Sleep Deprivation

For all of you parents out there going through your days in a big fog day after day, this one is for you!

Just when you think you've got it all figured out, BOOM! Another obstacle comes along like a new tooth, a cold, a growth spurt or a new developmental stage to set the middle of the night wakes back in motion. I hear, every time they learn something new or go through another developmental stage their sleep pattern can be affected.

Our toddler is a whopping 20 months old next week and is still a night terror, waking one to three times a night. I have been back at work full-time since just before her first birthday and often go through my days feeling exhausted and overwhelmed from the lack of sleep night after night. Or on those days I like to call myself 'momzie' (mom-zombie). You have to have a sense of humour to appreciate that one ;) . 

We have tried many sleep aid solutions, some are better than others, but have not found one single thing that works consistently for our sweet little Emma.

We have tried taking a sleep consultant course when she was about eight months old cause she was still getting up every three hours to feed. The advice was solid and we learned a lot of useful information around how long her nap times should be at various ages, what a sleep deprived baby looks like and how many naps a baby should have depending on their age. Some other useful tips included how to create the perfect sleep-promoting environment in their nursery and what not to do's. I have to admit, we only paid for a two hour session that was shared with two other couples and opted out of the full programs being offered. This was, in part due to a lack of finances on our part and is in no way a reflection on the sleep consultant. We have also tried black out curtains, a sound machine set to rain, essential oils (mainly lavender) both aromatically and topically on the bottom of her feet. 

Being a nurse, I understand that there are many side effects that can occur when one is sleep deprived, especially over time and I can definitely relate to some of these. 

I am wondering if anyone can relate and/or has any suggestions for what you've found helps?!

Looking forward to some quality z's sometime soon.

with gratitude,

Amanda 

xoxo