Getting a good days sleep
I have never been a good napper. I hate napping. I wake up feeling ill and groggy. But I knew that once I had a baby I was supposed to sleep while he slept in order to get enough rest. And I like a lot of sleep. So I worked really hard at the naps.
But napping is not easy, at least not for me. It usually takes me at least half an hour to get to sleep, and when my child is only sleeping for 45 minutes to an hour at a time, it does not make for much of a nap.
So I set out to learn how to have a good nap. Here are some of the pointers I got:
• Get comfortable. Sleep in a comfortable bed and wear comfortable clothes
• Make it feel like night. Dark and quite. Try an eye mask.
• Try to quite your brain by concentrating on your breath rather than what the rest of the day holds
• Keep warm
As a mom who naps while her baby naps, I find that getting us both into napping mode helps me to sleep quicker. Half an hour before nap time I breastfeed, which I find quite calming. Then I let the baby play for a bit and I read a book or do something equally as relaxing. Then as the precursor to going to bed I rock the baby for five minutes or so.
I’ve also learned that if I want to sleep during the morning nap, then I’m best to avoid my morning tea, and to take it easy in the morning rather than get busy cleaning.
Napping is still a struggle for me. Mostly because I’d rather be doing something other than sleeping, with my free time! But being well rested and happy when my partner comes home is worth sacrificing an hour to watch TV, or vacuum ☺
~Michelle
Labels: baby, Michelle, nap, napping, sleep
Share
