I have always been an enthusiastic sleeper.  Prior to having my children it was not uncommon for me to waste half a day on the weekend lying in bed, alternately reading and snoozing to my heart’s content.  The luxury of a long, unhurried nap or being able to lie in bed until you really can’t stand it any more is something I took for granted most of my life.

The journey of parental sleep-deprivation actually began before my twins were born.  Around the 27th week of my pregnancy my body became so large and cumbersome that it was impossible to get comfortable for any length of time.  I’d find myself tossing and turning, or getting up to go to the bathroom several times a night.  I also attempted to sleep in the lounge chair in the living room and even on the floor a couple times.  Thankfully I was on maternity leave for the entire month before they were due, so I would take cat naps throughout the day to compensate for my sleepless nights.

But then…they arrived.  My babies.  Two teeny-tiny individuals with their own sleeping and eating schedules.  I still look back at that time and wonder how I survived. (There’s a reason sleep-deprivation is used as a torture device.)  The first few months with the twins was haze and I had no other help except my valiant husband.  I felt constantly nauseated from lack of sleep and fatigue.

Then, suddenly, at around three months of age–they both started sleeping for longer periods.  I employed a nighttime routine that included a bath and infant massage along with a nice full belly and was delighted that I was able to get five or six hours of sleep at a time.  The clouds parted, a ray of sunshine broke through, and I knew it was all going to be ok.

Until the teething started.  After that, there were nightmares, bed-wettings, and illnesses that would periodically rob me of a good night’s sleep.  I now know that in the future it will be missed curfews, last-minute school project deadlines, and other worries that keep me up.  And when they are grown and gone, I probably won’t be able to sleep because things are “too quiet.”

Parenting means making sacrifices, and sleep is just one of many things we must do without as we care for our children.  But knowing it is half the battle.  And it makes those unexpected, uninterrupted Sunday afternoon naps all the more delicious when I finally do get them in.