Sleep is a Rare Commodity

Sleep has almost become a legend ever since Joey arrived in this world. It's going to get worse because now I'm still in my confinement, so even though I don't sleep well at night, I get to take naps during the day when my mother in law looks after Joey. I will usually have my lunch and then take my tonic wine Dome and then go to sleep because I will feel very drowsy after the 'drink'. The moment I put my head down on the pillow, I will totally conk out until at least 3 hours later. That's how tired I am everyday because I usually can't nap for more than 2 hours each time before my pregnancy. Gives me headaches. But now, it's a luxury. Thank God for my mother in law who helps me during this time.

After my confinement though, I'll tell my mother in law that I want to take care of Joey totally. One thing is I know my mother in law can't really stay put at home everyday without going out.. (if you know her, you know what I mean.. she might go crazy. haha.. and she is already making a super big sacrifice doing my confinement, taking care of Joey & cooking for me every meal, and she HATES cooking.) So, after I take over taking care of Joey, I probably can't take naps in peace anymore.

Why is it so tiring at night, you may ask? Babies all sleep better in the day. I just knew about this recently from a friend, because I was complaining that Joey is a night baby because she's most alert at 4-5am in the morning and refuses to sleep. But my friend told me that it's like that for all babies. Maybe because it's bright during the day, so they choose to close their eyes and only stay awake at night.

So at night when Joey wakes up every 2-3 hours for a feed, it takes about 15 minutes to half an hour to feed her, depending on how good she is. Then got to change her diaper, and she will stare big eyed into air until she finally falls asleep maybe half an hour later. All these when I am in the state of supersleepiness. So when I finally can fall asleep after she does, the next thing I know is that she's awake again for the next feed.. and it goes on until daybreak comes. : ) I can't sleep if she's not asleep for fear that she might puke out milk or anything like that, so it's like that the whole night.

During the day however, she will fall asleep immediately after finishing the last drop of her milk. In the middle of her milk, she will fall asleep at some points and we got to wake her up to finish her milk and to burp her. Sometimes she refuses to sleep, and will whine and wants us to carry her, but majority of the time, she's a very good baby and just eats and sleeps in cycles during the day.

I just read an article today that tells me that the soonest a baby will learn to sleep throughout the night without waking up is when she hits 6 weeks old but some babies take up to 6 months. Wah! That's long! Joey is only 2 weeks old now! I pray that Joey will do so quicker so that daddy & mummy can sleep better. Now I am on maternity so it's still not so bad. When I start to work.. how.. ?

No wonder Dawn tells me that it's hard at the beginning but after a while, i'll realise I've become stronger. haha...