okay, perhaps it's because I'm a little bit older this time, or maybe it's the extra energy needed to entertain a three-year-old ... I cannot believe how tired I am with the round-the-clock baby tending. I'm lucky, because D and I split the evening feedings and he takes first shift and I take second (because we have to fortify my milk with formula, it's bottles for O for now). So, I can usually get in a five hour marathon sleep at night if I'm lucky. And maybe that's the problem. Because I can tease my body with a little more than a two-hour nap, it feels the deprivation at a whole different level.

D's best friend had triplets last year, and we asked them how did they ever get any sleep. The response: "we didn't!" I think because K was able to breastfeed straight from the source maybe it wasn't as bad. Because now, I do a small attempt so that O has some familiarity with me, but then I have to sit and attach myself to the pump. Yes, there's nothing to make you feel more like a mammal than attaching yourself to a milk-pumping machine. I've course, I'm of the thought that if it's best for my baby, I will definitely do it. But, if I had time and energy, I think I'd try to invent a pump that made you feel more gratified about the task at hand. Maybe one that shouts out words of encouragement every five minutes.

Alas, this is just one of the first of many things that I will do for O.

1 comment:

becky said...

I hear you on the pumping...I've taken to calling myself a dairy cow...feed then pump after Michael falls asleep! Glad you've got help on the middle of the night feedings. Larry's doing the same for me. Good luck on catching up on your zzzzz's.