Peeing every 2 hours through the night is somewhat annoying, but I feel pretty used to it now. And besides, I figure the constant interruptions are just preparing me for the interruptions we'll have once baby girl is in the outside world (although I'm sure my pee breaks are just a taste of the amount of interruptions we'll have when she's born).
When I wake up for these breaks, I hoist myself out of the bed, sleepily grab random things on my nightstand until I feel my glasses, put my glasses on, then very loudly walk down the hall to our bathroom. Then I come back to bed, rearrange my pillows by lifting the covers, then I plop back into bed, put my glasses back on the nightstand, and quickly try to find a comfortable position so I can fall back to sleep. Through all of that, Ian does not even stir. Not even a little twitch.
Last night, after I came back from my 4:30am pee break, I was half asleep but bolted awake a few minutes after 5. I braced the bed because I could've sworn the entire room was shaking. Actually what truly startled me wasn't the shaking, it was the noise from my jewelry cabinet shaking, and our TV stand was shaking against the wall. Then it stopped. I thought I must've been having a dream, because it sure as hell felt what I imagine an earthquake would feel like. But it couldn't be. We live in Maryland for goodness sakes. So I laid there, pondering what could've woken me. Was I dreaming? Did our next door neighbor fall down the steps? I kept waiting to hear an ambulance pull up outside, or police, or something. But nothing.
And what a surprise - Ian slept soundly through the entire thing. There I am, laying wide awake wondering what the hell just happened, and my darling husband slept through it all. Turns out, it was a (small) earthquake. So I wasn't dreaming afterall.
But it makes me a little nervous that Ian's sleep pattern is not the most conducive for being a supportive Dad/husband when baby girl arrives. Our plan is that when baby girl wakes up the first week, Ian gets up and brings her to me to feed. Then when I'm finished feeding her, he takes her for a diaper change and burping, then puts her back to sleep. (And by the way...I realize that process sounds way too easy than it will probably be. I'm sure that plan will go straight out the window depending on what our little one needs from us). But is he even going to wake up when she cries? Is his sleep pattern something that will change once she's here, or am I constantly going to need to wake him up each time?
What was your husband's sleep pattern before and after the baby arrived? Did he too turn into a light sleeper?
This is a tough one - you're not going to know until she is here! :) The hospital was... interesting. I had to throw stuff at husbie to wake him up to put bambina back in her bed (I was not steady enough on my feet to do it myself). When we got home, he did pretty well. There were a few times that I had to give him a swift nudge ;) to get him to wake up. During the week, I took care of everything since he had to go to work the next day. On the weekend, he got up to help me with diapering, rocking, etc. If all else fails, pretend to be asleep! Sounds mean, but he'll wake up eventually.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, crazy about the earthquake!
I already have to get up in the middle of the night (two times last night!) and I'm not even pregnant! I am definitely worried that I won't get ANY sleep once I am knocked up.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is a very heavy sleeper and I have no doubt that I will have to hit him to get up in the middle of the night when we have a baby!
I can just picture Ian sleeping through everything! I think things probably change once a baby is around. I feel like he'd be more alert. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking?
ReplyDeleteI worry about Jeremy sometimes. He's a really heavy sleeper (although the earthquake woke him up and not me).
I have a friend whose husband slept through the birth of their child. She was so irritated that she didn't even wake him. haha
Ugh, 21-months-later and I'm still bitter that my husband never wakes up before me when our gal cries.
ReplyDeleteI almost always have to wake him up. Or I lay there awake until he eventually wakes up to hear her.
As much as I'd like to just call him clueless (even though he's not -- he's actually quite thoughtful), there might just be a scientific reason for it: http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/parenting/study-finds-that-men-really-dont-hear-a-crying-baby-at-night-105327