ML Interest Tag: sleep-deprivation

A Letter to My “First Baby”

By Rachel Jones-Pittier

Photo: Rachel Jones-Pittier

Riding in the car that day you sat, as always, on my lap (which really meant taking up half the front seat). Daddy drove, and our meticulously packed duffel bag sat in the backseat. As we prepared to drop you off at Nana’s, it dawned on me – this might be the last time with just the three of us in the car together. Everything was about to change. And you, my sweet pup, would no longer be an “only child.”

Let’s be honest, you had it pretty good those first six years – doggy daycare, long scenic walks, a bed and toys at the office; you joined us for friends’ game nights, al fresco dinners and vacations. Some saw you just as a pet, we saw you as a family member. And we were about to add another family member – but human.

Four days after that tense drive (an eternity to you), we came home, but we weren’t alone. We brought a tiny, pungent, noisy… thing. It was hard to get a good look at it through the blanket, and you couldn’t understand why we guarded it so closely from your wet nose and eager tongue. Our nickname for the thing, “Baby Sissy,” only piqued your curiosity.

As much as we all hoped things at home would go back to normal, nighttime was anything but. Throughout the night we were interrupted by Baby Sissy’s sharp, demanding cries. I’m sure we wondered the same thing – how could a noise so loud come from something so small?? The days of snuggling up together for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep were gone.

Daytime was just as hectic. For awhile, I was not a good walk partner. A few times, Nana had to remind us to feed you. Your space was taken over by new toys and gear that you couldn’t play with. And your usual stroll around the yard for the perfect spot was cut short as we stood in the doorway with a crying… lump.

Friends had warned me that in the anxiety and sleep deprivation of those early weeks, we might take stress out on you. But it was actually the opposite – you were a reprieve. Though we loved your Baby Sissy immensely, there was so much about her that was new and unknown; but you were familiar. When I felt at my lowest, you were there to remind me it would be ok. When it seemed all Baby Sissy could do was take – my body, love, time and sleep – there you were to give. Uncomplicated, enthusiastic and overflowing with affection.

Those moments also reminded me that you’d make a great “Big Sissy.” It wasn’t overnight, but a wonderful thing happened in the time since we brought home the lump – a tiny human emerged.

Now you know Baby Sissy as the little person who drops tasty food scraps for you, squeals with delight when you enter a room and gives you whole-body hugs. We’re confident that for most of your days together, Baby Sissy will multiply the affection and love you receive – not take it away.

I know the first few months were hard on you, pup. Believe me, they were hard on us, too. But if there’s one thing I hope to communicate to you, it’s that you haven’t lost our love or your place in our family. You’ll always be my first baby.

 

Rachel Jones-Pittier
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Rachel Jones-Pittier is a millennial mom, marketer and writer based in the Twin Cities. She enjoys coffee shops, fawning over her adorable baby and dog and family trips to the cabin. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @rachrific.

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Bedtime Shouldn’t Be a Nightmare. Here Are 5 Ways to Get the Kids to Sleep

By Jennifer Landis

If your family is anything like mine, bedtime can be a nightmare. Something that was supposed to be a calm and relaxing ritual turned into World War III every night between my five-year-old daughter and me. Some nights it was so bad I’d give in and let her stay up until she passed out doing whatever activity caught her attention that night—even if that meant she was going to bed at midnight and had to be back up at 7 a.m. for pre-K the next morning.

Something had to give, which is what sent me searching for new bedtime strategies. Here are some tips and tricks I picked up along the way. Hopefully, they’ll help preserve your sanity as well.

I Had Tried Everything

I’m not exaggerating when I say I tried pretty much every strategy in the book to get my older daughter to go to bed at the same time every night.

  • Warm baths
  • Cool baths
  • Lavender essential oils
  • Screen time
  • No screen time
  • Lullabies
  • Bedtime stories
  • Quiet rooms
  • White noise
  • Blackout curtains
  • Nightlights

And that’s just part of the list. I don’t expect too much from my younger daughter—she’s five months old and sleeps most of the day anyway, but my older, a five years, should be getting between 10 and 13 hours of sleep every night. At most, she was getting six to seven hours, which led to epic tantrums during the following days.

Here’s what I came up with, after many sleepless months of trial and error.

1. Stay Active During the Day

Even on school days when she’s active all day long, bedtime was a nightmare. That was in large part because we’d come home, do homework and plop down in front of a screen for the rest of the day while I finished my writing work.

Don’t do this. Learn from my pain and the bags under my eyes so big that I’m thinking of starting a designer luggage line.

Stay active as much as possible during the day. One of the most natural changes we made was getting outside in the afternoons. I’d throw my laptop in my bag, put the baby in her stroller and walk to the local playground to let my little monster burn through some of that energy. While it isn’t the most efficient way for me to work, it helped her get rid of some of that energy she’d built up throughout the day and made bedtime a little bit easier.

2. Set a Routine—and Stick to It

Experts have been telling us for years that our little ones benefit from a sold structure in their lives, but most of us still try to fly by the seat of our pants and that goes double for bedtime. We’d get wrapped up in our little worlds and by the time we realized it was time for bed, we were all too busy to keep up with a routine. That led to a lot of fights and something had to give.

The second change I made was to set up a semi-strict bedtime routine. I even set alerts on my phone to remind me when it was time to shut off the screens, take a bath and wind down for bed.

This strategy won’t work for everyone—parents of children with special needs may need a more flexible routine to accommodate their child’s tastes—but a comprehensive method can help get your little ones into the habit of going to bed at the same time every day without a fight.

3. Ditch the Screens Before Bed

This rule shouldn’t apply only to your children—it should be a household guideline. We’re all attached to our mobile devices and our screens, but the blue light they generate can disrupt your circadian rhythms and make it harder for you to fall asleep. Studies have shown LEDs suppress delta waves, the brainwaves that induce sleep.

Set a timer and shut off all screens—phones, tablets, computers and televisions—one to two hours before bedtime. As part of your consistent routine, this step can help reduce those bedtime battles. It might lead to some other squabbles—especially if your little ones are enthralled with what they’re doing at the moment—but in general, it will help make sleep come easier.

4. Customize Bedtime for Your Child

I had to learn this lesson the hard way. Hundreds of websites offer routine templates and step-by-step help to you put your little ones to bed—but there’s no guarantee the solution that works like a charm for one family will work in your household. Take the time to build your routine and customize it for each child.

Remember that massive list of things I tried? I ended up having to choose a small handful of things that worked best for my older daughter. In her case, it was limiting screen time, coupled with a warm bath and a bedtime story to help her slow down at the end of the night. When my younger daughter gets a little older, I will have to create a custom bedtime routine for her as well.

5. Success Requires Patience

It takes weeks to form a new habit, but constant repetition helps rewrite the pathways in your brain until an activity becomes second nature. Be patient with your children and with yourself. Sleep deprivation is a hell of a drug, but if you can be patient for a few weeks, you may not have to worry about bedtime battles ever again.

Jennifer Landis is a mom, wife, freelance writer, and blogger. She enjoys long naps on the couch, sneaking spoonfuls of peanut butter when her kid's not looking, and binge watching Doctor Who while her kid's asleep.  She really does like her kid, though, she promises. Find her on Twitter @JenniferELandis.

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Funniest Parenting Tweets of the Week: Mar. 29, 2019

by Karly Wood

Our fellow parents are deep in the trenches of Spring Break or preparing for it in the next week. While the time off school is only five days, it’s a good reminder of the summer fun that awaits! While you gear up for more time with the kiddos, keep scrolling to see our roundup of funny tweets from the week.

1. Oh totally––let it slide.

https://twitter.com/AlexAndersonMD/status/1109207409371893762

2. 🤦‍♀️

3. Us too!

4. Will she make it to the other side?

5. RIGHT!?

6. Here. We. Are.

https://twitter.com/MommedRealHard/status/1110293130912292864

7. It’s just a fact.

8. Been there, done that.

9. So… about that snack.

10. Don’t mess with the shows.

––Karly Wood

photo: Ryan McGuire via Gratisography; composite by Karly Wood for Red Tricycle

 

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It’s Not Too Late: Resolutions for Parents Strapped for Time

By Lynne Devnew

Is that you?  Are you feeling as if you should have made New Year’s resolutions, but haven’t yet because you know you can’t possibly fit one more thing into your life?  You know you need time for work in the workplace and at home, time for your family, time for spiritual renewal, time for giving back to society, time for personal growth, time for exercise and a bit of downtime for yourself. And there are only 24 hours in a day. And you need to sleep. 

There seem to be more and more studies on the short-term and long-term dangers associated with sleep deprivation. It’s not surprising that you feel overwhelmed. Who has time to keep  or even to make, New Year’s resolutions?

As I reflected on the “no time” for anything more problem, I thought of the women I knew who had really impressed me with how well they’d managed the times in life that were busiest. I realized two things they all did that you might consider when envisioning the coming year. These amazing women had determined what they were doing that others could do instead and they combined the items in their must do list, finding activities that helped meet multiple demands on their time.

What others might do for you is interesting to ponder. If your parents or in-laws are nearby, ask them how they might like to help so they feel useful, not used.  Hire out mundane tasks to the extent you can afford to do this. Work with your spouse or partner or older children to divide up responsibility for some of the tasks. 

I went to graduate school with a working mom whose family had divided dinner preparation responsibilities and dad and each of the children planned for and prepared dinner one night each week, mom still cooked two nights, they had take-in one night and went out one night. The shopping list was prepared for the week and each person contributed requirements, shopping was done online and the food was delivered to the home. This approach worked very well for them and they each enjoyed their weekly night of hosting and the other nights when they were served. 

Work with your friends to see how you can help each other. Many busy moms have realized that they don’t need to go to every practice event so take turns driving  and also take turns hosting overnights and play time. I’m sure you can think of more things you are currently doing that others might help you do with mutual benefits.

It can also be rewarding to think about activities that enable you to meet multiple demands on your time. Perhaps the most interesting is to think about how time with family members can also be time when you are learning  or doing household tasks  or exercising  or giving back to society or even enjoying personal down time. In the last category for example, I notice when I have manicures that often there are little girls and boys there with their moms loving every second of having their nails painted green  or having sparkles or pictures placed on their tiny finger nails  and at least in my local salon, the cost is minimal.  

The trip to the manicurist probably also included some one-on-one time in the car with mom. I recall doing meal clean-up with my mom and sister. My sister and I thought it strange that our mom participated, but it made our job easier and faster, so we didn’t question her decision. Many years later I asked my mom why she had been part of the clean-up team. She expressed surprise that I hadn’t realized it was one of her favorite times. She noted that my sister and I would talk non-stop and it kept her aware of much more that was going on in our worlds than she would have known otherwise. 

Make your resolutions for the year be to share the workload (note that I didn’t recommend delegating or offloading the work) and to think of activities that might help you address multiple priorities simultaneously.  Discussions on how to accomplish these resolutions might even be fun.

Lynne Devnew is an associate faculty member within the University of Phoenix doctoral program, a distinguished research fellow, and chairs the Women and Leadership Research Group at University of Phoenix. Dr. Devnew’s work is focused on women’s leadership aspirations and leader identity development and women on boards of directors.

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Big Celebration, No Fuss: How to Host an Easy First Birthday Party

by Elizabeth Carr

For nine months, you were in countdown mode, meticulously tracking the baby’s size as she grew into a progressively larger fruit or vegetable equivalent, taking your prenatal vitamins, growing out of your regular clothes and into those with stretchy waistbands, and so much more. And then all of a sudden, you’re no longer pregnant and, somewhere about halfway through the first year, you find yourself beginning another countdown, this one to your little one’s first birthday. This first bash is a big deal for nearly all parents – it means you’ve survived one year as parents, after all! – and amidst all of you own emotions, questions from friends, and pressure from grandparents, it can begin to feel like an overwhelming event to plan. Read on for our guaranteed tips for making the big day easy, fun, and relaxing – even for you!

Photo: jeffreyw via Flickr

Party at Breakfast
Making the meal served breakfast is the secret weapon of moms who’ve been there, done that. It’s among the easiest and least-expensive meals to prepare, your guests (big and little) arrive fresh and rested, you minimize the odds of anyone having a meltdown due to a missed nap and it’s really easy (truly!) to prepare an impressive-looking spread, even if you’re not Martha Stewart. The knowledgeable folks at Epicurious have a tried-and-true scrambled egg recipe, Ina Garten makes bacon in the oven with virtually zero mess, surely you can prep a solid fruit salad, and most of the work for these cinnamon rolls can be done the day before. Set a pretty table with flowers and candles, make a big pot of coffee (always coffee!) and pour a pitcher of OJ, and voila – a meal sure to please everyone while helping you keep your cool.

Photo: Things for Boys

Keep the Cake Simple
If breakfast isn’t your thing, consider outsourcing the food (think Whole Foods or other local grocer) and focusing on what really matters: dessert! Our favorite easy tip is to make Baby a small smash cake of his own for photos and then serve cupcakes to everyone else. This saves time on plating/serving and means you don’t have to worry about making a big cake look fancy. Don’t let making a cake intimidate you – buy a small, round cake pan and find a recipe that suits you. We like this low-sugar recipe or this whole wheat banana version if you prefer to err on the healthy side or, if decadence is more your style, go for this classic vanilla or chocolate cake.

Photo: Paper Trail by Laura B

Find a One Stop Shop for Decor
We’ve all gotten lost in web searches as we try to find the perfect stroller, sleep sack, or baby food recipe. To keep things simple, just say “no!” to this frustrating web wandering and find a vendor who can do most of your décor needs. Paper Trail by Laura B offers cupcake toppers, banners, straws, and more while Pretty Party Sprinkles sells plates, balloons, and candles. You can, of course, go all-out on a theme and decorations but realize this will take time. You can opt for a simpler route and pick a color or two you like and then order plates, utensils, balloons, a banner, some candles, and call it a day. Simple really can be elegant, especially when the color palate is muted and you avoid too much going on at once.

Photo: Oh Joy!

Get Outside
Life is so much easier outside. Kids don’t seem as noisy, messes aren’t such a big deal, everyone has space to run and jump and even the adults seem more relaxed. Consider hosting your gathering in a local park and take some inspiration from folks like Oh Joy! who captured summer with a cooler full of popsicles or put up a giant canvas to keep budding Picasso’s busy. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a water table, bubbles and chalk, either. It doesn’t take much to entertain a crew of toddlers.

Photo: Laura LaRose via Flickr

Get Charitable
It’s not just newlyweds who are forgoing gifts in lieu of their favorite charities. More moms are choosing to do the same as they battle toy overload and the guilt that comes from knowing you should write thank you notes but just not getting it done. Instead of gifts, consider encouraging guests to make a donation to a favorite charity that works with kids like the Smile Train or Share our Strength. If you can’t quite forgo the gifts, just say “no” to stuffing goody bags and make a small donation in honor of each guests instead. Sounds like a win-win to us! Hand out simple notes that say, “Thanks for your friendship. We’ve made $5 gift in your honor to help care for others who are in need.” The folks at Savvy Sassy Moms have a few other tips on how to do this well.

Photo: .alicia.kowalski. via Flickr

Plan Ahead for Better Photos
Amidst the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget to take pictures but you’ll be glad to document this special day. Depending on your definition of simple, you might opt to do a smash cake photo shoot the day before the party when your house is empty and the birthday guy or gal isn’t over-stimulated. The Photography Mommy has some great tips for setting up a DIY photo shoot and It’s Simply Lindsay shares her experience with her daughter’s photo shoot, proving you, too, can get beautiful photos to capture the day. Don’t forget to cover the floor for easy clean up and dress your little one in something that can get messy (or maybe just a diaper!).

Photo: karon campbell-trader via Flickr

Keep It Intimate
This might go without saying but the more people, the more chaos. As the first birthday celebration is really more about the parents than the baby (if we’re honest), it’s tempting to invite everyone you know, but odds are you’ll feel happier – and your baby will be calmer – if you limit the guest list to close friends and family. You could always do a celebration at daycare, if your little one is enrolled, or encourage your nanny to have a separate pizza-and-juice gathering for the kids she sees often while watching your child as a way to include more people.

Photo: Beatrice Murch via Flickr

Celebrate You, Too
The first year often stretches parents as they settle into their new roles. Parenting is not without challenges so after the party, take time to celebrate you and your spouse for surviving sleep deprivation, adapting to the new demands on your time and for (hopefully) finding a new rhythm as husband and wife and as parents. It’s not easy, but you made it to an important milestone that deserves to be recognized. Maybe you watch your favorite romantic comedy over champagne and pizza or get Grandma to watch the birthday gal while you head out for a night on the town. Maybe you take some time to jot down a few reflections on Year One in your journal or baby book, or make a list of your top ten parenting highs and lows to reflect on in the years to come. Whatever you choose, we say “well done, mama and dada!”

What tips can you share for keeping first birthday celebrations simple? Tell us below.

–Elizabeth Carr

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10 Ways Becoming a Mom Makes You Appreciate Your Own Mom

by Heather Dixon

When it comes to motherhood, it doesn’t matter how much people tell you about it, how much you try to prepare for it or how much you think you’re ready – you just don’t fully get it until you become a mother yourself. For many of us, it’s like a light suddenly goes off. We’ll find ourselves walking back and forth in the living room at 2 a.m., bouncing our newborn in an attempt to get them to sleep – and that’s when it hits us. “My mom did this for me?” Suddenly, you have a whole new level of appreciation for her. Here are a few other ways becoming a mom makes you appreciate your own mother.

Photo: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

1. You now realize how deep her love is for you.
She used to tell you “I love you,” all the time. But now you know just how real it is. How intense and strong the connection is. Every time you stare at your little one’s face and marvel at how completely amazing she is, you’ll think “My Mom felt this way about me? I was this incredible to someone else?” It’s pretty mind-blowing in the best of ways.

2. She understands sleep deprivation.
From the nighttime feedings to the constant wake-ups and the regular checks when your little one is sick – there are a lot of times when you’re sleep deprived as a parent. It’s an awful feeling, but it helps a little to know your mom has been there, too. You have that common experience. Plus, she’ll likely help you so you can grab a nap here and there when you’re really having a rough go of it.

Photo: Support PDX via Flickr 

3. She can sympathize with everything you’re going through.
Your doubts and insecurities. Your worries. Your mom has been there. She knows how hard it is to navigate the new world of parenting. She understands that when you’re in the moment, it’s hard to see that everything is just a phase and they will sleep one day. They will learn to crawl. They will make friends and figure life out. But she knows.

4. You understand everything she went through.
Every single feeling, worry, excited and elated moment you have – your mom likely had as well when you were little. About you. How cool is that?

Photo: longleanna via Pixabay

5. You now get why she was so hard on you.
Parenting is serious stuff. You have this blank slate of a little human to raise and you really don’t want to mess it up. So when you made some bad choices as a kid – you realize now that she was just trying to protect you. At the time, it was annoying. Now? Her actions make so much sense.

6. She held everything together – and now you see it.
Organizing schedules. Making meals. Preparing school lunches. Planning extra-curricular activities. Making quality time a priority. Holy cow, she was busy! She did it all. And now you know what a superwoman she was.


Photo: Robbie Sproule via Flickr

7. She will never tire of you talking about your kids.
Eight million Facebook updates on every little detail of your kids’ lives can be annoying to some. But to your mom? No way.

8. She never stops mothering.
When you’re tired, sick, need a hand or just want to talk, you’re likely able to count on your mom. And she probably still feels like you’re the best little human that ever graced the face of the earth. It’s a good feeling.

9. She loves your kids on a whole new level.
You can see it. Her love for them is deep – and they benefit from knowing that another person out there thinks they’re incredible.


Photo: Donnie Ray Jones via Flickr

10. She was damn good at being a mom. And she taught you well.
The hard stages, the great times, the tears – and everything in between. She navigated it all. And she did a really good job of it. Now it’s your turn.

What other ways have you started to appreciate your mom after having kids? Tell us in a comment!

–Heather Dixon

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25 Hilarious Things Sleep-Deprived Moms Have Done

by Shahrzad Warkentin

Pulling an all-nighter takes on a whole new meaning when you become a parent. Although those late nights calming a crying baby are nothing like those all-night college parties, studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes cognitive impairments similar to alcohol consumption. In other words, being a sleep deprived new mom is a little like walking around drunk all the time. As further proof of the unfortunate side effects of sleep loss check out these hilarious confessions from a few exhausted moms.

1. No pants day
“I walked out to my car and strapped my son into his car seat before I realized that I didn’t have pants on.”

—amberlayne via Buzzfeed

2. Moms need potty training too
“I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and was surprised to find I felt warm and wet. Turns out I was so tired that I was peeing on the couch instead of in the toilet. I had literally pulled down my pants, sat down on the couch, and started peeing as if I were on the toilet. I just added that to the list of bodily fluids I had to clean up that night.”

—steviemimbela via Buzzfeed

3. Why haven’t they invented this button yet?
“I kept trying to open the front door of my house by pressing the unlock button of my car key.”

—lindaasaf via Buzzfeed

4. You know, that short dude who lives in our house
“I was so tired I forgot our son’s name. I gestured to the monitor and asked my husband, ‘How’s what’s-his-face doing?’”

—Megan O’Laughlin Nordheim, Facebook via Buzzfeed

5. When the alarm clock doesn’t work, try this
“I grabbed my husband’s crotch — HARD — as he was rolling over because I thought he was the baby about to roll out of bed.”

—amandamerrillr via Buzzfeed

6. So glad doorbells don’t really sound like this
“When my baby woke up in the middle of the night crying I answered the door thinking it was someone ringing the doorbell.”

—brennat40d8d5684 via Buzzfeed

7. Maybe he was playing peek-a-boo
“During my first month as a new mom I texted my husband (who was in bed next to me) to ask him where he was.”

—lorrainem4d66e44a via Buzzfeed

8. When you’re just doggone tired
“I filled a sippy with milk and handed it to the dog. When he didn’t take it I got annoyed and said, ‘Well? Here you go!’ It took me a full five seconds to realize he wasn’t the 2-year-old.

—j4482fba1e via Buzzfeed

9. Nursing on auto-pilot
“One night I realized my whole family was in the room with me but no one was holding the baby. Panicked, I yelled, ‘Where’s the baby?!’ My husband looked straight at me and said, ‘Um, honey, you’re nursing her.'”

—jodiecoxs via Buzzfeed

10. Feeling unsupported
“I left the house with my nursing bra on both sides flopped down.”

—tarahnatashaf via Buzzfeed

11. Moms gone wild
“I was breastfeeding my oldest in my living room wearing only a bra and sweats. There was a knock at the door so I got up to answer it with my breast still hanging out of my bra. The UPS guy was shocked and kept looking away. I didn’t even realize what I’d done until hours later.”

—elizabethkerperienk via Buzzfeed

12. Driving under the influence of parenthood
“After a long night I had to run to the drug store. I sat at a red light for what seemed like forever — I even swore at a car that honked at me — until I realized it wasn’t a red light. It was a stop sign”

—Kay Calhoun, Facebook vis Buzzfeed

13. Pumped and dumped
“After pumping milk ‪at 3 a.m. I walked into the kitchen and dumped it all down the drain. I screamed the second I realized what I did. I’d gone into zombie-cleaning mode without thinking.”

—Kelly Lynch, Facebook via Buzzfeed

14. Diaper duty don’t
“In the middle of the night I tried to change my daughter, but ended up putting a clean diaper on over the dirty one.”

—keshetchayaz via Buzzfeed

15. Alert the fashion police
“I had to go a whole day at work like this…”

—oodlesofnoodles via Buzzfeed

16. Decaf anyone?
“I made coffee without any coffee grinds. It wasn’t until the second sip that I realized I was just drinking hot water.”

—aaronburrsir via Buzzfeed

17. Show me the money
“One night, after weeks and weeks of no sleep, I genuinely believed the baby was crying because my husband had taken money from him. My husband guided me back to bed and we had great fun laughing about it the next day.”

—katej4df533daa via Buzzfeed

18. I’ll have the spaghetti with a side of mom guilt
“My oldest wasn’t even two when I had my second child. That first week was a blur. One night I got up to feed the baby and heard snoring as I walked past the kitchen. Turns out I’d forgotten to take the older one out of her high chair and she’d fallen asleep, using her spaghetti as a pillow.”

—lindaleeu via Buzzfeed

19. Mommy mix-up
“I was finally putting myself to bed so I wiped off my makeup and took off my earrings. I was so sleep deprived, though, that I put the dirty makeup wipe in my jewelry box and threw away my earrings.”

—Lyndsey Turner, Facebook via Buzzfeed

20. Big girl panties
“I once tried to put on a pull-up instead of underwear after showering. Then I cried when I couldn’t get it on.”

—oliviad20 via Buzzfeed

21. So that’s how you stop the snoring
“I walked right up to my husband and put our son’s pacifier into his mouth.”

—oliviad446b8ead8 via Buzzfeed

22. Suds and duds
“I’d been up two days after coming home from the hospital and realized that I hadn’t eaten, so I made frozen waffles — and poured dish soap on them instead of syrup.”

—Lizzie Brantley, Facebook via Buzzfeed

23. Babies, puppies, what’s the difference?
“I kept calling the pediatrician a veterinarian.”

—Stephanie Williamson, Facebook via Buzzfeed

24. Customer service with a hug
“I tried to hug the guy who came to set up our internet as he was leaving. I was so tired and used to hugging visitors when they left. He looked at me like I was nuts.”

—annies402a69e5b via Buzzfeed

25. Shopping fail
“I finished a full grocery shopping trip, then fastened the baby into her car seat and drove away — leaving all of the groceries in the cart in the parking lot.”

—wilheminaintx via Buzzfeed

Have you ever done anything you regret under the influence of sleep loss? Share your own confessions in the comments.

 

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Your Guide to Safe Sleep for Baby

by Kelley Gardiner

You’ve probably heard that “back is best” and bumpers are better left out of cribs. But according to a new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, many parents don’t follow safe sleep recommendations — especially in the middle of the night. Even when advised of the risks and knowing they were being videotaped, parents put their children to sleep in a non-recommended way. We all want what’s best for our babies, but we’re also all exhausted. Here, we’ve got a reminder of the basics for safe baby sleep, and a couple of ideas for how to keep up your resolve when all you want is for the kid to sleep for five more minutes.

photo: Caitlin Regan via flickr

Back to Sleep
Place babies to sleep on their backs. Yes, you went to sleep on your stomach, and you survived (or so Mom tells you), but the best research we have available says back is best. Make sure any babysitters know to place your little one on their back to go to sleep. When baby can roll over by herself, put her on her back to start, and stop swaddling.

Clutter-free Crib
Babies should sleep on a flat, firm mattress. Cribs and other sleeping environments like bassinets should be kept free of stuffed toys, pillows, loose blankets and bumpers. Those bumpers that get handed down might be cute, but keep them for the doll crib. They aren’t safe. Sleep experts say that just because products are sold in stores doesn’t mean that they’re safe for your little one, surprisingly, and hand-me-downs may have been recalled or no longer recommended for use.

Sleeping with baby
Talk to your pediatrician if you’re planning on co-sleeping. In the AAP safe sleep study, bringing your baby to bed in the middle of the night was very common, and often done without letting the other parent know Baby is there, and without having a safe sleeping environment prepared.

Sleeping with baby on a couch is especially dangerous according to studies, so make a plan on how to stay awake during late-night feeding sessions (Netflix and nurse, anyone?). Yes, it’s cute when Baby and Dad fall asleep together, but give Dad a nudge to wake him up, or pick up your baby gently and put him down in a safe place.

photo: Pixabay

The takeaway? Parents are tired, and they want their babies to sleep. Parents are much more likely to put their children to sleep in their own beds, or on their stomachs, after getting up with the baby at least once. We get that! Sleep deprivation does not make for rational decision-making at 2 a.m. What can you do?

Make it easy on yourself and baby. Consider keeping a safe sleep environment in your bedroom where you can feed, change and check on your bundle as needed during the night without too much fuss and hassle.

Get as much rest as possible. If you take naps during the day, you’re less likely to be exhausted at night. We roll our eyes sometimes at “sleep when the baby sleeps,” especially when you have older kids, but instituting a personal naptime is not out of line.

Don’t be afraid to move baby after they’ve fallen asleep somewhere unsafe. If they fall asleep on the couch, move them. Yes, they might wake up, which seems like the worst possible outcome at the time, but trust that they’ll make up for it later.

Ask your pediatrician before trying something new. Dr. Google suggests a sleep positioner, or sleeping on a wedge, and you just want the reflux (screaming) to get better. We’re been there. But make a quick call or email to your doctor or nurse on call before trying something beyond the recommended firm, flat sleeping surface.

Ask for help if you need it. Being exhausted and barely able to function isn’t something you should have to suck up and push through. Sleep when you can, and if you’re breastfeeding, consider asking a partner to bottle-feed during the night if you’re having trouble making it through. Even if you had planned to breastfeed exclusively, you can feel proud of making the best choice for your baby.

What’s your favorite baby sleep advice? Let us know in the comments!

—Kelley Gardiner

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