What gets you through the night feeds?

[IcouldstillbeJoseph]

Assuming you have any remaining mental capacity to formulate thoughts....what do you think of?

I know others have said it helps them to think of other parents being awake at the same time but that's never worked for me.

For me, (having had a very sickly DS before DD) I often try and be grateful that I'm just feeding her and then putting her back down and not having to give calpol/pace around etc.

Also barf I sometimes stroke her head whilst feeding and try and think that these are precious times together as she will probably be my last baby, sob especially as she is going to kill me soon through sleep deprivation

Practically speaking, looking on my phone, playing games etc.

It also helped to have NCT friends who we're doing the same thing and having text conversations about, well, just life I guess.

I do think its important, when possible, to do what you've said...these moments really are fleeting and trying to remember that sometimes helped. Just doesn't feel like it's fleeting at the time though!

*were doing the same thing

I read and read and read some more with ds1 - book light so didn't disturb him. With the twins I was so tired I generally dozed off!

Myballet - I used to use my phone when she was in my room but now I have to get up and go to her I don't bother taking it. And, at 10 months, I find I have to use both hands to hold her now so can't mumsnet type as well

I'm impressed you can read - I feel like a dolphin, with half my brain asleep

I used to listen to Alex Lester on radio 2 very low (dh decamped to the spare room pretty sharpish when I came home from hospital with nocturnal DS). It was really important to me know know that someone else was awake and it stopped me falling asleep and dropping DS on the floor

I started using it to help me stay awake. Was petrified of falling asleep!

Oh and I might have read but couldn't have told you anything about what I was reading!

To sleepy to read/watch tv, just fed in zombie like state - sorry not helpful at all

Thinking about the night shift workers being awake helped me to feel less isolated and normalise being awake at 3am! Plus playing a game in my mind of how many I can think of - hospital staff, factory workers, police, milkmen, etc

*Too

Mumsnet, netflix, twitter, emails from my NCT group, Christmas shopping, research on EBM/screen time/bringing up teenagers etc

A Kindle Fire. No idea how I managed to stay awake without one with DC1.

I never really mind the night feeds too much, I BF so it's not a massive hassle and I'm lucky to have been able to take maternity leave in the earliest, most wakeful months. It's a chance for a nice quiet snuggle, anyway, and one day they won't want to anymore .