have we ever chatted about...

6 hours at the very least! I usually try to get at least 7 1/2 hours....preferably 12 now that I'm pregnant! I have always been a good sleeper. When DH got home from work the other night, my head had just hit the pillow when he walked in the door. I heard the door open and was sound asleep before it closed!

DH can manage to get by on as little as 3-4 hours of sleep. After a few days in a row of that, though, he turns into a zombie who will fall asleep anytime, anywhere.

:z In the summer I am an early bird up with the sun and in the winter I am dragging myself out of bed just in time to get the kids ready and (on time!) for school. I must have an internal alarm clock because I can tell myself, 'self, you need to get up at such and such time.' I will literally pop up out of bed at the exact time. It usually never fails me. (I am a freak..I know)

regardless of when I get up I am useless until I have some coffee (about 3 cups) :coffee

[Phoebe]

I am a night owl so getting to sleep has never been easy. As an infant, I was cholicky and cried nightly until 1am. I find I am most awake at 11pm and sleep best in the early morning. Fast forward to two children, I have never felt more tired in my life. I am lucky to sleep through the night twice a week. I have learned to function on much less sleep, like 5 hours. I love naps and take them whenever I can. I feel great if I have 8 hour or more sleep.

Jennifer

The more sleep I get, the better. Especially when pregnant! A lot of mornings I have to get up for work at 5:30 a.m. and it's been brutal unless I go to bed at 9 p.m. Ideally I get 9 hours a night, but that doesn't happen all that often. Pre-pregnancy 6.5 was about the least I could get to function at all. Everyone keeps telling me to rest now and get lots of sleep but there is so much to do all the time that I don't really rest all that much!

[Flynn]

I'm amazed how I can function on such little sleep since I had kids. I used to be a minimum 7 hour girl or WATCH OUT.

Now when I have a new infant I can function on 5 or less. Continuous sleep is the key for me though so that's why I'm such a stickler about getting my kids to sleep well FAST.

My daughter sleeps through the night no problem and so far I put Brendan down at 8:30 -- he cries for less than 10 minutes and sleeps until I wake him up at midnight to "reset" him by feeding him a light snack! Then he's down again at 12:45 at the latest, cries for less than 5 minutes (sometimes not at all) and sleeps until at least 7.

The last week and a half this has worked like a charm but we'll see. No kid is predictable!!!

I LOVE SLEEP but right now it is a low priority for me!
Someday I will get to catch up on my sleep!!

[HeartRN]

Flynn--just curious...kind of hijacking the thread a little. Are you bottlefeeding? I hope this isn't too personal a question. I just know my chest would have felt like two cement blocks if I didn't nurse Keelin more than once in the night when she was as little as your little guy. I know your supply is supposed to adjust and everything....just curious for future reference when we have a second child. Thanks.

[Flynn]

I gradually wean the night feedings from about 4 weeks of age.

We are down to 25 minutes start to finish (only one feeding at night) and we started at about 40 to 45. That's with a quick diaper change. So, no bottles at night -- just one after naptime to supplement and give me a break! My supply has adjusted and I've only been sore a handful of times and not lately.

So far I was much more uncomfortable with my daughter (first chid) so I would guess that almost everything is easier the second time around. That's my experience anyway!

[HeartRN]

Thanks for the info...I'm sure (I hope!) I'll feel "more seasoned" the second time around!