Psst, hey there! This includes YOU and it happens to be true.
How is missing sleep affecting You?
Do you start to wonder, "Why have I been feeling so off?"
Are the Affects of Missing Sleep a Hidden Concern?
None of what I will share here is rocket science, but we sure don't hear much about the symptoms and health effects lack of sleep can cause. This seems to be especially the case when we are women, who've freshly given birth. At this point and beyond, we are more often reminded to instead take in every single second of motherhood to cherish our child while they are young. (Ahem...I call bulls#%t.)
Sleeplessness won't last forever...
But it may feel like it! 🥱
You aren't the only one!
There are millions of other moms in this tired state, caring for their baby too. You are not alone.
Many moms are awake when you are too. 🐄🌜 Some may be just exhausted, starting breakfast on the other side of the world, while you are feeding in the middle of the night. No one goes through this phase perfectly. Nobody's got this nailed, no matter how much you think it may look or sound like it. You are so important to your child and to so many others. We also need to care for ourselves.
Let's bring it back now to what you may be experiencing from lack of sleep, but may be too drained to notice. I bet if you are in it, you are feelin' it, whether you let yourself take note of it or not. 🥱
Here come the many affects of sleep loss!
Allow me to list some effects, to see if any resonate with where you may be at right now: 📜
feeling blurry-eyed
forgetting what you were going to say (When your partner finally arrives home)
Memory trouble both with things that happened today (What feed are we on?) and/or what happened last week? (Did I order you the size up on that new sleeper or no? Even your working memory can be affected.)
jitteriness
feeling exhausted
difficulty paying attention to what is said (when your partner is trying to tell you something)
foggy brain
feeling emotional
tears coming easily and often
loss of appetite (when most often actually more calories & nourishment are needed)
lowered frustration tolerance
physical exhaustion
emotional distress
irritability
lower libido (No sh*%t Sherlock, we likely still have healing to do too.)
learning challenges
coordination problems- did you just run into the corner of the wall that's always been there?
anxiety
drowsiness
depression
suicidal thoughts
off balance
mood swings
decision-making difficulty
(Too tired to read this damn long list?!
You're thinking, "Give it a break already, lady." Am I right?)
Okay, point taken. Let's leave it there with this summary.
Not only does lack of sleep affect our physical health, it also affects our emotional, mental and psychological health too. These are all part of our overall health and wellness!
This mom's on her 3rd child and has got some experience under her belt. It doesn't matter how smart, experienced, prepared you may be, lack of sleep still affects everyone who is human.
Life Isn't meant to be Perfect, But we Don't need to quietly suffer either.
No wonder things can feel extra hard in those 1st few months after your baby is born!!
Life is not all sunshine and rainbows no matter who you are, nor was it meant to be. Life naturally has ups and downs for all of us. So many that we cannot control.
There are some things we need to accept, for example, Newborns
Do Need to Feed Both Night and Day.
The good news is that the more sleep you get, the less many of the listed symptoms will affect you. So getting more sleep can act as your super power.
There are things you can do to make a positive impact for the good for both yourself and your baby, and don't forget for the one who snores through the majority of your night feeds too. 😉
Now you know all the things. Put this knowledge to use.
Here's how you can choose to use it:
If you are an expecting mom, whether by birth or otherwise,
Share this list with your partner to give him a heads up on the effects of missing sleep. Preparedness for recognizing what may be occurring once the baby is born and it can help build extra understanding & compassion.
Come up with some ideas to switch off with some of the wake ups and just look at any and all possibilities for you to protect or get back some sleep.
Widen your support system by joining a moms group.
Contact me. I love chatting with new moms. There's so much to help you prepare for what you do not know is coming, yet there is no sense in freaking out about it. And I've got a sleep program for that.
If you are a mom with a newborn,
use this list to give you an idea of where you are at, say when the baby is at 1 week, compared to when you are 4, 6 or 8 weeks or anytime in between and beyond. See if things are building up for you, remaining the same or decreasing. Many times we don't see the effects in ourselves as much as those around us do.
Ask for input on how you may be doing, from close loved ones.
Ask for help, even if this means starting with baby steps; just start.
Use the help that has been offered to you
Follow through with plans made to share the night wakes or create new ones based on your situation.
Don't cringe at this, but DO sleep during the day.
If you're beginning to question if you may benefit from support of a health professional, Do Reach Out. Or even reach out to someone who can help you reach out. (Like your GP, nurse, midwife, doula, breastfeeding support, sleep consultant, physio, chiro, massage therapist. Who else can you think of?) The struggle is real yet no one should struggle more than they have to.
Contact me. I love chatting with new moms. There's so much to help you. Your baby can sleep through the night. I've got a sleep program for that. We take time so you feel comfortable and confident. You learn how everything can be set up for all to go well for you and your baby to have the easiest time learning to independently sleep.
You Are Not Alone. There are people who want to see this time look better for you. Don't lose hope.
When can we sleep through the bloody night already!!???
Once your baby is around 16 weeks old, depending on health status and birth date, your child may be ready to begin learning the skills of independent sleep.
Why not simply look into it for now? See what your options are too. Find something that fits you and your family. Trust your gut and your own intuition about what option may make things better for the long run.
I know you care or you wouldn't be here. Same with me.
I care too or I wouldn't be here.
Remember, doing good for you, does good for everyone around you.
You are doing what you can. Keep it up!
Leave a comment if you like or send me a message. I'd love to hear from you.
Wishing you better sleeps.💤 And better days. 🌅
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