Newborn sleep can be tricky. Adding a newborn to a family of two children under the age of 5, isn’t an easiest feat. I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle it.
I am no where near the point where I have ‘nailed it’! It’s doubtful I ever will! However, as I sit here typing this, I am so SO grateful that I have children that sleep well.
I currently have 2 out of 3 children sleeping (my 4 year old doesn’t nap in the day). They have been asleep for hours (which they very much need) so I have had some time to do some things for myself and some of the chores that are hard to do holding a baby. Newborn sleep can really be wonderful! When it happens!
Being a parent of young children does not mean that you have to spend your days like a zombie living on coffee. It really doesn’t.
I have always been someone that needs a lot of sleep. If I don’t get it, let’s just say, I’m not all smiles. In my twenties, it was always a bit of a joke, ‘how on earth would you deal with having kids? you love your sleep way too much!’ – and so, just quietly, I did worry about whether I would be able to handle children for that very reason. I had heard so many newborn sleep ‘horror’ stories!
Having a newborn sleep well, along with my other children sleeping well, isn’t just a bonus for me, it is a necessity. I am simply not made for days and nights where I get no down time. Inevitably we have some bad nights due to sickness and I can tell you, I am a wreck the next day! There is literally no way I could cope with a constant state of sleeplessness.
Please, if you are struggling or have a good friend that you know is struggling, reach out. Having children that sleep well over night and in the day (age dependent) is life changing. It is also really easy to achieve if you know how!
So for me, a rhythm is developing with the 3 children. I am slowly learning how to manage situations better (when the older ones are bickering and I am stuck under a feeding baby for example!). I have my days where it feels overwhelming. Thankfully there is always some respite because I am getting the sleep I need to give me the energy to keep going.
Jack is almost 10 weeks now.
He is definitely the easiest out of the 3 children (at the moment!) and he is a real sweetie (totally biased of course). I am glad he is here with us. He was a big surprise, but such a lovely one.
12 weeks is another turning point when it comes to the sleep needs of a little one. I’ll check back in with you then with some tips and tricks.
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