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There's an eerie quiet that surrounds the initiation process into the
sisterhood of motherhood. It's a quiet, anxious ritual that the previously-inducted
sisters of Motherhood wearily maintain partly out of tradition and partly out of fear that
we might scare potential sisters away from our club.
If you're a mom, you know what I'm talking about. If you aren't, or are about to be one
for the first time, pay close attention.
Joining the ranks of Motherhood is an awesome right of passage most of us women have
looked forward to our entire lives. We've been practicing for decades - first on our
dolls, then on our younger, unsuspecting siblings, then on the neighbor's kids. We found
what we hope to be the man of our dreams, and fell in love, then came marriage, and here
we are, anxiously awaiting the baby in the baby carriage.
Family, friends and acquaintances all ask what you plan to do after the baby has arrived,
how long you'll breastfeed, how you plan on delivering your child, and on and on. But, did
you notice that hesitant silence coming from the been-there-done-that crowd after you gave
them your answers? If you pay close enough attention, you can feel the ritual around you.
Maybe their silence is a quiet approval, or a reflection of their interest, but I'm
betting what it really is is fear - that if you only knew the truth, you would run for
your life.
Case in point.
We've all seen the sitcoms, heard the jokes and read the flippant stories about newborn
babies keeping their parents up all night. And we all laughed. It's OK to admit it. I did
too.
Well, guess what? God had the last laugh (OK, she's probably still laughing) on April
Fool's Day 1999 when my adorable - and borderline colicky - son was born. Ahhh, poetic
justice.
I stopped sleeping through the night when I was four weeks pregnant in July 1998, and
finally was able to get a good night's sleep somewhere around May 2000. Those sitcoms
aren't so funny anymore. Those who have never experienced such a long run of very-little
sleep have no clue how hard it is to function on a day-to-day basis. Tempers become short,
memories become ... I forgot, and to top it all off, you are now the sole supporter and
protector of a brand-new life that is thinking things were better on the inside than out.
It's enough to send a new mommy into the fetal position.
I know I'm not alone. I get the question all the time, "How can I get my baby to
sleep through the night?" Believe me, if I knew, I would be a millionaire right about
now.
And just like these sleep-deprived mommies asking me the question, no one ever told me I
would not sleep for nearly two years. Nobody. So I am here today to tell you ladies, rest
up now, because you'll need it for the long haul.
Sure, you may get a baby that sleeps through the night right from the start. But in my
communications with other moms, this is a very rare baby. And, even if you were so lucky
to get one of these gems, chances are baby No 2 would set you straight.
So what's a girl to do? Be happy, excited and in love with your new soon-to-be arrival,
and understand that you will, eventually, sleep again. It may take months, it may take
years. But you'll make it there again.
And for God's sake, get to sleep now before it's too late!
About the Author: Kristine Roberson is
owner of MyMamaSaid.com, a community with tips, advice and support for all moms, and
co-owner of Roberson Publishing, a desktop publishing and web design firm. Visit Roberson
Publishing at http://robersonpublishing.com.
Sign up for the MyMamaSaid eNews at http://www.egroups.com/group/mymamasaid.
