I Love You, But I Need Some Damn Sleep!

You love your child. You'd also quite like to stop seeing them eight times a night.

When our daughter's sleep fell apart, so did our nights. We were exhausted, running out of patience and struggling to enjoy the family life we'd looked forward to. My wife wanted help. I thought we could sort it ourselves.

My main qualification was being awake.

Eventually, we brought in a sleep coach, followed a clear plan and stopped improvising at every waking. Two nights changed our family's life. The first was rough. The second was better. Afterwards, our daughter was sleeping through-and we were getting our evenings, energy and patience back.

I Love You, But I Need Some Damn Sleep! is a short, practical account of what we changed and why: a less stimulating bedroom, feeding needs covered, clear signals between day and night, a bedtime that actually ends, and a consistent response when they wake.

No elaborate system. No sleep diaries. Simple changes, clear rules and explanations you can follow even when you've forgotten why you walked into the kitchen.

There's also a baby with an adult vocabulary, very little tact and some awkward questions about the things we parents do while insisting we're helping.

BABY: Before you buy this, you should know the author once Googled "why is my baby wide awake at 3am?"
DAD: I needed answers.
BABY: I needed him to either turn the brightness down or stop scrolling before I'd finished reading.

Written by a real dad, grounded in experience and supported by research, this is a funny, straightforward guide for parents who need useful advice without another exhausting read. Our two-night turnaround is our story, not a promise-but it shows how much a clearer approach can change.

Because you don't just want more sleep. You want the energy to enjoy the people you're losing it for.