Sleepless Nights.

The way the schedule is arranged at our house is thus: I stay awake until two or three to make sure he doesn't wake up and want a snack. I then go to bed and when the wife wakes at five for work she wakes him no later than six (assuming he isn't already awake.) She puts him back down at seven when she heads to work and he normally lets me sleep until ten or so in the morning.

While this is a great arrangement in theory the problem comes from the implementation and the side effects. What ends up happening is a type of paranoia that comes from worrying that he is awake and this leads to checking the Baby Monitor every five minutes when you are the one who has to be there if he wakes. So from 2-7 I get great sleep, after that I find myself waking every few minutes (probably not literally) to check the monitor and make sure I didn't hear him cry, because I think I did, no it couldn't have been the red bars haven't filled. There is of course the same problem for the wife only her ideal time is from 9-3, then she is the one who has to be ready if he wakes.

The real problem is the responsibility, knowing that you have to be the one to get up if he starts crying and knowing that he is dependant on you makes you crazy. So while technically we each get around eight hours of sleep, the reality is closer to five

Innovation

It is seems shocking to me that there has never been an attempt to capitalize on a simple concept, one that could reap millions for a device everyone has. It would be simple to include and cheap to produce, those in the industry could find the right one and most likely from somewhere in their family, very little R&D would be needed. Yes this simple fix, change, modification if you will would revolutionize the industry.

Instead of the solid or alternating beeps currently used in alarm clocks why not replace that pleasant sound with the vocalization of an unhappy infant. As I have come to enjoy the sound that wakes me everyday after I have had the perfunctory two hours of sleep, what a pleasant sound it is. One of life's greatest pleasures is the auditory emanation signaling it is time to return my life of servitude. Luckily for me I have trained my once blissfully ignorant human ears to be more consistent with those of the Felis or Panthera Genus.

Making sure to wake when he begins the 'cooing' stage seems to be the best answer for sanity and mental health in general. Beginning his feeding/changing ritual at this stage leads to decibel levels that are much more consistent with a life that includes audible enjoyment in the future. Utilizing (or even enjoying) the precious few minutes of sleep that would occur between the 'cooing' and crying stages is without question not worth the shredded remains that you once called your ears.

Yes babies are so precious, that is all I can think about as the boy is screaming so loud and so long he begins to go hoarse. Yes, babies are so precious.