This week, a mother posted on a Facebook group “I am throwing a party for myself to celebrate a whole night of sleep. You are all welcome”. I got interested and read through the comments. I learned two things.
One, the baby is nine months old and still not weaned. Two, the poor girl has no support from the hubby when it comes to sleep challenges. No wonder a whole night sleep calls for a bash.
For most men and singles who are yet to experience motherhood, sleep is obvious, they wonder why you are still up at 3 am, tossing and listening to the baby, whether he is snoring, breathing freely, talking or crying.
Expect the stupid questions like “why were you up all night?” They seriously don’t understand.
For most mothers, sleep is such a luxury, if you can present it as a gift. They would adore you for it.
I was a heavy sleeper until motherhood knocked. I could sleep through the night, miss the alarm and get late for work. When I got pregnant, I slept well for several months; then slowly by slowly, sleep started to reduce. The last months were the worst.
My bump was so huge, I could hardly sleep. Every sleeping style became uncomfortable, sometimes I would prefer to dose off on the couch as it seemed more comfortable. I longed to give birth thinking I will finally sleep. Awe unto me. Colic checked in right after.
The baby came with her own sleep schedule, she would sleep just when I have given up and I want to wake up and happily wake up just when I have put my sleepy head on the pillow. I was completely lost.
This week, a mother posted on a Facebook group “I am throwing a party for myself to celebrate a whole night of sleep. You are all welcome”. I got interested and read through the comments. I learned two things.
One, the baby is nine months old and still not weaned. Two, the poor girl has no support from the hubby when it comes to sleep challenges. No wonder a whole night sleep calls for a bash.
For most men and singles who are yet to experience motherhood, sleep is obvious, they wonder why you are still up at 3 am, tossing and listening to the baby, whether he is snoring, breathing freely, talking or crying.
Expect the stupid questions like “why were you up all night?” They seriously don’t understand.
For most mothers, sleep is such a luxury, if you can present it as a gift. They would adore you for it.
I was a heavy sleeper until motherhood knocked. I could sleep through the night, miss the alarm and get late for work. When I got pregnant, I slept well for several months; then slowly by slowly, sleep started to reduce. The last months were the worst.
My bump was so huge, I could hardly sleep. Every sleeping style became uncomfortable, sometimes I would prefer to dose off on the couch as it seemed more comfortable. I longed to give birth thinking I will finally sleep. Awe unto me. Colic checked in right after.
The baby came with her own sleep schedule, she would sleep just when I have given up and I want to wake up and happily wake up just when I have put my sleepy head on the pillow. I was completely lost.
The results of lack of sleep:
Fatigue: I was tired from dusk to dawn, days felt 50 hours long.
Forgetfulness: I would look for things that I’m holding or carrying. One day I went to work with a comb on my hair. Am not kidding!
Irritation: I would get easily angered. A bad joke would often lead to tears or exchange of words.
Slow decision making: it would take me even an hour to determine what to eat.
Inefficiency: for some reason that drowsy feeling comes with dragging feet, slurred speech and loose hands. There’s no desire to speed up. In fact, speed starts being annoying.
Loss: Partly because of forgetting things, I found myself losing a lot of precious things. For example; Jewelry in hotel, keys, luggage etc.
Loss of appetite: this feeling of I just want to sleep can make you want to eat anything and on the contrary, it can make you want to eat nothing.
You can’t go on like this for long. You need a solution.
Medically, sleep is known to weaken immunity, slow judgment, and cause emotional distress. If you are a working mother, it’s more difficult since you hardly have control of your schedule. You need a solution fast.
Sleep solutions are there. I had no idea until I got to a point of desperation. Baby sleep sites are many, there are even sleep instructors. Look for help. Read books on sleep and test the ideas given. Surely, you can’t ‘die’ alone.
Some of the reasons we fail to have healthy sleep are:
Anxiety: too much worry over things that may not even happen. For example; baby’s health, bills, failed tests or getting fired. Take a deep breath, meditate and let peace fill your mind.
Discomfort: wear warm and considerably light night gear and stop sleeping in your jeans. Being comfortable is very important for a good night’s sleep.
Stomach upset: eat moderately, preferably two hours before bedtime for digestion to take place. A warm glass of milk helps to relax the body too.
Baby drama: babies sleep differently, finding a suitable schedule for your baby is tough, get one that works both for you and baby. Consistently follow it until the baby adapts. If you are a stay home mom, you have the privilege of napping when baby naps. Try that.
External reasons: e.g. noise or sickness: being in a good neighborhood helps but you can also add sound proof to your house. Talk to your neighbors also and let them understand you need the silence. Always have a pediatrician contact to advise you through the illness and as they say “if symptoms persist, seek medical advice”.
I am sure you have questions or stories you would love to share. Let us hear them. Share with us in the comment section.