N

Keep it simple, stupid.

Some admissions. N still sleeps in our bed. I hear tut-tuts. Eh. N is devoted to her mummy but somewhat ambivalent to daddy. There's a time and a place for dads, but mums are universal.

This had caused some loud discussions on how difficult it would be come hospital time. No one could put N to sleep except Deepti. Tension levels rose accordingly twice a week.

Being dead-beat dad, I tried to get more involved, reading, talking to N, developing a routine of books, prayers, water and kisses before the lights went out. It would occasionally let N fall asleep near me.

So that first night Deepti was in the hospital was a battle. I managed to convince her to sleep but she stayed asleep for only 40 minutes and woke crying. My mum was alone to face the tears. Three times N woke before midnight. When I got home after Sarva's birth, at 2am, N was up, singing in bed and mum was asleep.

N finally slept that night at 3am and then woke at 6am meaning three hours of proper sleep in the whole night. Surely she couldn't sustain that, could she?

I'm happy to report that she could. Friday night was particularly painful. Deepti was discharged within 24 hours of birth and N went into freak out mode. Every time Sarva cried, N cried louder. Every time N cried, S cried louder. Duelling banjos if you like. They could not be in the same room together. I have no idea how we survived that night, but once again, N was deprived of sleep.

N then picked up a mouth ulcer, bad breath and possible hand foot and mouth virus. Sigh. We've been under a fair whack of pressure.

Deepti now sleeps in a separate room with S in a bassinette next to her and N sleeps in the bed with me. Substitution. From four or five wake ups per night and milk and Panadol, within 7 days its down to a wake up or two that are easily subdued by pulling N close to me. No milk either.

Deepti's feeling lonely though, she misses having N close to her in the bed and I do understand. I think kids sleeping on their own is cool and works great for some people, but within a week, I'm pretty happy that N grabs my hand whilst I'm sleeping to help her go back to bed.