Moms & Sleep Deprivation

Mombie is a new word in the dictionary, definition: Someone resembling a living person, characterised by a staggering walk and a blank stare. Caused by having 1 or more children. Unlike a Zombie looking for brains, the Mombie is usually searching for a cup of coffee or glass of wine.

So, are you stumbling around like a Zombie, on autopilot and just about functioning, are your eyeballs a red road map and fifty shades of grey underneath? Welcome to motherhood!

Sleep Deprived Mothers

If you are a new Mom or even second, third time round new Mom either way you will ALL know about sleep deprivation and identify with the image set in the above paragraph! Never underestimate the state of mind of a sleep deprived Mother, really not a person you want to mess with lol!

In my last blog I chatted about a real life case study as previously the blogs were all about interesting stuff on pregnancy, your pre and post natal body, anatomy and general good advice. The truth is that when you are sleep deprived and your mind full of fog and fluffy clouds you can’t even find the time to think about the good stuff!

Not Only Babies Keep You Awake

Lack of sleep leaves you so drained and unable to cope with the small things let alone the BIG things like partners, babies, and children. Last of all you what you are looking like and avoiding mirrors only works up to a point. Many Moms just accept lack of sleep goes hand in hand with motherhood even pre-schoolers land it isn’t just Moms with new-borns. Toddlers and pre-schoolers can also challenge you getting a good night’s rest.

Out of 4 children I only had 2 that slept through the night and after baby no 1 who did everything by the book and was sleeping 8 hours from 8 weeks I smugly thought hey bring on no 2! So, 20 months later baby no 2 arrived who was an absolute nightmare and didn’t sleep through the night for at least 3 years! The last one was even worse and continued to wake through EACH and EVERY night for over 5 years. It got to the stage where he would come to my side of the bed and I was so tired I would lift the duvet, he would climb in then would kick and move the rest of the night so I never really rested and had to get up the next day to work and run a household of 4 children. I have been there, done it and got the Noddy badge!

My Top Tips

What pearls of wisdom can I offer:

• Don’t underestimate what lack of sleep can do to your body.
• Trying to Feng Shui the bedroom or using Oceann sounds won’t help when you’re up 6 times to put a dummy back into the mouth of a screaming infant.

• Try to get to sleep as soon as the children are down, I know it’s tempting to have a bit of “Me Time” until late in the evening but you won’t feel like that after a bad night.
• Don’t stay up trying to get “things” done as HELLOOOOOOOO reality check it never goes away there is always stuff to be done, you are after all a Mother!
• Look after yourself first otherwise everyone will suffer, if you are tired the whole family feels it too!
• Be prepared to be woken up and go to bed early, take cat naps as they really do work and seriously do nap when your baby naps, the jobs can wait as a happy rested Mother is worth it.
• Catch up on sleep at the weekends, your partner owes it to you as they don’t ever get as sleep deprived!
• Make an effort to have a consistent routine so that eventually the children get it and you will all benefit.
• A glass of wine or cup of coffee don’t really but they taste soooo good!

So, to all you sleep deprived Moms take lack of sleep seriously as you are an accident waiting to happen. The body can wait until you are ready to have the energy to take it on. If you enjoyed my blog please share it with the friends and watch out for my next blog on another real case study. Check my website on: www.core-restore.co.za

Yours in health

Denise x