That is exactly what I am right now. Part of it is pregnancy related and bound to get worse. Right now I am 9 weeks 5 days along and officially due November 6th. Oddly how this pregnancy is nearly identical to the one with Livy. The only difference is that I have felt pregnant and had symptoms from day one! With that being said, at about 10 weeks with Livy I hit a complete zombie stage. I could do nothing except lie on the couch. Going to the bathroom or even changing the TV channel was too much to handle. I am NOT looking forward to this!
To top everything off I am having some issues with my once good little girl. She is still good, but is trying every fiber of my fatigued body right now. She is being destructive and is not sleeping well. She used to sleep from 730pm to 800am and nap from 1pm to 245/300p. Those were the days!
Now she is fighting me about going to bed. We go through our bedtime routine and get her in bed by 730pm. Perhaps because it is still light out she thinks it is time to play. She will destroy her room or even sneak down to the playroom. I have to check on her every few minutes until she is asleep. I should add that there is A LOT of time out right now, but it isn't phasing her. Last night she finally went to sleep at nine. Would that mean that she will sleep in this morning? NO! It means we get up at 6am!
So today she gets to deal with me! Olivia has already called me "Angry Mama" and unfortunately it fits. I am expecting her to get cranky at 10am and have to fight her to stay awake until a proper nap time only to fight her to sleep. Once sleep, it may only be a 45 minute nap.
Any advice for a tired, cranky and now angry mommy?
Good luck...Abby went through this same thing..late naps if any...waking up at night needing me...it passed and only happens once in a while now...in fact last night was one of those times (with my 8 year old too)...
ReplyDeleteJust try to relax and get as much rest as you can...hope it will be a better preggy that last:)
When I am "Angry Mommy" I try to deal with it until DH gets home, then escape for an hour. Maybe finding something new for Livy to do? I'll email you a fun template for a paper Easter Basket you could make with her.
ReplyDeleteI used to camp out on the couch when I was pregnant. Send kids running one direction or another trying to wear them out so they would sit still for an hour and I could get a nap. LOL
ReplyDeleteI think Livi is probably feeling your pain and the strain on her little 2 year old personality is coming out as rebellion. It is typical of that age when something changes. She is noticing that you arent her normal momma and that she isnt getting as much attention. Give her as much attention as you can possibly handle. Give her an obsticle course to follow, set up a scavenger hunt, make her your little helper fetching things for you. Reward her with smiles, hugs and love even if you arent feeling it. She will come back to her old self quickly... but dont let up or she will go right back to the rebellion... and it will only get worse when the baby comes, so get used to pampering her little beast-like attitude now to get back the little princess. It takes more energy, I know, but it seriously works.
Hugs.
I had to physically hold my 2 year old still in order to get him to take a nap. I was pregnant at the time too, hmm...
ReplyDeletePray!!
ReplyDeleteCanCan: My third child was a boy and same-same here... I would lay in bed with him and wrap my arms around him and hold his legs down. He would be asleep in less than 5 minutes... otherwise he would never sleep on his own. He is 9 now and still wont go to sleep. He is up all night and too big for me to hold down anymore. =/ Must be a boy thing? Too funny about kids and their sleeping habits!
ReplyDeleteI napped with my toddler when I was pregnant (he was 20 months last July when #2 was born). I still lay down with each of them for a few minutes to get them down for a nap, and it is comforting for everyone involved since he doesn't scream as much (well, not all the time :)
ReplyDeleteDo less strenuous activities with Livy (I read a TON to our son, still do, and he knows a bunch of books from memory now).
I love reading these advice things. For me, the most comforting thing is knowing that every mom goes through this (and if they don't, I kinda wonder about their kids).
If all else fails, tickling the babies always works for our family. Happy AND tired by the end. Couldn't be better!
I've been called "abusive" for it, but we locked the door on Mason's room for a long time (just stopping now that he's potty training). He was old enough to get out of the house and we didn't want it to happen in the middle of the night. He always takes a few toys in his room, too. If he feels the need to stay awake, he plays with his few toys until he falls asleep, but he doesn't try sneaking out of his room.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Mason cut naptime out of his routine all together last summer and we've never gotten it back. I have no advice for you there. And the last time I fell asleep sitting up (I LOVE being pregnancy tired--there's nothing like it!), I woke up about five minutes later because Mason was driving a truck over my face and begging me to play with him. :)
On the bright side, I'm free most afternoons and can bring Mason over if you want to wear her out while you get a nap/break. Just give me a call, I don't live too far away these days.
I had to come out of my 'blog retirement' to comment, since this is exactly how I felt one year ago! I was so tired and frustrated.
ReplyDeleteFirst, are you sitting down? I know you're an organizer and a cleaner, like me, so this may be hard to hear. STOP doing so much! Pick out some cleaning tasks that really don't have to be done every day and do them every other day... or even every 3 or 4 days.
This will actually work in your favor for two reasons. First, it gives you more time with Livy, which will help ease the transition to having a sibling, and maybe even help with any struggles you are having now. It also prepares you for life with two kids, and the realities of having less time to do household tasks.
Finally, if you factor in taking care of Livy, and still feel like you're so much more tired than when you were pregnant with her, then talk to your doctor. I did and he ran a thyroid test (TSH, T4, and T3) and they found out that I was hypothyroid. Don't wait as long a I did, because I ended up gaining 50 pounds, which is much harder to lose than the 22 I gained with Love Bug!
Good Luck- excited to hear your due date is November 6th... that's Love Bug's birthday!
I don't really have much advice on this one. We STILL haven't put Addie in a toddler bed yet. I dread doing that because I know she will get up and play in her room. She isn't trying to crawl out of her crib yet so I figure she is fine in there.
ReplyDeleteYou are due 4 days before my birthday! Just might happen :o)