I’ve blogged a few times about sleep in the past. Previously, I wrote about how sleep is really important for our digestion. Today, I thought I’d blog about one of the things I’m going through at the moment: and that is lack of sleep!
AD-This post is in conjunction with TEMPUR®, but all thoughts are my own
Jude was always a pretty good sleeper. By 3 months, he was sleeping from about 8 pm-6 am, with a quick night feed in between.
By 6 months, we’d dropped the night feed altogether.
I thought I’d cracked it!
I hadn’t.
When Jude was 8 months old, several things happened. He started nursery.
We moved him into his cot in his nursery. I started to do more Keeping In Touch Days and we generally started to get a routine.
And then the sleep regression started…
Because the 4-month sleep regression had passed us by without notice, we’d assumed this 8 month one would be the same. But soon Jude started refusing to sleep in the cot and, then, just started refusing sleep altogether.
One night, he was up every single hour and I felt as if I was going insane…
After his recent spell of Hand Foot and Mouth, Jude’s sleep seems to have calmed a little again.
And, often without rhyme nor reason, it does get easier and that’s the first point of my post. Some days you feel like it never will but one day….they’ll start sleeping properly again!
Of course, by then, you’ve probably forgotten how to sleep yourself!
How lack of sleep affects your health
We tend to brush lack of sleep off as part of being a new mom but sleep is actually really important to our health. Our body does so much when we’re resting and being awake can stop those processes.
I’ve blogged before that lack of sleep can actually cause things like stomach pain or an IBD flare, but did you know it can impact things like your memory too? (as if baby brain wasn’t enough!)
TEMPUR, who are known for their memory foam mattresses, recently did some research into our sleep habits and memory and found that 59% of women reported they are likely to be affected by memory after a poor night’s sleep (this was higher than men, because, I assume, they appear to have selective hearing when it comes to the baby waking up!).
Poor sleep even beat things like being hungover when it came to impact our memory and a huge 80% of us wish we could have a better memory.
If you’ve ever watched The Let Down on Netflix, there’s such a funny-yet-poignant scene where she goes to the pub quiz after having a baby and can’t remember any of the answers because she’s just so sleep deprived.
It might not last forever but sleep has such a big impact on your memory and that, combined with baby brain, can be so difficult.
My top tips for surviving a sleep regression
-Go with it. Don’t check the clock. Don’t try to calculate how little sleep you have or the last time your baby slept through. Accept it for what it is, that it is just something you’re going through and know it won’t last.
-Don’t waste your money on sleep books. Your baby will do their own thing. I spent a fortune but the only one I enjoyed was ‘Sleep is for the Weak…’, which is one woman’s hilarious journey with sleep books and why they don’t work.
-Make sure your bedroom is set up for good sleeping when you do actually have the chance. Keep some pillow spray (for you or for baby!) close by and an eye mask if you need it; as well as investing in some proper bedding.
-If you do decide to look into sleep training, this is a great guide.
We have a memory foam mattress topper and were also kindly sent a memory foam pillow from Tempur, which has been a godsend as my neck and shoulders have been really uncomfortable after lugging Jude around all day.
. Memory foam can make such a difference-4 in 5 of us know that the right mattress can help our sleep but not all of us have one.
-Don’t do things you’re not comfortable with. You might be told that the only way to get through this is to try extreme methods like sleep training and controlled crying but if that’s something you’re not comfortable with (I’m personally not) then don’t feel forced to do so.
-Ask for help. Do whatever you need to do to get through a sleep regression. For us, it’s been Jude having extra sleepovers at my mom’s and the occasional extra day at nursery so I can catch up on sleep. There’s no medal for getting through without help.
-If your baby is a little younger, I’d recommend the app Huckleberry, which is great for giving you an idea of when you should be putting your baby down for naps and getting into a routine.
-I’m just updating this post to say we’ve been using the calpol plug-in for Jude as he’s had a cold and this has made such a big difference to his sleep!
Sometimes, just knowing someone else is going through something similar can be all we need to get through it. So, know that when you’re battling sleepless nights and forgetfulness, you’re not alone and it will get better.
–
Hi Jenna,
An interesting read. I think its important to work with your baby rather than force something on them that they don’t understand.
I’ve not slept on a memory foam mattress but based on this blog post, I will try it out.
🙂
Thanks,
The Reverend
You poor thing. Still have vivd memories of the horrors of sleep deprivation when my two were tiny – and they’re 10 and 12 now!! Glad you’ve found the memory foam mattress and pillow made such a difference.
I’m forever hearing such good things about TEMPUR mattresses. Not a mummy myself, but I definitely know that lack-of-sleep feeling… and am definitely guilty of clock watching and calculating how much (or little!) sleep I’m gonna have!
Ashton • http://www.ashtonjade.co.uk
Lack of sleep can really affect our bodies in more ways than one. I find essential oils can help well. I love the sound of the mattress, It’s something I need to look into when we are due a new one.
Oh yes, a lack of sleep can really wreak some havoc. We had a used mattress when we had our boys and a lack of sleep combined with worn bedding made keeping a clear head challenging, we know now a mattress topper would have made a big difference with the bed.
Gosh I remember these days as if they were yesterday just reading this! In reality it was 12 years ago but boy it is tough.
Great tips here, focus on the fact that it won’t last forever will really help x
Oh gosh! I don’t envy you! I have totally forgotten that time now (thankfully!)! My daughter has always been a good sleeper, I tend to have to wake her up more than her waking me up these days
It will get easier!!! Sim x
Getting enough sleep is so important, especially when you are a new mom and need to be alert at all times. Your tips on how to get some sleep when your baby doesn’t seem to be tired are very useful for moms who have to deal with the same issues.
My daughter didn’t sleep well until she was 2 and a half when her silent reflux settled down so I can really empathise – lack of sleep is torture! These are great tips!
These are some great tips for tackling sleep regression. Jack slept really well until he was 2 and then regressed but by about two and a half was back to normal again. Olivia has always been an awful sleeper.
I put a drop of lavender oil on my pillow to help me sleep. Works wonders!
I definitely agree about having your room properly set up. I don’t have kids but often struggle with sleep myself and found having your room set up properly really does help
I’m so glad my girls are older now, but this will be great for you to look back on. The memory topper sounds a great idea. You look so good for disturbed sleep in your photos.
I remember those days well, getting a good nights sleep is so important and when it stops you really feel it
it really does doesn’t it!
It is good to read you are slowly getting back into a routine, I couldn’t imagine being up every hour and being able to function the next day – me and sleep aren’t good friends but I definitely need it.
I have been struggling to sleep for the past week, I think we all are getting a bit of sleep-deprived during this situation! Sounds like you have found a good way to get back into a routine xx
These are fantastic tips and I would love to know your experiences on the 18 months sleep regression too! My daughter was a terrible sleeper since birth until 3 years old so that was just a nightmare for all of us. My son was a great sleeper since birth and while he had a couple of sleep niggles around 8 or 9 months he gave us a tough time with sleep around 18 months. He was always jumping out of his cot and running around the house driving us crazy!
The best is to stay calm and know that it will pass eventually even if it doesn’t feel that way. Also take turns with your partner so that you get some rest. We would take 2 nights each in a row and then swap. It really helped. I would mostly do week nights since I could catch up on sleep a bit during the day as I work from home.