Last night, Hunter woke up and Doug nudged me to get him. After rolling over, he mutters, "That's unbelievably crazy." I looked at the clock and knew instantly what he meant when I saw, "3:32" lit up in red. Hunter wakes up every single night at the exact same precise minute. Every single night without fail. The minute does not change. It's never 3:33, or 3:31. 3:32. Always. I could literally set my clock by his middle of the night waking. Doug and I think it's remarkably crazy. I know a persons internal clock is pretty consistent, but for a 6 month old to have a down to the minute waking is insane, in my opinion. But, it is what it is. I, however, have recently found a way to make life easier.
We used to grab him and put him in bed with us, which would induce another 2 hours of sleep, followed by him waking and being ready for the day. I'd feed him and put him back in his bassinet until 6:30, when I wake up. I'm not really sure if he ever went back to sleep, if he laid there and played. Heck, he might have run to Walgreens to catch a good diaper deal. One can never be sure...But, in his advanced stage of life, he's learned to hold his own bottle. So, two nights ago, in my drowsy state, I made his bottle and let him feed himself while he laid next to me in the bed. Last night, however, I got a little more ambitious...I left him in his bassinet, made him a bottle, handed it over and woke up this morning to a happy, talking baby and an empty bottle by his side. Again, I'm not sure if he hit up the town once he was done eating, or if he went back to sleep or just laid there and played, but I know I am feeling FABULOUS today! I got the closest thing to a full night of sleep I've had since late in my second trimester!
Now, I realize that feeding a baby who is laying down can lead to ear infections, or that feeding is supposed to be a time of bonding and snuggling, etc., but I also understand what my needs are and the quality of mothering my children get when I'm exhausted. I think the benefits, in this case, outweigh the potential damage Hunter will have from feeding himself a few times. I like to think that I'm teaching him independence and self reliance. Haha!
And so now, to all you mom's who have informed me that your children didn't sleep through the night until well into their toddler years - I say, BRING IT ON!! Haha!!!!
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