Changing Sleep Habits

My sleeping beauty, falling asleep on me

You know, it could be because she is starting to feel better now that she gotten over the trachiitis and strep and got the antibiotics out of her system.   Or maybe not.

Whatever the case, Hannah’s sleep habits over the past week have become quite crazy.   If she takes just one nap during the day (about 2 hours), she falls asleep somewhere between 11 pm and midnight, and then she will probably sleep until 6 am or 7 am.   If she takes two naps during the day, then she will fall asleep even later — last night she went to sleep at 2:15 am!  Yet she still woke up at 7 am.

What makes things worse is that if we put her in her crib once she is asleep, she wakes up a few hours later and is just awake.   If I let her lie in bed with us, she sleeps for 7 to 8 hours straight!   Maybe her crib is just too uncomfortable for her now (too small) or she feels more comfortable in our bed or feeling us next to her.  It could also help that when she is lying in bed next to me, I can immediately suction her when I hear the junkiness start (instead of it getting bad enough to wake her up).

Regardless, the problem is that my head is telling me it is so not a good idea that Hannah get into the habit of sleeping in our bed every night.   So many reasons that it is not a good situation to get into.   First of all, even though it is a king bed, there is just not enough room for all three of us, especially if she sleeps sideways like she likes.   Right now, Daddy is sleeping with his head at the other end of the bed so that Hannah has enough room.  Second of all, Daddy/Mommy time is scarce as it is.   Also, the sounds of suctioning and having the lights on makes it harder for Daddy to get a good night sleep.  Lastly, I just know it is not a good thing for her to get used to and expect.

But my heart says, “Who cares.  She likes it.  You like having her there.  Just do it.”   I also feel safer with her right next to me because if I fall asleep, and I am holding her hand or her arm (like I have been doing), I will wake up a lot easier if she moves around, coughs, or needs suctioning.  I am always afraid that if I fall asleep while she is in her crib, I won’t hear if she is in distress.

But if we decide to let her sleep in our bed, Daddy is likely going to start sleeping in the other room where we have a single bed.   Just so we have room and he can get some sleep.

I try to justify it that we will be hopefully moving in the next 6 months or so, and she will have her own room and her own bed.  This way I can do my night nursing with her, and she can fall asleep in her own bed with me lying with her.   Daddy will have peace and quiet so he can get a better night sleep.

I’m glad that my relationship with Daddy is secure enough to deal with something like this, but I still don’t know if it is such a smart idea.

I also wish I could get a better grasp on why she rarely gets a full night’s sleep anymore (it has been weeks).  We have even tried melatonin without success.   She also seems very tired most of the day but she fights nap and sleep more than any child I have ever seen.