Monday, March 7, 2011

Triple Teamed

Before Bam Bam arrived we were warned about zone defense.  We would no longer be man-to-man with our kids.  The kids would definitely outnumber us.  We finally got a taste of it just the other night.

Poor Bam Bam was congested and we pulled out our bag of tricks that we learned from the first kid. Hubby did the saline routine with Bam Bam, we elevated his mattress at an angle in the co-sleeper, we turned on the humidifier, and as always I nursed on demand. The first night was rough, and I was up every hour nursing. I expected it and hoped to get a reprieve the next day and get a nap in, but that didn't happen.

The next night he was still congested, but fortunately woke up every 2 hours instead of every hour to be nursed. Okay, I'll take it. Hubby and I had a nice routine. I'd get up to nurse and let Hubby sleep and then during the day he'd take care of the big kids while I slept, nursed, and ate. It worked for us until the kids triple-teamed us.

The second night that Bam Bam wasn't feeling well Boogie woke up three times. The first time he woke up, went to the bathroom, and then stopped by our room to smile and wave and went back to sleep.  A few hours later he woke up crying for Daddy. Having just nursed Bam Bam and trying to go back to sleep, I woke up Hubby to take care of it. By the time Hubby walked in to check on Boogie, Boogie was fast asleep.  About two hours later I was up again nursing the baby when Boogie woke up screaming and crying. He was overly exhausted and needed to pee.  So Hubby took him to the bathroom. While Boogie was crying he woke up his sister who started to scream and cry. Poor Hubby couldn't leave Boogie because if he did Boogie cried louder. I was stuck nursing a baby and couldn't offer any help. Finally Buggy's crying became louder than Boogie's so Hubby left him to get her and bring her into the bathroom because she needed to use the potty.  Ugh!

Fortunately I was able to finish nursing and offer some help. I walked Boogie back to bed and tucked him in. Hubby helped Bug use the potty and walked her back and tucked her in. By the time we finished the baby was ready to be nursed again. *sigh* We were definitely triple teamed. Hubby and I were left with less than 3 hours of sleep total that night.

We still haven't made up for any of the sleep we've lost over the last 4 days.  I've managed to get a 45 minute nap here and there, but I'm still a walking zombie.  Hubby isn't much better because he's been helping with the nighttime swaddling or saline routine for Bam Bam.

I know that it will get better as Bam Bam settles into a nursing routine, but right now he's not on any schedule and I feed on demand. I'm a little nervous as Hubby goes back to work tomorrow and I'll be left to fend for myself.  I know it will be fine. We'll figure it out as time goes on. I told Hubby that I hope that he didn't mind that the house will be messy for a few more weeks while I try to figure things out. He chuckled and said by the time I figure things out, it will be time for a new routine because Boogie will out of school. He's totally right, but eh, we'll get it :)

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