Baby, that is.

I'm sick, bub is probably getting it too, and I'm still up at least twice a night at 4 1/2 months despite doing all the right sleeping/settling things.

Hubby wants three kids, and before having this one, I was happy to agree, but the other night at 3 am it struck me that if they don't sleep through til 18 months, (like I did, my mother now takes great delight in telling me ) and I have three 2 or so years apart, I might be this tired for the next 6 or 8 years! How on earth do you function this exhausted for 6 or 8 years or longer?

And how do you do it with a new baby and a toddler running around? I feel like all I'm doing is baby stuff now. Double that? Or triple it?

I love bub, and love spending time, but I was reading the 'Sad Mom' post and found myself looking forward to bub moving out so I can get a good night's sleep.


Edited for typo

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound snappy. Just very tired. Hubby is super, and does lots.

Just after some encouragement that I'll get some sleep again at some point in the future.

You will sleep again, I promise. And after a few months of sleeping, you will almost forget how you feel today. I know that's hard to believe, but it's true!! That's why everyone ends up with kids 2 years apart...it takes that long for you to sleep long enough to want to get pregnant.
I have two. My daughter is 7, my son is 5. Last year, I was ready to have another one. The memory tricks your body can do!

Must be possible (I can't have kids, so I don't know from first hand experience). My sister has 4 boys. Ages 11-3/4, just turned 10, 3 (and he's autistic), and 18 mos. She's already talking about trying for baby no. 5 (really wants a girl). If DH didn't dislike my sis so much I'd have her carry a baby for me (she's offered--she LOVES being pregnant).

Just don't think about it. Enjoy this baby first and if you do want more your body will let you know when you're ready.

You do it one day at a time.

Hang in there mom it does get easier!

I have three and it is difficult to do cakes and have kids! I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now...2 in school full days and one in preschool.

I do have to say that most kids should be able to sleep through the night before 18 months! Sometimes you have to work at it though. When my oldest was about 9 months he was waking up around 4 am and since I was working some days i had to get up really early. It was "easier" to just get him and let him come to bed with us. After a few weeks I decided I had enough (he had at times slept through the night...so I knew he could). I decided to let him "cry it out" it was horrific the first night. The second night was bad too, but by the 3rd night.... he slept like a baby so they say. I also did the "cry it out" method with my other kids too when they were at least 6 months old. It am telling you, it feels very painful, but in the long run, they learn. Maybe some people will disagree with me, but there is no reason that an average child shouldnt be sleeping through the night at 18 months.

I guess I was just lucky...both kids were sleeping through the night when they were 4 months. I thought it was because my oldest was so big and because she would eat so much at a time...usually an 8 ounce bottle and then she'd be hungry again right after. My little buddy was tiny as a baby too though and she also slept.

Somehow it's easier with the second baby. You can get through the night wakings on autopilot, especially if you've got baby sleeping in your room. I found that the best trick for me was not to put my contact lenses in or turn on more than a very dim light, and then she and I were able to go back to sleep easily. By the time you have the second one, you can pretty much change diapers in your sleep anyhow

I had my tubes tied after my second baby, because we felt that our family was complete, and because my doctor strongly encouraged me to have it done, saying I'd been extremely lucky to make it through two pregnancies and shouldn't risk it again. I was sad for a while....but Sophia got done with diapers right after she turned two and it started to dawn on me that unless I babysit my sisters' kids if they ever have any, I'm all done with diapers, at least until I have grandbabies.

Well I have 7, 18, 14, 11, 8, AND 3,2,9 months. The oldest didn't sleep throught the night until she was 1 1/2 and the 8 yr. old until she was 2 and I worked 12 hrs, at night with her. 3 babies, I haven't slept good for oh, about the last 3 1/2 years!!! We all know getting up at night with the bathroom, then I had her, then she started to sleep through the night at about 8 months, but by then I was all ready pregnant again, and then I had her, and by the time she started sleeping throught the night, yup, I was pregnant again! Now he is just about sleeping through the night or at least only wakes up once, but he likes to sleep with his Mommy & Daddy and sometimes the other 2 older babies wake up for whatever reason. So yeah, I think it'll be about another year before I get the good sleep. But you know what, far apart in age, close in age, they are all worth it.

Thanks everbody! Another not very sleepy night last night. Luckily, I got to have a nap today. Glad to hear it's not just me.

BOY DO I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!

My son just turned one last saturday (made him an awsome cake btw!). He didn't sleep through the night until 11 months and I thought he never would. People kept telling me about children who didn't sleep through until 18 months or longer! I was shaking in my boots hearing that! Mason was waking up 2 or 3 times at night and wouldn't easily go back down. I thought I was going to die, especially since he woke up at 5 am!!! I finally said enough is enough and decided to let him cry himself back to sleep. He cried for 20 minutes and has been sleeping 12 hours every night since. It was really hard to listen to him cry, but I did what I had to for my sanity. I have no plans for any more children any time soon You will make it, hang in there

Thanks! I really appreciate your reply. I guess the answer is just to push through it. I'm just at a loss as to how anyone does this with a toddler running around. And I have a whole new level of respect for parents of multiple bubs.

We are doing the crying yourself back to sleep during the night, but by 4.30 or 5 she's slept enough and it takes forever for her to get back to sleep for only another hour or so, and I don't get back to sleep at all.

Also, hubby has a long drive on a straight, boring country road to work every day, and I don't want him to be so tired he falls asleep in the car, so letting bub cry for hours isn't always an option.

Glad to hear you're getting some good sleep now, though. I like people's stories of bubs sleeping before they're 12 months. Gives me hope!