The joy of nap time!
We know all too well how having a newborn can be completely exhausting! And it is no big surprise that the average parent has missed out on up to a whopping six months’ worth of sleep, by the time your child is 2.
That’s a lot of sleep!
Towards the end of pregnancy, most mamma’s-to-be struggle to sleep – this could be because you’re uncomfortable, due to nesting instincts kicking in, or just down to nerves about the impending mission ahead! And, sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but it doesn’t stop after the baby is introduced into the world. On average, a newborn baby requires between 16 – 18 hours per day of shut eye, and as a rule of thumb, most new mums are advised to sleep as much as possible. So yes, that means that whilst babba gets some rest, you have permission to leave the housework for another day!
At six weeks, babies need around 15 – 18 hours’ sleep per day and it gradually reduces as they get older. At four months, babies need 9 – 12 hours per day but in addition, they will also need, and benefit from, more structured naps during the day. And it’s these nap times that are like hitting the jackpot!
It is completely normal, and common, for parents to experience very broken sleep patterns, especially in the early weeks and sometimes months after birth. Having a baby is a very unique experience as there is no set ‘sleeping’ guide; babies are all different and they each require different amounts of sleep. BUT, when you’ve reached napping through the day stage, it’s the perfect time to start reintroducing some ‘ME’ time! Catch up with a (non-baby) related book and cup of tea, perhaps some TV or the housework, start a hobby that is something you can focus on, or, and this is our personal favourite, enjoy a nap yourself!
A short nap, which is one that lasts around 30 – 45 minutes, is perfect for increasing short term alertness, but without causing any grogginess or messing with your body clock and altering your night time routine. When studies were carried out on space pilots and astronauts at NASA, it was found that performance in tasks was increased by 34% and alertness increased by a whopping 100% after a successful short nap. And if it is good enough for NASA, we think it is good enough for our delicious mamas!
So, when your baby naps, make sure you nap too – or at least do something for YOU!
Image Credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sleeping_newborn_infant.jpg