So exhausted

[taralv]

You would think that after 4 kids I would be prepared for sleep deprivation, but this time around I just can't seem to cope. Dd nurses frequently and has a bit of reflux which makes nighttime nursing difficult. She also wakes up between 4-5 am usually and by the time she's ready to go back to sleep the older kids are waking up. Still, I can usually nap a bit in the afternoon with my oldest dd watching my 2 year old, and my husband has been helping more with the 9 pm to 12 am shift, so I can't figure out why I am so tired. I'm thinking of seeing a doctor to get my hormone levels checked because I also have zero libido (not actually surprising given the effect of nursing, but I think it may be even worse this time). Any other October moms still bleary-eyed too?

Tara

[peainthepod]

*raises hand*

I'm a zombie. We live in the Pacific time zone, but DH is freelancing for a company on the East Coast, so he's up and working at 6AM every day (WAHD). Felix is always up before sunrise, so every morning at around the time Matilda finally stops fussing and goes to sleep, I have to get up and take care of Little Man while DH starts his day.

We actually moved turned our guest room into DH's office and his basement/playroom office into the guest room so that I can doze on the guest bed while Felix plays in his little gated toddler-safe play area. That's about the most sleep I get in 24 hours, if I can manage to doze off at all.

I just keep telling myself that it will get better soon and eventually these early weeks will be a distant memory.

[taralv]

Ok, Peainthepod, it sounds like you are getting even less sleep than I am, so I just should not complain, right? But you know what they say - misery loves company. And it truly makes me feel better to hear that I'm not alone. I just have to muddle through...

Tara

[MaybeJ]

I'm still exhausted many days but it sounds like I have it easier...well for starters I only have the one babe to look after.

For the past couple of weeks, I started to suffer from insomnia.  I think it started from being overtired.  Sort of like how Naomi needs to be swaddled, rocked etc. to sleep when she's over tired, I lay awake between feedings stressing about how the baby is sleeping and I'm not.  And I feel so tired that it almost hurts to lay with my eyes closed.  I need to be swaddled and bounced, I think!   And Naomi really doesn't nap for long during the day.  I did sleep much better the past two nights though!

I worry about how different it will be with two or more.

Hang in there, mamas!!

[honeybee]

I've been tired, too, even though I'm really getting a lot of sleep considering I have a newborn. I think I need to start taking floradix again.

[peainthepod]

Complain all you want, mamas. I remember being so exhausted with my first that I could barely function. It's hard with two, but I still found it harder with one if only because I didn't really know what I was doing at first and found it all very overwhelming and tiring.

Today DH actually worked from downstairs for two hours so that the baby and I could sleep in upstairs. That was fairly awesome.