Sleeping when the baby sleeps...yeah

[dancingsinging]

So, whoever came up with that clever little adage apparently didn't know that some babies only sleep when they are being rocked or walked or bounced. Thank God that's not my little dude most days, but yesterday it was.

This time around, I have a ton of help--my sister and mom are mostly both here and my spouse had time off. But yesterday, my sister was gone all day with appointments, my mom was still down in CA on one of her regular "breaks" she takes back at home, and Spouse was at work a full day. At first it was awesome, hanging out with the big kid and the baby and getting All The Things Done! I could do it without guilt because the baby wouldn't sleep without me being up anyway. But then around 3:00 or 4:00 my energy suddenly gave out entirely and it was miserable. It reminded me of everything that didn't work about postpartum with kid 1.

But that evening my mom came back and today has been all about the napping while Grandma got the baby to sleep in the bassinet and then cleaned my whole kitchen! My relationship with my mom can sometimes be sticky, but right now I am just appreciating her so much. I wish every postpartum mom had a couple people hanging out helping full-time.

Comments

[metaphortunate]

Ugh, sorry you had a tough day, but I am so happy you have so much help!

I am in so much goddamn awe of second time parents. I keep thinking of how useless and wiped I was after having the Junebug, and the idea of having to take care of another kid in that stage just makes me want to cry and cry and cry.

[dancingsinging]

I get what you're saying about 2nd time parents. It doesn't so much apply to me, though, since kid 1 is almost seven. I can pretty much hand her a new book and not see her again for a few hours. (Earlier this summer I bought her the first three Ramona books and she was totally absorbed for a few hours each.)

Also, all the help really helps with kid 1, too. My sister often takes her off swimming or to the bounce house place or for little hikes and creek-splashing.

Now that I know what a difference it makes, I would totally pay for postpartum help if I had to, as much as I could. I never really got the whole postpartum doula thing before--it seemed kind of self-indulgent and kind of lonely to hire someone to come do stuff. But now I totally think it's awesome. The next baby shower I go to, I'm totally gifting the family with a few hours of postpartum doula help.

[metaphortunate]

Yeah, I was really lucky; Mr. E got to stay home for - damn, I forget now. But it was something like 4 or 6 weeks? And then another month when I went back to work so the baby didn't have to go to daycare till he was 4 months. And we were alone for a few days, then my mom showed up, then a few days off, then Mr. E's folks came, then a few days off, then my best friend came, then a few days off, then Mr. E's sister came. We were so supported; so lucky. And still, I kind of thought longingly about paying for a night doula maybe just a couple nights, though we never did that. The nights, they are hard with a newborn.

[dancingsinging]

That is true. I find myself dreading nightfall like some bit character in a cheesy vampire movie.