The NICU-our new home sweet home!

The following 6 days after Elin was born were spent in the NICU. It was really kind of a nice set up, if we are looking for positives here, because we were able to go home and sleep 8 hours in our bed then get up and go be with Elin all day. We didn't have to worry about her breathing or eating or odd movements or hiccups or all other little nothings that might send new parents into a tailspin because we had medical help around the clock. We would stay with her during the day (sometimes beginning at 5am with Erik before work and then later me around 8am), go get lunch, go get dinner, spend more time with her at night until 11pm or later and then go sleep soundly in our bed at home. I remember leaving the NICU a week later and one of my favorite nurses said "Have fun not sleeping!" on my way through the double doors out into the world ahead of us. I laughed and then thought, 'Wait, what?!'

Sleep we did not. We still don't. Sleep is not, has not, and may not ever be one of Elin's strengths. We know why now, but for the first five months...I thought I might die of exhaustion. I didn't.

Now, we have just accepted our sleepless way of life. We don't expect sleep...so when it happens we are always overjoyed.

The first few months of sleep looked something like this:
-Elin would take 20 minute cat naps a few times a day.
-Occasionally I could get 60-90 minute naps in if she was really tired or growing, etc.
-At nighttime, she would sleep 60-120 minutes and wake for food. Repeat until about 2 or 3am and then pretty much every 30-45mins from there on out she was awake and crying or hungry. 

I can remember people telling me things like: "Don't you worry, once Elin is six weeks she will start sleeping!". That deadline came and went without any promise in sight. Then they would say, "Don't you worry, one she is 12 weeks she will start sleeping!" Not quite. Then I would hear things like "Don't worry! Once Elin is 10lbs, she will start sleeping better" Nope. Then my favorite, "Once you start feeding her rice cereal, she will sleep!" All these milestones came and passed and still, my child never slept. I realized that some babies don't sleep and that is that. They will sleep when they are developmentally ready and able. It isn't something you can force and I am glad I didn't. I now understand that Elin had good reason for not sleeping.