Sleep when baby sleeps?

charpe

Is anyone successfully doing this? It makes perfect sense. It's just not working for me. I feed her, she sleeps, I try to do one or 2 things either for myself (like eat/shower) or quick easy chores... And then it's time to feed her again!
I've yet to meet a person in real life who has followed this advice.
What about you ladies?
The lack of sleep is draining me!!! I did finally get my breast pump yesterday, so I'm hoping DH can take over one of the middle of the night feelings...

Babybabybabyohhhhhhh

I try so hard to follow this but honestly there is no way. There is always something that I feel like I need or want to do... Shower, wash bottles, put clothes away, watch a show.
I do sometimes sleep when she sleeps, it's just not possible all the time

happybride 276

I am failing at this. Like you said, by the time he is asleep enough to be put down I try to eat, shower, or do the dishes then it's time to nurse again. I am exhausted but I am not physically able to sleep every time he sleeps. I probably can actually fall asleep once when my son is sleeping. Working on 3 total hours of sleep each night is bad for my mood and my relationships. I am hoping to nap today.

fhgrl21

I try to get everything done in the am so that I can take a cat nap when he sleeps in the afternoon. I'd say it happens 2 times a week haha

missmuffin87

I usually nap during one of his naps (usually around 1pm) and then I fall asleep on the couch around 8pm since he's asleep then. during his other  naps (if there are any) I get stuff done.

 If you feel like your LO doesn't sleep enough for you to get things dobne and take a nap, try wearing her while shes awake so you can get stuff done around the house and then take a nap during her longest nap of the day.

4Angel5

I think people should change the advice to Rest when baby sleeps. I can't fall asleep during the day, but I'm trying to stay off of my feet when DD is sleeping so I'm not completely worn out at night. I get my meals in and a quick shower, but the rest of the "breaks" are spent sitting around catching up on email/FB/TB/phone calls. I just avoid chores and overdoing it while DD sleeps.

revlaurawittman

With a two year old in the house it's kind of hard. During his nap time I can usually manage to get baby to sleep for a little while. Sometimes I take a nap and sometimes I just sit and enjoy the fact that my house is finally quiet for a moment. I'm going back to work in two weeks though and my nap time will be gone.

HeatherMc78

I have been trying to take one nap when he naps. However, my husband goes back to work next week. I'll have to watch my other two sons. Hopefully, I can convince my 3 yr old to take a nap while my oldest is in school.

achadwick19

I usually try to take one nap when she naps. Yesterday she magically slept for 2 1/2 hours during the day which hasn't happened lately so I got an awesome nap in! But most of the other time I get things done around the house and make sure all her bottles are washed and ready to go. Oh and shower! Yesterday a shower didn't happen and it was awful. 

The pediatrician said to let the house be a mess and just nap when she naps, but there is no way I could do that.

Curls218

I did it more when he was brand new. Now he maybe gets one longer nap in and it's usually in his car seat as I'm running errands or out to lunch. Half the time when I did try, I'd get him down, do one thing, then lay down just in time for him to wake up again.

redfallon

Huskerfanz said:

I either rest or lay down during one of his naps. I hate getting that advice because it's so not realistic.

Agreed. This is the advice I hate the most.

kje120

Maybe once or twice a week I will try to nap when he is sleeping, but for the most part I'm getting stuff done around the house.  I've been pumping a bottle before bed so my husband takes the 2nd wakeup of the night to feed him, which is helping.

ajbook

I usually ap once or twice when she naps. It isn't for the entire time she is out but for about 45 minutes or so. Otherwise I use her naps as a chance to go to the bathroom, eat, MAYBE do a small chore or two. I've been trying to do low key things while she's napping and I'm not like writing thank you cards, organizing small areas, paying bills, writing in her baby book, or reading up on breast feeding or baby schedules.

Mama3+1

I nap at night between 5-8 (not the whole time) when I had DD I would sleep when she slept though. Just get those things done with baby in bouncy seat watching you.

Skalbrecht

I think it's impossible - I can't let my house be a total disaster. I nap with her during after her 6-7 am feeding and then get up. Try to catch a mid afternoon nap, but it doesn't happen often.

aml8979

This is the one piece of advice that people tell me that I hate. I am with you, I try to get a few things done when LO is sleeping and when I finally get a chance to take a nap... He is ready to feed again. I try to get in a nap when my hubby comes home from work.

AnjaO

I wanted to punch everyone who told me that with DS.  He wasn't a great sleeper, and I'd just finally be dozing off when he'd wake up.  It was worse than not taking a rest at all.  I lived on about 5 hours of sleep a day for the first six weeks.

I am truly scared of how I'm going to survive with two kids.  DS get up at 6, and when he naps, I work, so even if I could get this LO down at the same time, I'm SOL.

llybeck

Now that we have a bit of a groove going I don't really feel like I need that nap. I did nap during the day for the first week or two but DD normally sleeps well at night now. She will sleep for two four to five hour stretches so I get some good sleep at night and at least one day on the weekend my fiance takes the night feedings.

We formula feed so that may be helping us but I was able to nap in the day when I was breast feeding too and I still got all the household chores done. One thing that helped was if things weren't done, I would wait until fiance came home from work and had him watch her while I finish things up.

AppleMuffins

I try to nap but pumping takes up so much time. By the time the routine is finished, I'm lucky if I got to eat, pee, and tend to hygiene. And usually the pump needs to be washed since I use it every couple hours. It's much easier when dh is home.

JLMcWeeney

I only sleep when he sleeps at night. He is a good sleeper so I don really need more than that.

jburnsanderson91

Im right with you. I try to nap with LO, but between pumping, eating, showering, cleaning bottles, or just enjoying personal time, there's no way I can get a nap in. I would really enjoy one though.

EMLYNNLERETTE

I did with my DD but not this time. It's impossible with a toddler and having a tornado husband. One thing I learned from my mistakes last time was to hand baby to daddy when he gets home from work and tell him to stay as far away from the bathroom (with baby screaming) as possible. Then shower with the fan on or music, or anything you can get lost in for 10 minutes. It is wonderful. I promise baby will live, even if you cannot wrap your mind around it. I couldn't. I also let my DH tell me he 'couldn't handle it anymore' for DD.... This one? *Pats him on the back* Yes honey, you can, now get out. I actually assigned DH chores. It sounds terrible, but in my house, that's the only way I get help. I told him the hall bathroom is his, he has to sweep the common area floors so I can mop, garbages, and he has to unload the dishwasher every night. If he doesn't do it, he hears about it. I am not playing the perfect wife game this time because it really killed my spirit last time trying to be wonder woman. That got personal, but I really think a lot of women put themselves in that position, especially those who aspire to be SAHMs. As much as we want to do everything, it isn't always possible to do it all and continue to be sane. And not smell like BO and spit up all the time.

staceymack

I have twins so no! I tried in the beginning but it never worked out.

ravenclaw1

I'm managing at least one nap during the day, but yea.... People love to say nap when baby naps. I still haven't figured out when she does the laundry, cleans house, eats, etc.

erink7211

I've been trying to do this since day 1 and have failed miserably. My body simply does not want to nap during the day. My mind is wired an all I can think about is how badly I want to shower/do the dishes/pick up the house/etc. I've gotten a little better about at least trying to lay down and rest my eyes. Lately I have been getting an hour or two of sleep in the evenings while DH watches him before he goes to bed.

VitaLuna

This was a great idea in theory, and I definitely planned to do it. Now that LO is here... HA! Yeah right. Probably once or twice a week I will get a nap during the day. Two reasons: 1) there is always something else I want to do, even if it's just watching tv or playing on the computer for a mental break, and 2) I find it very hard to go to sleep in the middle of the day anyway, but even moreso when I know she'll be up in x amt of time to eat.

I do try to go back to sleep in the mornings with her until 10 or so, but that doesn't work out most days.

normandyn7

EMLYNNLERETTE said:

I did with my DD but not this time. It's impossible with a toddler and having a tornado husband. One thing I learned from my mistakes last time was to hand baby to daddy when he gets home from work and tell him to stay as far away from the bathroom (with baby screaming) as possible. Then shower with the fan on or music, or anything you can get lost in for 10 minutes. It is wonderful. I promise baby will live, even if you cannot wrap your mind around it. I couldn't. I also let my DH tell me he 'couldn't handle it anymore' for DD.... This one? *Pats him on the back* Yes honey, you can, now get out. I actually assigned DH chores. It sounds terrible, but in my house, that's the only way I get help. I told him the hall bathroom is his, he has to sweep the common area floors so I can mop, garbages, and he has to unload the dishwasher every night. If he doesn't do it, he hears about it. I am not playing the perfect wife game this time because it really killed my spirit last time trying to be wonder woman. That got personal, but I really think a lot of women put themselves in that position, especially those who aspire to be SAHMs. As much as we want to do everything, it isn't always possible to do it all and continue to be sane. And not smell like BO and spit up all the time.

Off topic. Thank you for this. I'm a FTM and I am having a hard getting DH to do anything around the house or even help with DS. Whenever DS starts crying he automatically assumes he wants me instead of just dealing with it or trying to soothe him. He doesn't do jack around the house so I have to try to clean on top of it. And he sleeps all night and doesn't wake up to help with DS at night in anyway. Right now I'm in graduate school and I go back to work tomorrow so I have a lot going on. I guess it's time to start laying down the law.

But to answer your question...no it's not always possible to sleep with baby sleeps. If I do end up laying down with him I can sleep for maybe 15-20 minutes TOP. You never realize this until you actually have a kid. In text it sounds easy and makes sense...in reality...no.