Sleep is for the Weak

The Smallest Offspring did a couple of eight hour night sleeps over the last few nights. Apart from the expected (ahem) explodey boobs from waiting so long to feed (ouch!) I enjoyed the extra bit of sleep.

But then, because I haven't learned from the last two Offspring, I had to say, out loud, that I was pretty pleased with her sleep.

And don't babies know when you say "Gosh, I liked those long sleeps the Smallest Offspring has been doing", that you really must mean: "Gosh, I like how you're going to be up every two hours tonight, and not have a morning sleep tomorrow so Mummy can't go back and have a power nap".

So this morning, after a rough night's not-sleep, we were up and at 'em at 6.45am. On and off with the baby grumpies until 9am when I decided we'd do our 'town jobs' via pram this morning so at least one of us could have some rest.

The blessing of Small Town is it's flat, and we live close to the centre of town. So with a jauntiness I was faking rather than feeling we headed off in the glorious sunshine and achieved quite a bit. With a small amount of napping from SO, but not nearly enough.

I suspect this afternoon is either going to be one long nap, or one loooonnnnngg afternoon.

See you on the other side.


UPDATE:
2pm: Lots shushing, rocking, feeding, bassinet jiggling, and SO just won't stay asleep. I'm desperate to finish of the Bohemian Dancing River shawl, and get a couple of hats done, as well as pretend to tidy the kitchen. When times are tough, out comes the 'Wrap-Wrap'. 
You can get this magic piece of essential baby-taming gear from Snuggle Bug Wraps.

Babywearing for the WIN!

Nannie to the Rescue

I have that over tired, new mummy thing going on today.

SO (smallest offspring) is 8 weeks old tomorrow. She has decided to have an opinion about settling to sleep. Fair enough, we're an opinionated lot around here, so it's inevitable. However, over the first few weeks of her life, she's had it pretty good in the cuddling to sleep department. Daddy has been on holidays for four weeks, and has mastered the art of the 'walk with baby on shoulder at midnight' technique, and SO has rather liked this.

However, now (as you do when you are small and adorable) SO has decided that she must be walked and 'shushed' and rocked (and, thank you very much) just a bit more booby feed please, before she'll head off to the land of nod at ANY time of the day.

So I am now trying to break this habit by using the good old 'Feed, Play, Sleep' technique. Nothing complicated, just trying not to breastfeed her immediately before her sleeps (except the night one). But the SO is less than impressed. So we brought in the big guns - the dummy (binky/pacifier, choose your moniker), which up until now she has roundly rejected. Not having it. So we upped the game.

We sent in Nannie to settle her for her morning nap.

Now Nannie has a particular set of skills. A set of skills acquired over a very long career (of being a Mummy, Aunty and a Nana). Skills that make her a nightmare for SO like mine.

So armed with the dummy, some industrial grade bassinet rocking, and aircraft level 'shushing' Nannie triumphed.

The dummy is in and staying. The SO is asleep (for now). And me? Well, I'm too tired to waste the time sleeping. I'm going to go and crochet something.