This has been my first week of solo parenting during the day. I have done ok. Tried to get out everyday and even did the grocery shopping. But emotionally I have been a bit of a mess. Lots of tears about...well I am not to sure...and I have been very impatient with Owen and have gotten overly angry at him a few times to the point I have had to put myself in time out....Flynn is waking every 3 hours to feed (come on kido... you're a formula fed baby) and sleep deprivation is hurting me. I used to brag about how I never felt sleep deprivation with Owen as he slept well at night from the start... I guess this is just pay back....but all in all I am very lucky to have two beautiful healthy boys...
Emy you are doing great! Having a baby and a toddler is hard work. I remember going to mothers group with the two oldest when Sammy was just a baby (they were 21 months apart). Josh used to hit her and throw toys into her capsule. I was horrified! I used to look at the other women and see their older children dote on their new brother or sister thinking that I was doing something wrong and then I realised that the ones that weren't having problems had a girl first. I reckon that little girls are used to playing with dolls and when a baby comes along they cope better with the changes than boys. It took Isabella a couple of months to transition into a nice 'big' sister instead of a monster and she'll be 5 at the end of the year. She reverted to wetting her bed and having daily tantrums where she'd throw herself on the floor.
ReplyDeleteI know it's hard coping with sleepless nights and then waking to a toddler who's demanding your attention. Just remember to be kind to yourself and that this period is only for a short time. So if you need a day when you turn the TV on and use it as a babysitter so that you can do nothing but feed Flynn then do it. Hamish is 4 months old and I still have a day a week or sometimes more when the TV is on for the whole day, I'm not out of pyjamas until morning tea time and the house is not fantastic. I try to remember the "happy wife, happy life" saying and give myself a little break.
Also the crying is totally normal and I did my fair share for the first couple of months. Even now when I've had a lot of bad nights in a row I've been known to have a pity party and cry for no reason.
It does get better!!