K is an unapologetic night owl. Unlike many couples, I would say we go to bed at the same time maybe... 25% of the time. Sometimes, I'm just in the mood to have some extra company (aka someone to warm my freezing toes), so I'll ask him to come to bed earlier even if he's not tired. On one such night, I peacefully went to sleep with the comfortable knowledge that my loved one was by my side. Then around 2 or 3 am, I suddenly awoke to this sound. Click-click-click-click <pause> click-click-click-click-click-click <pause> click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click.
What the heck is going on? Struggling to open my eyes, I note that it is completely dark in the room except for some kind of dim, shaky light, in which I can vaguely make out the bottom of K's face. Click-click-click-click <pause> click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click. That's right, folks. K was still up, playing his newly purchased Mortal Kombat game for the PS Vita. So being the wonderful, understanding wife that I am, I discretely reached for my phone and recorded him in action. (I have no idea how he didn't notice.) Unfortunately, since it was pretty dark and the sound quality is quite poor, K is afraid people may... misunderstand his actions if I post the video proof. ^_^;; So instead, you get to hear a funny little story about how my husband is insane and I absolutely love him for it. ^____^
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| Given K's habit of staying up late, I think I know who's going to be in charge of our "baby night owl" when he arrives... |
My husband is also a nightowl and it worked great with our oldest since I couldn't nurse him. I would go to bed around 830-9:00 after putting the baby down, and R would give him his midnight-0100 feeding and when the 0300-0400 feeding came around I was really well rested. I got to sleep again when the middle baby went to bottles at 4mos and we repeated that system. My youngest was a champion (and constant) nurser so we co-slept and once my boy got control of his head we would snuggle down in bed, me topless, and he would help himself all night as I dozed. Trust me. You will find creative ways to work out sleeping arrangments!
ReplyDeleteOoo, I like that plan you used for your first child! I'm planning on breastfeeding (fingers crossed), so my only concern that if I skip the feeding at night and have K use a bottle, perhaps my milk production go down. I guess no need to worry about it till Dexter actually gets here. Like you said, we'll find creative ways to make it work out. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement as usual!
I am going to put on my nurse/apprentice doula hat on for a second and warn you that you really shouldn't introduce bottles for at least the first six weeks of Dexter's life--it takes that long for your body to work out milk production and for your little one to learn to nurse really well. After that, your body will show you how amazing it is by adjusting it's production to your routine. And really, the bigger worry for you when the baby is little is not that your milk production will go down if you miss a feeding it will be that you will get uncomfortably engorged and will soak your PJs and sheets if you skip a feeding. (no one said new motherhood was glamourous!)
ReplyDeleteWah, good point! Thanks for the advice. Guess no handing off Dexter to K for nighttime duty after all... >_<
ReplyDeleteDon't write it off completely! Motherhood is one of those Never Say Never deals. You try something, if it works, you stick with it, if not, reasses and try something else. If you really want to have K help out, it might mean a night or two of discomfort while your body adjusts, but it will --that is how lots of moms maintain a nursing relationship and work. (after your six weeks of practice) Their body knows to shut down the factory during the day and start back up in the evening. Our bodies are pretty amazing.
ReplyDeletehahaha
ReplyDeleteI´m the night owl, my husband usually goes to bed around 11 or 12 at night, I usually go at 2 or 3 in the morning, I can of feel more awake and creative at that time
the breast feeding thingy.....
I hated it, specially because I am a milking cow, I start with milk at 4 months of pregnancy and well, part of my milk was given to kids that their mother couldn´t breast feed.
I was able to breast feed 2 or 3 kids
I had to buy new sheets and a new mattres
with both my kids
also you can "milk" yourself and put it in a bottle, I did that, so I slept quite nicely at night XD
@GeekTurtle - Lol, guess I'll need to get a waterproof pad for my own bed, not just the baby's.
ReplyDelete