Mothers don't sleep

[muddymama]

Years ago, before I became a mom, I slept a lot.  I absolutely loved to sleep.  I'd sleep in on the weekends.  I'd go to bed early and sleep all night long and wake up 10 hours later and stretch and yawn in bed.  I'd lay there for awhile, if I chose to, and would just stare out the window or at my ceiling and think about the dreams I just had or about what I was going to do that day.  Sometimes on the weekend I'd get tired watching t.v. or reading a book so I would take a nap and sometimes I would sleep so long I would  be upset because then I would get too groggy.  Oh how I wish I could remember what it was like to be groggy from too much sleep.  I will never complain about being groggy from too much sleep ever again. 

Now that I'm a mother, my children dictate my sleeping schedule and patterns.  I fall asleep when they do and I wake up when they do.  If I choose to torture myself by going too bed late to watch a movie then I pay a heavy price with heavy eyelids the next day.   I might dream if I can stay in bed and asleep longer than 2 to 3 hours, but if I do it is heavenly.  That deep sleep that takes you away to dreamland is so magical and healing. 

It's a mystery to me how I can sleep through, thunder and lightening, wind storms, police sirens, and my husband's snoring but the sound of my baby rolling in her crib can pull me out of the deepest sleep.  This is one great gift given to all mothers.  We would surely lose our sanity if not for this gift.

If I don't wake up a few times in night just to check if the the kids are alright, my kids can think of plenty other reasons to wake me up.  It might be for a drink of water, a sippy cup refill, a trip to the potty, a bad dream, a bug bite itching, a lost blanket or pillow, a request for a midnight movie, or of course the dreaded monster in the closet.  Other more painful ways to be woken up may be to the sound of projectile vomit hitting the floor, a shriek of pain due to a sore throat and fever, the sound of your child falling out of bed followed by a blood curdling scream, or the hungry wails of a baby at  1, 2, 4 and 5:30 am.

I had my first baby almost 6 years ago and I haven't had any real quality sleep since.  Before I was a mom I would be very cranky if I didn't get my eight hours of sleep.  People warned me that once I had  a baby I would never sleep again.  They told me to get all the sleep I could because I wouldn't get any for the next 18 years.  But how does one stockpile sleep for the long haul ahead?  I'm sleep deprived everyday, it has become the norm to feel tired, drained, spacey and forgetful.  I wish I could remember what it felt like to be well rested and even groggy from too much sleep.  I have believe that one day I will.  Maybe I can dream about it tonight....

 

 

 

[stressedwolf]

Feb. 27, 2008 at 5:38 AM Yeah, I agree with you on all of this.  I never sleep much anymore.  And I loved being able to snuggle in bed on a cold night and just read.  I don't read much anymore, unless it pertains to the care of the kids.  I want and need more sleep, but that is unlikely to happen for many years.  Good post!