It really is amazing how well you can function on no sleep. People told me this when they had newborns, but you don't quite realize it until you go through it. You can go days with maybe 3 - one hour naps for each 24 hour period. You might forget what day it is and ask the pediatrician: "Is it tomorrow already?" what does that even mean? Or you might forward an email a friend sent you, right back to her saying "a friend sent me this, thought you'd like it." But when it comes to taking care of your baby, staying awake, and brushing your teeth at least once every 24 hours, you are a champ.
What is also amazing is how you are up for .. say 21 hours a day - and you get nothing done. Dishes take hours, laundry takes days. Dusting? Vacuuming? Puhlease. I'm lucky if I shower before noon.
And another amazing thing (apparently I am amazed all day, everyday) is how much you can get done in an hour if you can get your baby to nap. Olivia has been asleep in her crib for one hour (as I type this, I know she will wake up), and I have done the laundry, paid bills, cleaned the kitchen, made chicken parmesan, did the dishes, edited photos, checked the mail, and written two blog posts. (That's funny .. she just woke up. The little brat heard me.) How was I so incredibly inefficient prior to having a baby? I had weekends and evenings! What did I do with my time?!
There has to be some hormone released that allows you to function so well after the birth of your baby. Pregnancy and delivery are very tough on your body. And despite not sleeping for the first 48 or so hours of Olivia's life - I am much less tired than I was while pregnant. It is incredible what your body goes through and how well it survives this short (wishful thinking?) time in your baby's life.
And without further ado, this is what Olivia does in her crib. Eyes open - making sure she doesn't miss the next party.
Just kidding. I set her in her crib to grab something in her room and she rolled to the side and got her arm 'stuck' between the slats. Since she isn't coordinated enough to pull her arm out, she couldn't go anywhere. She just had this look on her face like 'I'll wait for mom to fix this situation.' So instead of helping - I ran and grabbed my camera.
The REAL amazing thing about the lack of sleep is that you don't know how exhausted you are.
ReplyDeleteYou don't realize Or care that your underwear is on backwards or that you have put the peanut butter in the freezer, that is until you look for it in the cupboard and find your ice cube tray there, full of water
Kelley - I stumbled upon your blog and it is too freakin cute. Olivia is beautiful. I know and can FEEL every word you typed about sleep in the brand new newborn period from Laney about a year ago... it is amazing. Even as an OBGYN resident now I get more sleep and get more done with a 1 year old at home and working 90 hrs a week than I did the first 2 months of her life when I was AT home with her. Enjoy this time so much... I don't know if Olivia will be like Laney, but Laney is such a BUSY baby and has 2 speeds - stop (only when asleep). She pretty much stopped falling asleep on us (I miss it so much!!!) by about 3 months old and then would only sleep in her crib because she was too distracted elsewhere. Now she only falls asleep on us if she is sick. Adam and I both miss it!! Congrats to you guys! Baby girls are the best!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a sweet comment from Darcy and Mel is always funny! I thought you were photogenic as a baby and toddler, but Olivia takes the cake! She is soooo beautiful! Even with her arm stuck in her crib. Here's hoping you might get a little extra sleep this weekend. :-)
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