The mombie!
Definition: usually seen accompanying toddlers, characterised usually by tired eyes surrounded by dark circles and/or bags under eyes. Will probably require multiple attempts before a query NOT pertaining to aforementioned toddlers are answered. Prone to mood swings at the slightest provocation. To handle with discretion. Else provoke at own risk!
Much has been said and even more probably has been written about the new mommy and her general lack of a sleeping schedule..but here's my 2 cents(and more!) on the subject!
Having undergone an LSCS the first few days were spent in a haze of iv fluids and painkillers. For the first time I truly empathised with my patients who underwent this sudden onslaught of post operative pain post the bliss of a relaxed body in pregnancy! It took some grit and a hell lot of determination to push myself back on my feet the second day to stand up and hold my baby..but that's another story for another day!
The LO spent the first few nights in peace and quiet being fed and full of formula to the point where we were walking her up just to feed her..I was lulled into this dream that my LO ws amongst the night sleepers..yay! Little did I know that this was the calm before the storm! Heading home on the third day and after a few days of solid efforts my LO was finally hooked on to exclusive Breastfeeding! Another feather in my new cap! Or so I thought!
Breast milk is digested much faster than formula resulting in more hungry spells for the baby. Not to mention the constant poop-feed-sleep-feed-poop cycle that all newborns are programmed to have the first few weeks. Did I mention the long 4-6 hours colic spells? The result were some long,seemingly unending bleary nights for me and my mom starring a wailing baby and loads of diapers! "A new mommy should sleep when the baby sleeps as the nights are long" is much easier said than done! It took the sleep deprived brain of mine 2 weeks before I could train it to conk off at odd hours in the day! It took even less time to get used to the wide eyed unkempt person in ill-fitting feeding clothes staring back at me in the bathroom mirror! Going out for chores was usually put off in favour of catching those forty winks..even then every trip out was deemed a huge sacrifice of the precious sleep! From feeling handicapped due those frequent night feeds and lack of sleep to a slow return to work, It has taken me almost a year before I am a close to normal (we shall never be normal again..face it!) socially viable human being at home and at work..when earlier even half an hour of sleep missed could lead to cranky days,now anywhere between 6-7 hours (never all at once mind u!) is being considered a blessing and counts as a good day!
Most nights are spent trying to use Google to calculate how long it will be by the general estimate before my LO starts sleeping the entire night! That and imagining a world where she actually does that and I wake up for once without swollen bleary eyes! There are days where faux pas like wearing slippers to work, forgetting to wash that already oily hair and forgetting to brush teeth have happened but that's what mombies are all about!
Much research needs to be done on the mombie and their almost superhuman ability to function with their daily routine alongside taking care of an entirely dependent tiny human and still sound sane(well.. mostly!) at the end of the day with sleep being less than the required amount of sleep! The conclusion should be that we as women just are generally a kick-ass rocking species but then I am sure moms all over will agree!:)
Till then patiently waiting for the mombie phase to get over!
Definition: usually seen accompanying toddlers, characterised usually by tired eyes surrounded by dark circles and/or bags under eyes. Will probably require multiple attempts before a query NOT pertaining to aforementioned toddlers are answered. Prone to mood swings at the slightest provocation. To handle with discretion. Else provoke at own risk!
Much has been said and even more probably has been written about the new mommy and her general lack of a sleeping schedule..but here's my 2 cents(and more!) on the subject!
Having undergone an LSCS the first few days were spent in a haze of iv fluids and painkillers. For the first time I truly empathised with my patients who underwent this sudden onslaught of post operative pain post the bliss of a relaxed body in pregnancy! It took some grit and a hell lot of determination to push myself back on my feet the second day to stand up and hold my baby..but that's another story for another day!
The LO spent the first few nights in peace and quiet being fed and full of formula to the point where we were walking her up just to feed her..I was lulled into this dream that my LO ws amongst the night sleepers..yay! Little did I know that this was the calm before the storm! Heading home on the third day and after a few days of solid efforts my LO was finally hooked on to exclusive Breastfeeding! Another feather in my new cap! Or so I thought!
Breast milk is digested much faster than formula resulting in more hungry spells for the baby. Not to mention the constant poop-feed-sleep-feed-poop cycle that all newborns are programmed to have the first few weeks. Did I mention the long 4-6 hours colic spells? The result were some long,seemingly unending bleary nights for me and my mom starring a wailing baby and loads of diapers! "A new mommy should sleep when the baby sleeps as the nights are long" is much easier said than done! It took the sleep deprived brain of mine 2 weeks before I could train it to conk off at odd hours in the day! It took even less time to get used to the wide eyed unkempt person in ill-fitting feeding clothes staring back at me in the bathroom mirror! Going out for chores was usually put off in favour of catching those forty winks..even then every trip out was deemed a huge sacrifice of the precious sleep! From feeling handicapped due those frequent night feeds and lack of sleep to a slow return to work, It has taken me almost a year before I am a close to normal (we shall never be normal again..face it!) socially viable human being at home and at work..when earlier even half an hour of sleep missed could lead to cranky days,now anywhere between 6-7 hours (never all at once mind u!) is being considered a blessing and counts as a good day!
Most nights are spent trying to use Google to calculate how long it will be by the general estimate before my LO starts sleeping the entire night! That and imagining a world where she actually does that and I wake up for once without swollen bleary eyes! There are days where faux pas like wearing slippers to work, forgetting to wash that already oily hair and forgetting to brush teeth have happened but that's what mombies are all about!
Much research needs to be done on the mombie and their almost superhuman ability to function with their daily routine alongside taking care of an entirely dependent tiny human and still sound sane(well.. mostly!) at the end of the day with sleep being less than the required amount of sleep! The conclusion should be that we as women just are generally a kick-ass rocking species but then I am sure moms all over will agree!:)
Till then patiently waiting for the mombie phase to get over!
