3 weeks in and I'm starting to understand why sleep deprivation is a form of torture

4d ago1 min read

My son is 3 weeks old and I think I've maybe slept 8 hours total in the last 48 hours. My wife and I are tag teaming the nights but honestly it's not working. He eats for like an hour, then we get maybe 20 minutes before he's crying again. Is this normal? Does anyone have actual tips that worked or am I just supposed to suffer through this phase? My parents keep saying 'sleep when the baby sleeps' but the baby never actually sleeps, just sort of dozes while grunting.

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Comments(10)

JJosh M.Regular3d ago

Sleep deprivation is real and it messes with your head. Make sure you're checking in with your wife too, not just surviving. We took shifts so each of us could at least get one decent stretch of sleep. Game changer.

JJasonRegular2d ago

Three weeks is the absolute hardest part. You're about to come out the other side of this and it will get better I promise. My son is 4 months and we're sleeping in actual chunks now. Hang in there.

RRobertRegular3d ago

Eight hours in 48 hours is absolutely brutal. How's your wife holding up? The mental part gets to you before the physical part does. Make sure you're checking in with each other because it's easy to get resentful when you're both zombies.

TTom M.Regular3d ago

3 weeks is the worst. I remember thinking I was going insane around that mark. It gets better, I promise. Hang in there and just know that surviving those first few weeks is an achievement in itself.

DDerek M.Regular2d ago

Sleep deprivation is real and brutal. Once my kids got past the newborn phase I felt like a new person. The exhaustion at that stage isn't something people really warn you about until you're living it.

SScott M.Regular4d ago

I'm not gonna lie, those early weeks are the hardest part of parenting. It does get better around week 6 or 7 when they start sleeping slightly longer stretches. Hang in there. And seriously, if your wife's family can come help, let them.

MMikeRegular3d ago

Welcome to the newborn void. Three weeks in you're basically running on fumes and delirium. It gets better but man those first month are rough. The good news is both of you being sleep deprived together is kind of a bonding experience in the weirdest way.

TTom M.Regular3d ago

Week 3 was the worst for us too. It feels like it will never end but it actually does get way better pretty quickly. The torture is real but you're doing it. Just take it one night at a time.

KKyleRegular3d ago

I'm right there with you man. 3 weeks in as well and I'm running on fumes. Everyone keeps saying it gets better but right now that feels like a lie lol. We got this though.

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FFrank M.New Dad3d ago

8 hours total in 48 hours sounds about right for week 3. Everyone keeps saying it gets better but also takes shifts if you can so one of you can actually sleep for a block. That's what saved us.