Comments on: One Of The Hazards Of The Job http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/ In Alpha Since 2001 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:12:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: liz http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124358 liz Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:02:07 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124358 Sending you hugs and assurances that I've gone around all day with baby poop on my shirt. And he'll sleep eventually. I've heard teenagers sleep alot. Sending you hugs and assurances that I’ve gone around all day with baby poop on my shirt.

And he’ll sleep eventually. I’ve heard teenagers sleep alot.

]]> By: mihow http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124356 mihow Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:07:15 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124356 Everyone: thanks for all the support in letting us know that it's normal to never sleep again after having a child. Aunt Denise: I'm glad that my having worn trash is so funny to you! :] Everyone: thanks for all the support in letting us know that it’s normal to never sleep again after having a child.

Aunt Denise: I’m glad that my having worn trash is so funny to you! :]

]]> By: Aunt Denise http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124355 Aunt Denise Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:56:18 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124355 Michele, I laughed so hard that I was crying! Thank you, Michele, I laughed so hard that I was crying! Thank you,

]]> By: Michele Chaves http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124302 Michele Chaves Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:16:41 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124302 I feel your fatigue and frustration...and doesn't it just seem like every other parent has this compliant child who sleeps through the night at 3 months, never poops at the park, etc.? Honestly, though, I think you're more typical than you think. We determined that we needed to cut naps out for Annie about a year before most other kids were ending their naps. For us that was about 3. If she napped, the nights were a disaster. It was hard to keep her up and we weren't always successful, but when we could it helped. Those were hard times, though. Kids go through several shifts in their sleep patterns, in my opinion. There is the nursing mom pattern. The toddler transition pattern. The emergence of fears and nightmares pattern. There is the big bed pattern. Each one is hard for a while, but you'll move through them all. The advice that got me through those years was when someone told me that when you're having a particularly hard time, when it seems like your kid is regressing...they are taking a step back just before they take a big step forward and we just have to do our best to ease them through that huge change they are experiencing. The pooping at the park is funny. Annie went through a stage where she pooped every time we went to a certain friend's house, without fail. She just felt comfortable there. Watch his natural potty patterns and if he poops every time you're at the park in the afternoon, try going to the park earlier and sitting him on the potty when you get home and see if you can't shift that pattern! I feel your fatigue and frustration…and doesn’t it just seem like every other parent has this compliant child who sleeps through the night at 3 months, never poops at the park, etc.? Honestly, though, I think you’re more typical than you think.

We determined that we needed to cut naps out for Annie about a year before most other kids were ending their naps. For us that was about 3. If she napped, the nights were a disaster. It was hard to keep her up and we weren’t always successful, but when we could it helped. Those were hard times, though. Kids go through several shifts in their sleep patterns, in my opinion. There is the nursing mom pattern. The toddler transition pattern. The emergence of fears and nightmares pattern. There is the big bed pattern. Each one is hard for a while, but you’ll move through them all.

The advice that got me through those years was when someone told me that when you’re having a particularly hard time, when it seems like your kid is regressing…they are taking a step back just before they take a big step forward and we just have to do our best to ease them through that huge change they are experiencing.

The pooping at the park is funny. Annie went through a stage where she pooped every time we went to a certain friend’s house, without fail. She just felt comfortable there. Watch his natural potty patterns and if he poops every time you’re at the park in the afternoon, try going to the park earlier and sitting him on the potty when you get home and see if you can’t shift that pattern!

]]> By: Deva (Voracious Vorilee) http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124279 Deva (Voracious Vorilee) Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:56:19 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124279 See, I thought that was part of your shirt... See, I thought that was part of your shirt…

]]> By: Egirl http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124277 Egirl Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:52:24 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124277 Do you realize how amazingly normal you are for not sleeping soundly for two years?! It took us 18 months to get to a point where it is unusual for our daughter to not sleep through the night. I knock on wood as I write this, because it can always change. The sleep deprivation was, by far, the most difficult thing for me. How can you function (and even write funny things!) without regular sleep for such a long time? I was a total zombie for all of those 18 months and sometimes quite a bitch as a result. Do you realize how amazingly normal you are for not sleeping soundly for two years?! It took us 18 months to get to a point where it is unusual for our daughter to not sleep through the night. I knock on wood as I write this, because it can always change. The sleep deprivation was, by far, the most difficult thing for me. How can you function (and even write funny things!) without regular sleep for such a long time? I was a total zombie for all of those 18 months and sometimes quite a bitch as a result.

]]> By: Lana http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124273 Lana Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:33:59 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124273 Alden is the same with the sleeping... it's totally choppy. Ah sleep... I miss you. Alden is the same with the sleeping… it’s totally choppy. Ah sleep… I miss you.

]]> By: quiltcat http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124227 quiltcat Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:12:20 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124227 I think you might have hit it on the head! I think it's between 2 and 3 that kids start being able to differentiate between "real" and "fantasy"...so they love to play dress-up, tell you about their imaginary friends, and so on...but in the early stages, dreams are scary because they don't know that they're not "real" in the same was as being awake is real. As for the baby wipe sticker, i think you've started a new fashion statement for moms! it looks fantastic on your t-shirt, like you did it on purpose. I think you might have hit it on the head! I think it’s between 2 and 3 that kids start being able to differentiate between “real” and “fantasy”…so they love to play dress-up, tell you about their imaginary friends, and so on…but in the early stages, dreams are scary because they don’t know that they’re not “real” in the same was as being awake is real.
As for the baby wipe sticker, i think you’ve started a new fashion statement for moms! it looks fantastic on your t-shirt, like you did it on purpose.

]]> By: mihow http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124203 mihow Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:24:15 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124203 I have a theory about this... I think they are acting this way because their brains are on and they are dreaming and having nightmares. I think they are confused by this and are therefore spooked awake at night. Once they understand what a dream is, I think we'll be better off. Because Em wakes up talking about things that aren't happening all the time. It's cute but I think it scares him when he wakes up to realize it's not actually happening. Can you imagine how scary a dream or nightmare is if you don't understand WHAT it is? Wowsa! I have a theory about this… I think they are acting this way because their brains are on and they are dreaming and having nightmares. I think they are confused by this and are therefore spooked awake at night. Once they understand what a dream is, I think we’ll be better off.

Because Em wakes up talking about things that aren’t happening all the time. It’s cute but I think it scares him when he wakes up to realize it’s not actually happening.

Can you imagine how scary a dream or nightmare is if you don’t understand WHAT it is? Wowsa!

]]> By: MommaA http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124186 MommaA Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:05:37 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124186 I am so thankful to read this post. My son is 20 months and doesnt' sleep through the night, he HAS but for some reason regressed and now wakes up multiple times (he is a co-sleeper) during the night. Just sits up in bed and whines, then I say come here and he snuggles up under my blanket and goes back to sleep. I haven't said anything to his pediatrician because he was against the co-sleeping and said children should be sleeping through the night by I think age one or before. Now I know we are more normal than I thought LOL. I am so thankful to read this post. My son is 20 months and doesnt’ sleep through the night, he HAS but for some reason regressed and now wakes up multiple times (he is a co-sleeper) during the night. Just sits up in bed and whines, then I say come here and he snuggles up under my blanket and goes back to sleep. I haven’t said anything to his pediatrician because he was against the co-sleeping and said children should be sleeping through the night by I think age one or before. Now I know we are more normal than I thought LOL.

]]> By: mihow http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124048 mihow Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:22:05 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124048 Oh Sarah, who knows! They're like snowflakes, these guys. Your guy may change. I hope that he does! Em's longest stretch was 7 hours. He's done that (no joke) three times ever. Otherwise, it's 3 or 4 or 5 at a time. :( ah well. Someday we will sleep again! I know it. Oh Sarah, who knows! They’re like snowflakes, these guys. Your guy may change. I hope that he does!

Em’s longest stretch was 7 hours. He’s done that (no joke) three times ever. Otherwise, it’s 3 or 4 or 5 at a time. :(

ah well. Someday we will sleep again! I know it.

]]> By: Sarah Viola http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124046 Sarah Viola Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:04:48 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124046 This scares the shit out of me. My son turns one this month, and I was just wondering how close we were to long stretches of sleep. He's a good napper like Em, but lately he's regressed into waking every 1-2 hours at night, with the longest stretches being 3.5 hours. I guess I should stop holding my breath, huh? This scares the shit out of me. My son turns one this month, and I was just wondering how close we were to long stretches of sleep. He’s a good napper like Em, but lately he’s regressed into waking every 1-2 hours at night, with the longest stretches being 3.5 hours. I guess I should stop holding my breath, huh?

]]> By: marymuses http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124042 marymuses Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:17:09 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124042 I love that you posted this photo because, oh, man, how many times have I run all my errands wearing something similar on my front, my back, my sleeve, my BUTT? Better hope Em doesn't figure out that it's funny to leave stickers on you or you'll find them everywhere, but always when you're undressing at the end of a busy day. I know this from experience. Why I didn't do a full body check in the mirror each time I ventured into public, I do not know. I love that you posted this photo because, oh, man, how many times have I run all my errands wearing something similar on my front, my back, my sleeve, my BUTT? Better hope Em doesn’t figure out that it’s funny to leave stickers on you or you’ll find them everywhere, but always when you’re undressing at the end of a busy day. I know this from experience. Why I didn’t do a full body check in the mirror each time I ventured into public, I do not know.

]]> By: jenblossom http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124040 jenblossom Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:44:07 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124040 Now see, I wouldn't have even noticed if you hadn't pointed it out. I was too busy thinking how great you look for someone running on so little sleep :) Miss you guys. Now see, I wouldn’t have even noticed if you hadn’t pointed it out. I was too busy thinking how great you look for someone running on so little sleep :)

Miss you guys.

]]> By: Wendy http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124039 Wendy Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:39:18 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124039 Hah! You got me giggling with that picture. Not how I had THOUGHT the post would end up. I once asked my son's doctor when I could expect him to sleep through the night..he told me his kids never did on a regular basis until kindergarden. But I found that around 2.5 years of age, he just stopped waking up during the night. We have occasional wake-ups in the night..maybe once per month? But generally, the sleeping is at least 9 hours straight. Some of them just take a little longer to get there I think! I have hope that Emory will get there soon...someday he will, I'm sure! Hah! You got me giggling with that picture. Not how I had THOUGHT the post would end up.
I once asked my son’s doctor when I could expect him to sleep through the night..he told me his kids never did on a regular basis until kindergarden. But I found that around 2.5 years of age, he just stopped waking up during the night. We have occasional wake-ups in the night..maybe once per month? But generally, the sleeping is at least 9 hours straight. Some of them just take a little longer to get there I think! I have hope that Emory will get there soon…someday he will, I’m sure!

]]> By: Erica Lucci http://mihow.com/articles/2009/09/02/one-of-the-hazards-of-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-124038 Erica Lucci Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:38:22 +0000 http://mihow.com/?p=34402#comment-124038 I'm glad that you can still have a sense of humor despite the lack of sleep. Hope tonight is a bit more restful for everyone. I’m glad that you can still have a sense of humor despite the lack of sleep. Hope tonight is a bit more restful for everyone.

]]>