Monday, June 21, 2010

Stay Awake Strategies..

So. I've gone back to work. On night shifts. Ugh. When I was pregnant, I knew this would entail sleep deprivation, but thought I'd be able to handle it pretty well. Silly me! I am SO tired! Tired isn't even an appropriate description of how exhausted I am. Exhausted isn't even a good description!! Yeah. I'm complaining :) Deal with it :) See, I thought I'd be able to nap when the little guy slept. Problem is..he DOESN'T. LIKE. TO. SLEEP! Baby's are supposed to sleep a lot, right? RIGHT??? Apparently not our child. He likes to play, & babble, & be so stinkin' cute I could eat him up! But he does not like to sleep. And that makes me sad..especially when I've worked 3 of the last 4 days & still have one more shift ahead of me...I'm in desperate need of your guys' assistance! How do you stay awake when all you want to to do is sleep?

SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!

p.s. Don't say caffeine, I already use that trick, & I can only use SO much of it, anyways, without it bugging Aiden...

7 comments:

Amber said...

FIrst, I just read your mean girls post. SO TRUE, and kind of funny how true it is. And I don't deserve a shout out. I am a LAME friend!!!

And oh I don't know what to even say about staying awake!!! I can hardly stay awake for the short time I have to wake up to feed the baby! I am so sorry its so rough!!

Jen said...

Staying awake--ugh. I thought the same thing that babies would sleep and night shifts wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately I don't have any great advice. I think time helped me--maybe I just got used to the sleep deprivation. However, I don't think that getting used to not sleeping is a great idea. Good luck--if anyone can do it, you can. love ya

Unknown said...

OMG, our kids are SOOO alike! What the hell, Charlotte HATES to sleep. I lie, she slept from midnight to two last night. Ummm, that is it.

Her naps are all over the place and non existent if she isn't in my arms being walked around.

I was going to ask you how work was going. Poor thing. :(

matesen said...

The only way I can do it is by not working more than one shift in a row. When I know I am guaranteed sleep the next night I can make it through the day. Also, I try to plan all of my errands for the day after working. It is easier to stay awake if I am out doing something than if I am at home. It is hard though and I feel your pain! Good luck!

Kristi said...

Ugh- been there and is definitely no fun! Sorry! I agree with Mariah-- don't work more than one in a row and keep busy rather than be disappointed that you're not sleeping. The most helpful thing I've found for baby sleep in general is a book called Babywise. I checked it out from the library, read it, re-read it and had my hubby read it-- it's been great for my kids.

MEGandJEFF said...

Amber..you are NOT a lame friend!!

Holly, I totally agree, we had the same child, just different gender!! Can you imagine if they ever got together & had those refluxy, goopy eyed kids you mentioned? haha

Jen, Mariah & Kristi, thanks for the advice :) I only have two back to back shifts a month..the rest are spaced out, so I should be ok..but I'll def plan my errands for the day after & def check that book out, Kristi!

Thanks girls, ya'll ROCK!

Jessica Adams said...

I have no suggestions because I know absolutely nothing about child rearing or losing very necessary sleep.
But I think you're fantastic. And I don't know how ya do it all.