Being a mom is hard work. The late nights (or all-nighters, in some cases), feeding, diapers and new challenges as they get older all make you work hard, too.
I am a mom of two girls, 6 years old and 4 years old, and I’m 4 months pregnant with my third. Research from Mattress Firm shows that nearly half (48%) of all new parents say that a loss of sleep is their number one challenge. While I’m no sleep expert by any means, I am going to share my 5 top ways of getting a better night’s rest.
- Send your spouse or partner to bed early. What saved me with my second-born was sending my husband to bed after dinner which was roughly 6:30PM. I gave the final feeding around 9:00-10:00PM, which meant she was up around 1:00-2:00AM. After approximately 6 hours of straight (and deep) sleep, my husband could help with the feeding and still have time to go back to sleep and wake up for his job. This trick gave me the consecutive hours of sleep I desperately needed and gave him additional bonding time with our daughter.
- Invest in a good mattress. Having the right mattress is key to getting the best sleep. Getting the right amount and quality of sleep can have a dramatic impact on your life such as weight loss or gain, skin complexion and not to mention your emotional state. Finding the right mattress for you can be tough, but our friends at Mattress Firm are here to help. Do you sleep better on a softer bed or a harder one? Their experts will help you find the best quality that fits your style and budget.
- Sleep when the baby sleeps. I know it sounds like a broken record but it couldn’t be truer. When my second was a newborn, my first born was only 2 1/2 years old. That’s rough when you’re sleep deprived and having a growing toddler. Luckily for me, she was just as obsessed with her bed as I was with mine. She loved watching old movies like Grease and anything Shirley Temple so I got to sneak in some power naps while she watched her classics and my second was sleeping. As time went on, I was able to sync my baby’s second nap with my toddler’s nap time so everyone got some much-needed rest.
- Give yourself some grace on the housework. Those first few months of baby are crucial to their development, which means it takes a lot of time from you as an adult and a woman. My poor husband watched as I struggled to keep up with housework and thefast-approachingg date of having to go back to work. He helped with what he could and I did what I could and the rest is all grace. Some weeks the bathroom just wasn’t clean and it was hard to keep up with laundry but we felt strongly that our sleep was a priority.
- Get yourself some good bedding. I am obsessed with duvets and down comforters. I love anything fluffy. Beds should be inviting and should have that “I wanna just jump in” vibe. When your bed is inviting, it won’t take you long to fall asleep. Maybe fluff isn’t your style. Do you get hot and sweaty easily? Try a lightweight blanket or even a weighted blanket. The options are limitless. Pro tip: Make your bed every morning. Looking at a messy, undone bed after a long and exhausting day can cause more frustration.
While these tips saved my family and I, every family is different. Find what works best for your family but know you deserve just as much sleep (if not more) than that snoring partner of yours. You work hard, mom! #WorkHardSleepHarder
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