Spleep?!

In one of my favorite episodes of Fawlty Towers, Basil discovers that Manuel has been keeping a rat for a pet (someone had tricked Manuel and told him it was a hamster). Because the Health Inspector would be visiting that week, Basil was trying to figure out how to get rid of the rat. Sybil suggested "maybe we should just have him put to s-l-e-e-p." Manuel, with a confused look on his face, slowly asked in his Spanish accent: "spleep?!" Don't get the humor? I guess you'd have to see it for yourself.
Anyway, I feel like Manuel these days. Did I used to enjoy sleeping? At least nine hours a night? If so, that version of me is long gone. I've forgotten the meaning of the word, and forgotten how to sleep, literally. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! I am so happy with my little girl. Even in the middle of the night when she wants to breastfeed non-stop, I love her and can't help but smile. But here's the weird thing: on the nights when she's sleeping like a little angel, with no gas (thanks to my new diet with no dairy, broccoli, onions, asparagus, cabbage, oh, and of course, chocolate), I'm tossing and turning. I will lay there for hours just thinking of things to do, thinking about my baby and how cute she is, thinking about my loving husband and how great he is...thinking I need to pump or I'll wake up in agony, then I won't get up for another hour when I've finally convinced myself she's asleep for good. Every night at bedtime, I just can't seem to quiet my brain. Once I feel like maybe I've cleared my head, I hear Manuel say "spleep?!"
It's funny, but sleep just seems so foreign to me right now! I guess I'm coping okay, with the exception of my occasional "momnesia" as Brett and Elisa call it. What really fascinates me about this whole situation is the physiological changes my body must be going through to allow me to live on such small amounts of sleep; it's amazing!
Hormones, prolactin and oxytocin to be exact, make up the magic potion that gives mother's the ability to survive (and nurture their babies) even with small amounts of sleep. Interestingly, I've spent a large amount of my graduate studies learning about these 2 proteins. They are released every time you breastfeed, and every time you interact with or think about your baby. They are designed to make your entire body work for your baby, and ensure your baby's health and survival. In addition to our mammary glands, the action of these hormones is a part of what makes us mammals. Isn't that cool?

Sapphie's sound asleep. I think I'll hit the hay. xoxo