Easier back then

Now I get why any woman my Mom's age has been looking at me kinda funny when I complain about how badly Maddie sleeps. I always felt like they thought I was too soft on her, not putting her down enough, or just plain had a bad baby (haha - I know they didn't think that, but sometimes you feel like that's what they are thinking when you get those looks).

And when they would furrow their brow and try to remember their baby's sleep issues, inevitably giving me the - nope, I don't remember there being an issue past the first month - well, I always would silently roll my eyes and think, yeah, right.

But now I get it. They DIDN'T have as many issues. They weren't just forgetting those sleepless nights - they really didn't have as many issues as I think most parents face today re: sleeping. Because we all slept on our stomachs. And THAT my friends, is the key to good sleep apparently.

I've mentioned it in a few previous posts - Maddie has recently started to sleep on her stomach more and more often. And because she can roll over easily now, I'm not as worried about it re: SIDS anymore (note I said - 'as worried' - I don't think I'll ever stop doing the 'make sure she's still breathing check' before I go to bed). But yeah, now that she's sleeping on her tummy every once in a while, I'm starting to see a pattern emerge...

Nights where she rolls onto her stomach at some point in her sleep - she will sleep uninterrupted for like, 6 or 7 hours. Naps where she rolls onto her stomach - she'll sleep for 2 hours or more. Not that she doesn't sleep well on her side (which is how she always starts out), or her back (sometimes passes out like a drunken sailor on her back if she's been fussing before drifting off) - she will sleep in either position for a good period of time - but nothing like the belly sleep.

So some of you may be thinking - well, dude, just put her down to sleep on her belly - then she'll sleep well every night. Yeah - doesn't really work that way with our headstrong little girl. If she's even remotely awake and she is on her stomach, she starts to do push ups, gets agitated, forgets how to roll back over and really works herself into a little freak out.

But it's starting to become more of a regular thing - last night she slept from 7:30-11:30, up to eat, then back to sleep until 6am. Fantabulous. Although I would have loved to sleep a little longer than 6am, and would love for my body to untrain itself from waking up at 4am (when she sleeps through, I don't - so then I get all freaked out that she hasn't woken up, and have to go check on her - and yeah - don't get me started - silly new mom neurosis) ... but I will take a 7 hour stretch of sleep any day of the week.

So there you go older ladies ... us new moms aren't as 'soft' as you all may think we are! We're at a disadvantage having to put our babes down on their backs to sleep. Safer sleep with the drawback of massive sleep deprivation. Hmmmm, I guess I'll take it.

xxoo.S