Sleepless Nights with a Baby in Spain
Real Spanish for broken nights, taking turns, asking the paediatric nurse for advice and swapping stories with other parents.
In Spain babies are followed by the pediatra and the enfermera de pediatría at your centro de salud, who will ask about tomas (feeds), routines and colecho (co-sleeping). Grandparents are often the first backup. These cards follow a 4 a.m. shift at home, a check-up at the health centre and a chat with another dad in the park.
- 1
Se despierta cuatro veces por la noche, todas las noches.
He's up four times a night, every night.
- 2
Llevo un mes sin dormir dos horas seguidas.
I haven't slept two hours straight in a month.
- 3
Te toca levantarte a ti.
It's your turn to get up.
- 4
La próxima toma la hago yo.
I'll do the next feed.
- 5
¿No tendrá fiebre?
He hasn't got a temperature, has he?
- 6
Creo que le están saliendo los dientes.
I think he's teething.
- 7
Solo se duerme en brazos.
He only falls asleep in someone's arms.
- 8
En cuanto lo dejo en la cuna, se despierta.
As soon as I put him in the cot, he wakes up.
- 9
¿Habéis probado con una rutina antes de dormir?
Have you tried a bedtime routine?
- 10
Baño, biberón y a la cama, siempre a la misma hora.
Bath, bottle and bed, always at the same time.
- 11
¿Hacéis colecho?
Do you co-sleep with him?
- 12
¿Es normal a esta edad?
Is that normal at this age?
- 13
No te agobies, es una etapa.
Don't stress, it's just a phase.
- 14
Estoy hecho polvo, de verdad.
I'm absolutely shattered.
- 15
¿Por qué no te echas la siesta cuando él duerme?
Why don't you nap when he does?
- 16
Mi madre se ha ofrecido a quedarse con él una noche.
My mum's offered to have him for a night.
- 17
Por la noche nos turnamos.
We take turns at night.
- 18
¿Todavía hace tomas por la noche?
Does he still feed at night?
- 19
¡Ha dormido del tirón!
He slept right through!
- 20
Ya me contarás qué tal te va.
Let me know how it goes.