Sleeping like a baby

I used to use that saying all the time in regular conversation before I actually had my baby. I even had all these ideas when I was pregnant. I remember even saying to my husband, "It's a BABY!  How hard can it be to get it to go to sleep or even stay asleep?" Clearly I was delusional, and feel the need to apologize to all moms right now. You do not know sleep deprivation until you have a baby.

But I also have to say, I'm pretty sure no quite explained to me the extent of the sleepless nights that were in front of me when I was pregnant. The first night in the hospital was a HUGE shock. I just kept telling myself that it was because it was the hospital and it would magically get better as soon as we were home. My husband kept encouraging this thought process as well-but mostly because the hospital we were in did not allow the fathers to stay overnight, so he was actually getting a full 8 hours every night. What a shock we were in for when we got home. Between the no sleep, hormone craziness, and the horrific first weeks of breastfeeding, I thought I would literally expire where I sat.

So I've decided to come clean. As a new mom, all I have to say to those expecting, or those hoping to be expecting sometime soon-you will not sleep. Not for at least 6 weeks. Especially if you are breastfeeding. I know they always say, sleep during the day when your baby sleeps. What they fail to mention is how short that sleep is, if you can get it at all. My baby was born interested in everything, and hated sleeping. And that, unfortunately, never changed. I'll give you an idea of the first 4-6 weeks of life with a newborn. Or at least what my experience was:

Feed baby 1 hour 15 minutes\
Burp and change baby: 15 minutes
Pump(I had trouble with milk supply): 20-30 minutes
Rock baby to sleep: 10 minutes
Rock baby again when he wakes up as soon as he's in his crib:  10 minutes
Baby sleeps: 20 minutes

By the time I got into bed and closed my eyes, he was awake. Then it all started again, an endless cycle of exhaustion and crying(on both of our parts...) And I am not exaggerating, believe me. If it had not been for my husband's constant support and encouragement, I would not have been able to do it, that's for sure.

My son is three months old now, and has started sleeping for 7 hours at a time at night. It's amazing. I really never thought that this day would come. So today when I thought about how much sleep I get now, and how little I got before, I thought to myself that I owe it to other new moms to make sure they know that it sucks. It really, really sucks the first weeks. But it gets so much better after the second month. Which I know can seem like an eternity, but at least you know there's light at the tunnel. Because I know for me, that tunnel seemed never-ending.

Although I won't even begin on the regression that happens with every growth spurt and vaccination. I shudder even thinking of them. That's for another post, I think. If I type about that now, I'll end up having nightmares. :)