Sleepless Night

Almost every month, Erin would have a series of high temperature in the middle of the night. People normally say babies tend to have fever after their injections, but for Erin’s case, it is not after the injection. It happens a week before the appointment for injection! Maybe she wants to grow older and smarter a week earlier than her age, which makes her body heat up with excitement.

Last night was the second night for this round of fever and flu attack. Erin coughed a lot which made her vomit out all her phlegm. At night, I had to change her pyjamas at least twice. Her nose block was not at all helping her situation. She was hungry but she couldn’t suck much, which made her frustrated.

Her sleep was also disturbed, but she didn’t cry much like she used to. Just tossing, turning and whining because of discomfort. Also a few cough here and there in her sleep. As expected, I had to wake up very frequently over night, as frequent as every half an hour.

Quite a number of times Erin kicked me off the bed. Every time I woke up, I checked for her temperature. Her head was becoming warmer time after time. I gave cold compression on and off, when she didn’t budge from her position. If she knew there’s a cloth on her head, she would whine.

At approximately 1AM, I gave another round of cold compression. By the time I came back to place the damp cloth on her forehead, there’s no more space for me to sleep beside her. I had to sleep on the floor, beside the edge of the bed where Erin was lying peacefully.

Knowing that she was in her most comfortable position, I let her be. I knew I had to ensure that she wouldn’t fall from the bed. Even if she fell, she would fall on me. “Let me sleep first before her next wake-up time, then I’ll move her a bit to the centre of the bed.” That’s what I thought.

It took some time for me to wait. Until then, every 10 minutes she would be coughing, but continued sleeping. Every time she coughed, I quickly jumped up to her side and soothed her. At nearly 2AM, I could climb back to my side of the bed, but again she pushed me to the most edge.

At one point of time, I couldn’t stand her blocked nose. I couldn’t give her the nostril drop because she’s asleep. I had to get up and look for Vicks vapour rub and apply on her chest. She sounded a bit relieved.

The drama continued until 6:30AM, when she woke up with very heavy, long coughs, up to extend that she almost vomited out. With eyes half-opened and in such an exhausting state, I had to carry her up and run quickly away from the bed. Instead of vomiting, Erin forced herself to swallow whatever that was she supposed to vomit out. Hhmm…

Only then I noticed her thick green mucus coming out from her nose. Cleaned her up a bit, and put her back to sleep. She’s fully awake now, so she preferred to play goo goo gaa gaa. I let her be because I needed my sleep. I slept off… but just for a while. Like it or not, I had to get up and get ready to work.

Turned to face my side, Erin was dozing off so peacefully. No more coughing. Hhmm… why can’t she sleep like this at night? Just when I need to bring her to the nursery, she’s sleeping so nicely. :-S


Pity my baby. So tired after a long night that she could only get a good sleep at sunrise. By the time she’s asleep, it’s time to wake up. This photo shows her sleeping position after such a tiring night.

Imagine how tired I am now…
- MommieSha
05 Apr 2006