Sleep Deprivation Part 5: The Amby Bed Arrives

On December 29th, the Amby bed arrived. We came home that evening to the long box on our front porch and rejoiced. At least I did. Mark, after receiving a few more hours of sleep, now thought it was a HUGE mistake. Being a salesman both by trade and by nature, he had begun to feel that we were suckers. (And the Amby bed, our lemon.) So he lugged the 25 lb box into the house and simply left it on the landing to sit.

I, on the other hand, was intent on using it that very evening and drug the box the rest of the way down into the baby pit, which was now my bedroom. One small corner of the pit (our sunken living room) held a twin bed, an electronic cradle, and a combination bassinet/playpen which acted as storage for diapers, wipes, etc. On this one side of our living room, blocked off from Aidan and the rest of the family by baby gates, I now spent my nights with the fussing Abby. She would sleep swaddled to her ears in the cradle and I would sleep bundled in the bed awaiting the feedings which inevitably came about every two hours.

I had begun to feel like a single woman in those lonely hours of the night with my infant daughter. Sitting downstairs while the rest of the family slept upstairs was peaceful but also lonely. Sure, I could sneak off and get some writing done at 11pm, but I was shot the next day. Sometimes I could make it until 6am, other nights I lasted only until 4, before crawling up to get Mark. It was like tag-teaming. I would nudge him in the abdomen and say "your turn" before slithering under the covers of bed and praying it would be better when I woke up.

But now the Amby bed was here and things were going to change! Whether it was colic or reflux, the Amby bed was promoted to change it. Dr. Sears site said "The Amby Baby Motion Bed is a perfect choice for fussy babies with colic or reflux who don’t sleep well in bed with mom and dad. It’s a natural way to get a good night sleep while giving baby the nighttime comfort and security that she needs." I didn't need a full good night's sleep, I needed at least 3 hours straight not interrupted by coughs and grunts. I needed to be back in my own bed.

I tore into the package possessed with frantic optimism. Things will now be fine, I told myself, maybe she won't rest peacefully the first night but she will within the first week. Funny how my inner voice sounded desperate and hollow. However, I had to keep other thoughts at bay. The ones that, when we were in the middle of a rough night, slinked into my mind whispering "It was a mistake. You can't handle this. What will you do when Mark has to go on a business trip for 3 days? You can't do this. You're going to crack." I drowned these thoughts with assembling the bed. (And a wee nip of rum.)

In minutes, after enlisting Mark's help with the bolts, eye hooks, and industrial strength spring, it was set up. We looked at it. Mark with skepticism and me with a bit of concern. Abby would be hanging in the Amby bed from a spring. One spring. That is all that would separate her free floating nest from the floor. I made Mark assure me, more than once, that this type of hardware would hold the baby up. He did. Then he made me assure him that if the bed didn't work immediately, as in one week, we'd re-sell it on eBay.

"After all, they seem to sell very well on eBay."

(Will it work? Stay tuned)