How To Survive Sleep Deprivation

When you have your first baby, advice is to sleep when baby sleeps and to let the housework take a back seat. 

So, what about when you have a toddler and a newborn?

Or children who haven't let you sleep for a week?

Here are my tips for functioning with sleep deprivation and a toddler or three.. 

Make lists. 

All rational brain function is non existent when sleep deprived. Make lists of what needs to be done so that you can tick it off as you go through the day. It may seem silly to write down that you need to change baby's nappy after a nap or what times everyone needs to be fed. But if you are anything like me - without it, you may be wondering why everyone is screaming at you only to realise that it's 2pm and you forgot to feed anyone lunch. 

Let the tears wash over you and the cuddles fill your heart. 

When everyone is tired there are plenty of tears, tantrums and lots of little people who need you to fill their love banks. If you let their crying drain your own emotional tank, it's not long until you are on the floor crying with them. 

I do my best to let their tears wash over me and use the cuddles that they need to help fill my heart and give me the strength to keep going.

Get some fresh air.
If you can, get out of the house. Go for a walk and breathe some fresh air. A bit of sunshine and being out of the confines of the four walls can help everyone. Especially Mum - if nothing else, at least the crying sounds quieter out in the open air!

Eat well and drink water. 

This one is harder than it sounds. Today for example, I have had a whole block of chocolate because I am having a hard day on the end of a hard week and I am suffering for it. 

Try to choose foods with slow releasing energy so that you don't have to experience the blood sugar crash that forces you onto the couch. Reach for some nuts over the chocolate if you can! Same goes for drinking water. Keeping well hydrated will help get through each day and by choosing water over sugary drinks, you won't have that crash that can flatten you when you least need it.