So last night I found myself blinking awake in the dark in at 2 am to see my sweet baby fussing, and I pulled her to the breast, nursed her and we drifted off to sleep. She woke again at 4:44 and again nursed and went right back to sleep. And I realized my attitude about night wakings had totally changed.
When baby girl was in her early weeks and waking to nurse every hour or two (and refusing to go back to sleep), I never imagined I'd be UPSET when she started sleeping through the night. And I never thought I'd be HAPPY when she stopped doing it--but I totally am. I don't get nearly enough time with her now that I have to work full-time, and that outweighs any desire I ever had for a full night's sleep.
(It doesn't hurt that she no longer wants to party for hours after she wakes--she just nurses, then goes back to sleep.)
Anyway: baby girl started sleeping 6-9 hour stretches at 10 weeks (and about 13 lbs), and it HURT--I was engorged like mad and had to get up anyway for a week to pump a little to relieve the pain. And when I went back to work full-time at 12 weeks, I really missed those middle of the night cuddles, but I wasn't about to deliberately wake her when she was happily asleep.
So part of me would like more sleep, but part of me hopes she keeps up this trend!
... Of course my husband says this is a case of "be careful what you wish for." I am definitely more groggy and out of it these days due to the night wakings, and I do hope they don't increase to more than twice per night or I might start feeling like my exhausted 6-week-post-partum self again.
When baby girl was in her early weeks and waking to nurse every hour or two (and refusing to go back to sleep), I never imagined I'd be UPSET when she started sleeping through the night. And I never thought I'd be HAPPY when she stopped doing it--but I totally am. I don't get nearly enough time with her now that I have to work full-time, and that outweighs any desire I ever had for a full night's sleep.
(It doesn't hurt that she no longer wants to party for hours after she wakes--she just nurses, then goes back to sleep.)
Anyway: baby girl started sleeping 6-9 hour stretches at 10 weeks (and about 13 lbs), and it HURT--I was engorged like mad and had to get up anyway for a week to pump a little to relieve the pain. And when I went back to work full-time at 12 weeks, I really missed those middle of the night cuddles, but I wasn't about to deliberately wake her when she was happily asleep.
So part of me would like more sleep, but part of me hopes she keeps up this trend!
... Of course my husband says this is a case of "be careful what you wish for." I am definitely more groggy and out of it these days due to the night wakings, and I do hope they don't increase to more than twice per night or I might start feeling like my exhausted 6-week-post-partum self again.
