Friday, November 11, 2005

The Human Binky: The Downside of Cosleeping

I had to stay at work until 9:00 last night for my "leadership" course ("Goal Setting" and "Attitudes for Success" were the topics last night. My Goal = Endure This Class; My Attitude = Truculence). HellBoy was still awake when I got home, of course, since our bedtime routine is: mama nurses him until he falls asleep. That was fine -- I was happy to be able to at least see him. But starting at about 3am, he decided that he couldn't sleep unless one of my breasts was in his mouth at all times. I don't know if it's related to my being gone last night, but I hope so, because I can't take too many nights of that. It would be one thing if I had long floppy dugs that I could just sling over to him on demand instead of tiny compact ones that necessitate much contortion on my part. My neck is stiff and I'm feeling groggy.

An another subject, you know what there should be a word for? You know how when you have to pee for a really long time but don't, and then finally you go, and for about a half hour after you go your bladder feels all happy to be empty? It's more than relief. There should be a word for that happy-empty-bladder-feeling.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha! Dugs! I haven't heard that word in awhile... in fact, the only time I remember hearing it was during a reading of _The Wasteland_ oh so long ago. :)

Yeah, at times night-nursing and co-sleeping can be incredibly annoying. It's not just about being the human binky; it's also being the human mild-analgesic-dispenser... maybe HB is cutting a new tooth? We've alternated between Hyland's teething tablets and children's ibuprofen; they both seem to help.

Of course, it could also be because he missed you last night. :)

Orange said...

Dude, I don't know what you're talking about. Must be a health-care worker bladder thang.

DoctorMama said...

Euphuria! I like it. Or should it be spelled "euphurea"?

Come on, Orange, haven't you ever been so absorbed in something -- a crossword puzzle commpetition, say? -- that you put off going to the bathroom? Or gone on a pre-child car trip?

Jenny -- ibuprofen would likely have helped. It seems that a new virus has descended on the household. We're all drugged up now. But HB is so cranky this morning that not only did I park him in front of the TV, I gave him a lollipop to enjoy while he watches.

DoctorMama said...

competition, that is.
He didn't even want the candy. It will be a long day.

Orange said...

Well, Doctor, I'll tell you. I used to be able wait as long as a health-care worker between peeings. Well hydrated? No reason not to stretch that bladder for a good eight hours or more, and have another glass of water! Ever since I was a kid. But then the kidneys started heading south on me (figuratively, of course), and now I pee on a more human schedule. Which is neither here nor there—I still can't really relate to this euphuria sensation. Or maybe I can. Do you make a point of getting a few more things done before you'll reward yourself with a pee? Even though you really have to go, you put it off just a little longer so you can feel even keener relief when you finally do go?

Orange said...

I...wrote a long comment this morning. Blogger ate it. Never mind...

Orange said...

(Unless it's just waiting for The Moderator to approve it.)

Anonymous said...

Aw, not even a lollipop? Well, we're in the same boat today ourselves. My gal is propped up in front of Thomas the Tank Engine with her cup of water, and that's all she wants (except nursing, of course).

Nothing terrible, she's just got a cold that's keeping her out of her playgroup.

And on the "pee relief" topic... a bit of grafitti (singular: graffito?) on a balcony at the top of the architecture building at UC Berkeley reads in huge letters: "PISS SHIVERS."

This term lodged in my brain and is what comes to mind when I pee after holding it for a long time. And I've got good bladder control, I can go for ever.

I hope the grafitto is still there... it always made me laugh.

Mignon said...

Ha! I used to be a high-tech engineer and worked crazy hours during my daughter's first two years. I was determined to nurse her the whole first year, and co-sleeping was our only real together time during the week. I ended up getting tendinitis in both shoulders, both elbows and one wrist from the crazy positions I was forced to night-feed because of my tiny boobs.

Yeah, and working nights in a cleanroom = lots of coffee + lots of holding in pee = UTI.

DoctorMama said...

orange -- yes, if you have ever thought of peeing as a reward, I think you've experienced at least a touch of euphuria.

jenny -- I forgot about piss shivers. Unlike euphuria, happens very rarely to me. I've seen the baby have them, though.

mignon -- I've had a recurrence of my shoulder impingement syndrome, which is too bad, because the way I had to cure it last time was to wear my arm strapped to my body during the night to keep myself from putting it over my head. Hard to see how I can manage that AND nurse.