I hoping some of you can give me some advice. I'm so tired!!! I have a 1 yr old daughter who gets up every morning by 5:30. Sometimes she'll get up earlier and drink some milk and then sleep again until 5:30 (the latest is 6:00). She goes to sleep between 8 and 9pm. I've tried putting her down earlier and later and it doesn't change a thing. My husband takes medication that pretty much knocks him out until 8am, so there is no hope that he can get up that early so that I can sleep in. She still takes two naps (a total of about 3 hrs a day) and i don't see her cutting back on naps, she can't make it past 10am for her first nap. And she'd be crabby with out a little more sleep in the late afternoon.
So, I basically figure that I have to work on changing my schedule, not hers. I go to sleep around 10:30 or so. I would go to sleep earlier, but I have to spend some time with my husband once she's asleep. Sometimes I get a nap during the day, but it's never more than 30 minutes or so.
I'm thinking about starting on some multivitamins...does anyone have any suggestions as to some that might give me some energy? I'm also going to try to find a way to do a little exercise, but it's hard when I don't have anyone to take care of her while I do it and when she's sleeping all I want to do is sit and rest.
If any of you have suggestions as to how I might manage this. It is really debilitating and my husband is getting frustrated that I am tired all the time.
(I just wanted to add something on....I appreciate all of the responses, but after receiving a few responses, I feel I should clarify somethings about my husband a bit. He is wonderful with our daughter and helps out as much as he can when he is home. But, he has a condition which requires medication and trying to get him up is more trouble than it's worth...it's not him being lazy, he really can't help it. I wish it were as easy as telling him to suck it up!)
Thank you everyone for your suggestions and encouragement. I am going to get some vitamins this week. My husband and I are going to work on finding some time for me to get out a run at least 3 or 4 times a week (probably in the morning before he goes to work). Yesterday, because we were at church, my daughter skipped her morning nap and took a 3 hr afternoon nap and then went to sleep at 8:30pm. She was so happy yesterday! However, she woke up at 12am and didn't go back to sleep until 2am for some reason...I think it was just an off night. I wonder if dropping that first nap gradually, as some of you suggested, might be the ticket. I'll try that for a week or 2 and see if things change. Thank you all again!
Anything with iron in it. I take Stress tabs w/iron. Going 3 days w/it I can tell difference.
Could you take child out for a walk/stroller instead of her having a nap at exact time? Gradually cut back on naps this way.
I been taking some vitamins for 6 years, which provide me with energy every day. These vitamins are $19.99 for 2 months.
P. S
Girl can I ever hear you! I have 11 kids...9 still at home. Looks like you got some good advice. Using a stroller and just walking could be really good idea too if you like being outside. I take vitamins and good ones! They are not that expensive but I find many people feel worse on the synthetic ones so beware! I have taken Shaklee vitamins for almost 25 year and would not use anything else. I feel so strongly that I started a business about 15 years ago. The multi is about $10 per month when you order the large and you might want to consider the B-complex as well. I would be happy to give you some pricing or you can go to my web site www.shaklee.net/takecontrol to look. I truely feel they have saved me from not being able to keep up with my family since we always have a little one keeping me up at night. The youngest is 3 1/2 now though so I am sleeping again! Seems like he is the caboose too so... Anyway, it is great you know you need to take care of yourself. It took me longer that 1 to really realize that. Let me know if I can help or encourage you in any way!
Sincerely,
K.
Turn off the TV and get agood afternoon nap with her. Get your housework done in the morning. Walking while pushing her in the stroller should give you plenty of exercise. Work out a time for at least 30 minutes most days. Baby needs to be outside at least that much every day and so do you. In summer make it either early morning or late evening. In winter,try for sometime between 11 am and 2 pm. V.
Some kids don't require that much sleep--I know this because I have one. My daughter is now almost 3. From about 6 months to age 2 she woke up every day between 4:30 and 5:30 and went to bed at night between 7:30-8:30. We tried everything--moving bedtimes earlier, later, putting her in our bed, shortening naps, you name it. Finally, I just gave in to her schedule and started sleeping when she did. What I found was that, because I was better rested, I didn't feel like I needed so much "me" time at the end of the day. Being tired all the time made me grouchy and boy, was I ready to get my kid in that bed at night!
If you're going to refer to a book, Healthy Sleep Habits is the best one, hands down.
Your daughter will grow out of this a little, so you just have to wait it out for a while and go with the flow. My daughter now sleeps from 9:00pm to 6:30 or 7:00. Her bedtime is later than I'd like, but she is just not tired any earlier. She still naps for about 2 hours and I'm assuming that when naps disappear, she'll go to bed earlier.
Good luck and try not to listen to your friends whose kids sleep 13 hours at night and take 4 hour naps everyday--it will just depress you!
Get the rest that you need, even if you have to nap after hubby gets home from work. Since he has a good relationship with your daughter already, he should not mind if you get a little rest, especially since he can't wake up early mornings. Your daughter needs you and if you get exhausted, dehydrated, or worse, who will be there to give her the care she needs. She's becoming much more active in the next year and she'll wear you out. The next best solution is to find a neighbor or church friend to help you, maybe even someone reading your posts could help. You have to take care of YOU before resentment or bitterness creep into your family. Good luck.
Sounds like the vitamins would be a good idea. You may also want to get a physical and some blood work done to see if there are any other possible causes. You are getting up to seven hours of sleep with an occasional 30 minute nap...not too shabby.
For more energy the exercise is also a great idea. Take your daughter out in a baby jogger. It will be good for both of you.
Look at what you are doing during your down time. Is there anything else sapping your energy? I also recommend getting TVs and computers out of the bedroom. That was the best thing we ever did.
I have four kids. I get up at 5:30 am voluntarily to get my run in before I have to get my three older ones off to school. It has given me > energy and lifts my mood throughout the day.
It sounds like you are wonderfully supportive of your husband which is great to hear. Being positive helps alot.
I hope you find a solution so you will be able to enjoy your family even more. Life is an incredible gift!
Hey K.,
There is a great book that might help, Healthy Habit Sleep Habits. A good friend of mine swears by it and has been trying to get me to read it for 4 years now, my 4 yo has always given me trouble with sleep and giving up naps early, etc. I think it would tell you to put her to bed at 7pm, of course you would have to cut it back little by little, and then her body will adjust and maybe cut her down to just 1 nap. it won't happen over night but it will give you the reasoning behind it and how to do it. If she naps around 11am then she might go to bed earlier and then sleep in for you. Hope that helps!
As far as the vitamins go, I can help you with that. I have an excellent line that will give tons of energy!! I have a business and sell health and wellness that are natural and safe. I have many women on these vitamins who have seen awesome results like increase in energy, resolved intestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome, and helping with sleep. I can give you a free 3 day sample to try and you will be able to tell how you like them. They are power packs that are easy and convenient and include a multi vitamin, mineral, calcium, digestive enzyme and a superfood component with 26 fruits/veggies that boosts your immune system with tons of anti-oxidants. They are gender specific and botanically based, awesome!!
Let me know if I can help.
Thanks,
K.
I know that some kids just wake up early, but I would have her in bed at 7pm 7:30 at the latest. I have always put both of my kids to bed early and they seem to sleep until 7 or later. I think they would go a bit later if they didn't hear my husband getting ready in the morning. The sleep book I used said that sleep begets sleep. She still needs around 15 hours a day. Plus, if you put her to bed earlier, then you get a little more time with your husband. I know that means less time your husband get to spend with her but she needs her sleep to be a happy healthy child. Have you read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby? You might pick up a copy. It saved my life when I was so dead tired from both of my kids. Good Luck.
I totally feel you on this. I have difficulty sleeing during the day when my 13 month old naps and she still nurses at night so my sleep has been very scattered since she was born. Definitely take vitamins. I saw in earlier posts from you that you are/were breastfeeding and you still need vitamins while breastfeeding to help keep up with your and her needs. My husband works two jobs and my dad and 13 year old sister are also in my home but I tend to do about 90% of the day to day care of Phoebe. It is hard but I have noticed that most of Phoebe's sleeping and eating habits tend to change about every 6 weeks. Drinking plenty of water and eating correctly can also help. (I tend to slack off a lot in this department.) I would also recommend visiting a wellness based family chiropractor. You would be amazed at how much it can help your energy levels and also be beneficial for your daughter and your husband's medical condition. Research some in your area and just the overall benefits of chiropractic for your family. Phoebe and I get adjusted about every other week. It is so beneficial for little ones. My family chiro's website is acfamily.com if you wanted to see some of the info. These crazy times are going to be over before you know it and you'll look back when she's a teenager and wish for losing a little sleep to be your biggest issue with her.
As far as vitamins, I'd go to your local health food store and ask them for a whole food vitamin. They really make a difference. Or you could also buy from Juice Plus, which is also a whole food vitamin. Usually the ones from the health food store aren't as expensive as the Juice Plus.
Hello!
I have been where you are, and it's not fun. We basically re-set my daughter's sleep clock when we were doing this dance. We began to cut back on that first nap - although it almost killed me to do it. That first nap would go on for a good long time, and I was so tired that it made it hard to wake her up, but that's what we did. She would nap for as long as 2 hours, and we cut it back by 15 minute increments to about 45 minutes. Not too long after that she dropped it completely, which was fabulous because then you can get out and do more. Her afternoon nap became a bit longer (that became the 1.5 - 2 hour nap), and she went to bed at 8, but began sleeping until about 6:30 (much more humane in my mind). My guess is that at about a year or so (my son was about 13-14 months when he dropped the first nap) they are ready to not sleep so much during the day, but sometimes they need some help to get there.
Good luck!
D.
Sounds like she sleeps on average about 8 to ten hours a night. That means you can also. Granted, my daughter sleeps from 9 to 7:30 or 8 (11 hours total) but she has slept less and I acclimate to her schedule a little so I am rested because I feel best with 9 hours and pretty good with 8. Anything less and I am out of it! As for husband time - afternoons or weekends is where it looks like you can get that time or get a sitter. A Mom's Day out is a huge help - a few hours twice a week but it helps immensely!
I like the lady's suggestion that Daddy take care of little one while you nap. My husband does that for me on occasion and we are all happier for it. Vitamins are a must but they are no substitute for sleep - there is no substitute for sleep - period!
I am not sure how people get their kids to sleep at 7:30 - the body naturally starts producing melatonin when it gets dark, etc. My friend realized that they had a much better schedule when they put their daughter down at 9 - 9:30 - (that would give you an hour to yourselves) -and slept later. It takes a week at least for the new schedule to set in usually.
I wish you the VERY best - because I am a HUGE advocate of sleep! everybody has to be selfish and get enough! You'll feel sooooo much better!
"Healthy Sleep Habits" also changed our life, helped so much! So I heartily second that recommendation.
Also, "my husband is getting frustrated that I am tired all the time."!!! As my good friend says about her husband "Dude needs to get a glove, get in the game!" This is not solely your problem to fix, it's BOTH of yours!
Good luck!
B complex is good for energy. I take one a day. It also seems to help prevent my migraines. My youngest went through a phase where he was up by 6 everyday. I feel the pain. Now he usually sleeps til 7 and it feels like it is SO much better! :)
Unless he's willing to get up with her in the morning the he's gonna have to suck it up.
You are going to be tired, you're a mom. I've never met a mom that wasn't tired. I'm convinced that kids have a psychic link to their moms and suck all the energy from us cause the seem to have extra all the time.
some exercise will help taking a B vitamin complex might help a little. For some people it does wonders.
You might get an exercise dvd and just use that, you can do it while she's in her play pen or bouncer or what have you. I recommend anything from "The Firm" series. or if you have a wii go pick up Wii fit or personal trainer both are very good I have a friend that lost 60lb using Wii Personal Trainer.
