The truth about naps, for mums
The little truths that all mums will recognise about nap time
What parent hasn’t heard the phrase: “you should sleep while your baby sleep.” Huh, fat chance.
Nice idea, and although we may wish for a couple of hours sleep while our baby naps, chances are other things take priority. But there is no doubting nap time is sacred in a home with a little one, and whatever you do with that window of time, you need it.
But nap time is a crucial point of the day, before you had kids, did you ever imagine you would plan your day round nap times? No, nor did we.
Here are some classic truths about the sacred nap times.
1. Your day revolves around nap time
Whatever your planning for the day or whoever you’re planning to see, arrangements have to be made around the crucial nap time of 10am-12noon. If it doesn’t fit in, it doesn’t happen. Simples.
2. Drive aimlessly around
Just as you are about to pull up on your drive your little one’s eyes are getting heavy and about to drop off to sleep, typical. As you know from brutal experience, if you pull up, put the handbrake on and turn the engine off, those eyes will ping open and you know nap time is lost. So what do you do, drive round the neighbourhood aimlessly waiting for him to go properly to sleep so you can brave stopping the car.
3. Nap time ‘to do’ list
Who hasn’t written one of these? In the evening you get all excited by the potential list of things you can achieve in that two hour window when baby is napping. The reality normally ends up with that’s the day your baby decides not to nap or you’re so totally exhausted you hit that sofa and nothing short of an earthquake is going to move you.
4. You daren’t even cough as they drop off
That stage when you’re baby is slowly dropping off on your lap and you know the slightest movement is going to wake him up so you sit there like a statue and if the slightest hint of a cough or sneeze comes over you, you use your entire body to hold it in.
5. You fake sleep
If those little eyes open on your lap you quickly close yours pretending to be asleep too to try and encourage him to go back to sleep, it does work…sometimes! You just have to be careful not to completely fall asleep yourself.
6. You pat yourself on the back for getting him to sleep
Don’t feel guilty about it, it’s OK to look forward to that little break in the day where you can have that touch of 'me' time, however you spend it.