I hope no one is surprised when I state: babies cause sleep deprivation for there parents. Insomnia would be less frustrating. At least with insomnia you don't have a baby demanding attention when you would otherwise be sleeping.
In the beginning an infant will want to drink milk about every two hours. Mind you they are not clocks to set your watch by. For my son the clock seemed to start when he woke up and wanted to drink rather than when he finished drinking which didn't leave much time in the middle for me to nap, and since I was breast feeding I couldn't trade off with my husband for night time feedings. For me it was a time of heightened emotions. Everything seemed like a bigger deal in both the positive and negative spectrum. This was not only hard on me but on those closest to me.
More than once my husband asked if there was anything he could do to help only to receive a sometimes joking, sometimes sarcastic "Lactate!" which of course was the one thing he could not do for me.
Being exhausted while taking care of a baby didn't seem like that big of a deal during the daylight hours...
But at night... To me at least it feels unreasonable.
People tell me to nap during the day like that will solve the problem of my wanting a full night's sleep. Naps are nice and all (I sometimes indulge in them) but it's just not the same. Besides if I sleep during the day then I'm sacrificing time I might use on such frivolities as food preparation.
When I asked my husband if I should add anything to this segment he said "I don't know, I'm tired" and I think that says it all. It's hard to think when you are tired. And being so tired for so long can leave you in a bit of a mental haze. It is so much harder to form sentences when you find that your nouns have deserted you.
And so it is on that blurry note which I will leave you. I wish you good luck and good rest. May sleep find you whenever you seek it.
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