Both Amy and I have major anxiety when Teagan sleeps. We're completely paranoid that she will have stopped breathing. So, we'll poke her, or pull on her swaddle, or rub her head until she grunts or moves, or we'll hunker down over the bassinet waiting to hear a breath (or a snore, she takes after her dad, at least according to Amy). This evening I almost lost it because I couldn't hear her, just a second before she had a start and scared the crap out of me. How on earth did those of you with previous experience with children get used to this?
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6 comments:
I so understand. After a while, sheer exhaustion will take over and you'll relax a bit. We had Em right by my head in her bassinet at first. Every few hours, I was like, "Is she breathing?!" It'll be fine guys, really.
As Joann as, give it about two-three weeks. You will be so tired from your own sleep deprivation that you'll stop noticing because you'll sound asleep yourself.
On the other hand, I still remember checking on both of mine until they were about two, just to make sure they were still OK.
Welcome to parenthood
Everyone goes through this baby experience hurdle. As you can see, already by the comments. So, no worries!
I recommend one of you, or both sleep, while she sleeps to fend off the sleep deprivation/anxiety. Or you can take shifts (depending on the feeding situation) Four or five hours of straight sleep will help.
Ask Darrin about our first 2 weeks at home. I had to re-learn how to sleep and trust that she'll cry when she needed me. (She would get a bit grumpy, after I would wake her from sleeping.)
IF you still have some anxiety, take a small mirror and put it under her nose. It's corny but, you'll see she's breathing.
In the next few weeks, you two will begin to learn Teagan's cues and you'll begin to learn to trust yourselves.
I think the hardest then you'll have to admit to yourselves that somethings, you'll never be able to control.
Have faith in God that your child is going to be okay. The Lord will give you strength and patience this coming year.
Prayer works wonders.
We used to do the same thing, too. We used to blow on their faces to see if they would slightly flinch. And when our youngest was quiet while in the car, we used to panic and ask the other two if we had left anybody behind. (No, we never did.)
And as you know, she is now no longer the quietest kid we have, either..... ;-)
Hey, with Knox we simply kept him from sleeping on his stomach when not being held to minimize the chances of SIDS.... otherwise, if the baby's healthy, you have to trust God, yourselves, and the baby... not easy, but you get used to it and it DOES get easier as time goes on... I was absolutely terrified with Knox as a newborn, even to hold him for fear I do something wrong, you know, like DROP him... you'll get better and more confident as you get used to it.
Shawn
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