How to tame your dragon

I recently had a three week stint of my 6 month old waking 5-6 times a night. And let me tell you, with just a few hours of broken sleep under my belt I was nothing short of a fire-breathing dragony bitch!!!
Every person I spke to about this - including my trusted psychologist - ensures me sleep deprivation is nothing short of torture and that any bitchiness is completely understandable. It wasn't just my shrinking other half who copped it, and my beautiful girls: basically anything and everything in my path. It was off-road road rage. I hated all pens that didn't work, all batteries that dared flatten in my presence, weather that changed, birds that sang too loudly!
I was sleeping in my baby girl's room in order to keep an eye (and both ears) on her. The idea was that I'd pat her peacefully back to sleep through the night and avoid the frequent (teething) waking episodes of the previous few weeks. The results were disastrous. I woke with every grunt, squirm and wimper and spent more time smothering than mothering.
After four nights in a row of this and four very ugly, dragony mornings, I decided to focus on ME and MY SLEEP. I moved back into my room, pulled out my favourite pre bed meditation CDs and put in my favourite earplugs at around 8.30pm. She slept beautifully, as did I. ..for four nights running.
So, I stopped breathing fire and started singing Justine Clark's (PlaySchool fame) 'I'm a Happy Dog!' at the breakfast table while bouncing on my exercise ball between mouthfuls of bub's breakfast. The sun was out again, the mum-storm had passed.
But it all got me thinking. Early nights and pre-bed meditations can make the world of difference. But the fact is, Amy's only 7 months and I have alot of teeth, tantrums and long nights ahead of me. Am I too old for all this? Tough titties...I need to tackle the fire breathing dragon in me head-on. Did I lose all my patience with bub number 1? Again, tough titties!
Even if my mum friends and psychologist think it's completely justified and understandable, doesn't mean I'm happy about it, or that I think it's OK that my daughter's just confessed to me her ONE biggest wish would be that daddy and I weren't cranky ever again. (Just a week off would probably keep her happy).
So, I've decided to do what I can to 'tame the dragon' in me, find a way to deal with the motherload of babydom and sleep deprivation. I'm searching for answers, for a smoother road...I'll let you know what I find along the way.

Lyndal

Surrender the night

I finally conceded defeat and surrendered to the fact that life with a six month old is exhausting. She's feeding like a beast and growing like a beanstalk. And for that I should be grateful. However, it does mean her appetite and emerging first teeth have had her up and searching for booby many times through the night. I've been an agly sight in the mornings, rising like a fire breathing dragony bitch (good for no-one in my house). So, I've booked us in for Tresillian (sleep school).
In the meantime, I've made a few changes to my own routine (the one I can control). I'm going to bed just after the kids. I'm using my meditation CDs again. And I'm wearing my earplugs so I only wake to her cries (not every little sound she makes).
Funnily enough, since starting my new outine these past few days she's sleeping better and only woken for a couple of feeds through the night. Although going to bed by 8/ 8.30 might be a bit bloody boring, it means that I can get a few hours under my belt (as she alwayas seems to sleep best before midnight). Things are on the improve (touch wood).

Lyndal

;0)

Sleepless in Sydney...

I've surfaced from the sea of sleep deprivation in an attempt to reach out to cybermums out there, wherever you are... I'm in the middle of teething (6 1/2 month old) and tantrums (mine). I've seen a little too much of the green one-eyed monster of sleep deprivation lately and have decided to surface from the madness ocassionally and write about my travels.
I'm currently writing my first book - on motherhood - called MotherLoad to MotherLove - and wanted to share the writing journey with others. I once dreampt of being a travel writer, and - let's face it - those no greater more challenging, colourful 'trip' than motherhood. Tears, tantrums, laughter, heartache, headaches, crap, exhileration, exhaustion...
Thought I'd use this blog space to share some of my thoughts... Hoping to hear yours as well!
Happy travels, Lyndal