Lucking Out

This post also appeared on www.capecodonline.com/blogs in the opinion section of the Cape Cod Times, a division of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc.

I know it’s still early so the following has a prominent “knock on wood” attached to it. But so far, this kid is a dream…

Although MJ nurses him almost every two hours on the dot during the day, he tends to cluster feed late at night. And while that inconveniences MJ for an hour or two, it also means that from about midnight to 4 a.m. Will sleeps soundly and uninterrupted. Which means we sleep soundly and uninterrupted. And I quickly learned that just a few hours of continuous sleep with a newborn equal 12 hours or regular sleep. Therefore we are not undergoing that whole sleep deprived, walking zombie, new parent thing.

And that’s pretty remarkable since my parents told me I didn’t sleep through the night until I was three years old. I’m surprised they didn’t pitch me out a window.

And I think it’s all about developing a routine and a system anyways. Since MJ is breastfeeding she has to wake up whenever Will is hungry. But in return, I handle all the diaper changes. And honestly I don’t mind. It gives me time to bond with Will and makes me feel useful. I can’t feed him yet so I figure changing all the diapers and letting MJ have the extra sleep is the least I can do.

I’m sure this will all change as he gets older but for now, we’re considering ourselves very lucky.