Life
As I write there's a 10-day-old baby in the next room, snoozing away. Needless to say, he's managing to get the recommended amount of shut eye, but my son and his 2-year-old sister are conspiring to keep their parents from doing the same. My sleep-deprived condition has me thinking wistfully about the glory of a mid-day nap, and all the things a mid-day nap will automatically fix for every new mom. I'd say a new mom can dream, but that would require sleeping and, well, we've established that's not a thing I'm doing much of these days. Yay parenthood, right?
When my first child was a tiny newborn, I used her first nap of the day as a way of playing catch-up and getting myself back to neutral. I wouldn't bother getting dressed until then, either, and I definitely didn't beat myself up about spending a good part of my day in my pajamas. Instead, I just considered my day to start a little later, especially since I would spend my night waking up every two or three hours to feed her. By the time she got up from her first nap, we were both just a little fresher and ready to start the day. We'd get dressed shortly after and I unapologetically owned the fact that, as a new mother, I was starting my day at 10:00 a.m. and not a minute earlier.
Now that I have a toddler and a newborn, napping in the morning isn't really an option. Like, at all. Still, on the odd day when the two of them are settled and sleeping at the same time, a mid-day nap is a great cure all, and automatically fixes the following:
The Grumps
Some people can manage to be cheerful on less than eight hours of sleep. I am not those people. I can do it for a few weeks, I guess, but after that my grump levels skyrocket. A good mid-day nap can definitely help you stop being a little grumpy at the tiny and adorable human who is causing your sleep deprivation.
Your Appetite
This might not be universal, but when I'm up in the night with a new baby, my appetite disappears. Or maybe it just refuses to get up before it's had either hours of sleep, too. Either way, a mid-day nap usually recharges my body enough to stomach some dinner, and we all know a new mom needs all the energy she can get.
Your Delirium
Oh, I hate that feeling when the adrenaline of having a very new baby has worn off and you just feel delirious, running on five hours sleep or less and incapable of deciphering what is what. While a mid-day nap might not get you back to "normal" right away (or ever, really), it definitely knocks the edge off that icky delirious feeling.
What You're Going To Clean
The answer, of course, being absolutely nothing. As a new mother I can't manage to take care of the house every single day, so sometimes the pile of dishes and that disgusting mess under the toddler's booster seat will have to wait. I am going to nap instead of clean, and that's definitely the better way to go when it comes to my mental health and overall wellbeing.
What You're Going To Wear
Pajamas. It's that simple, my friends. Or, at the very least, the coziest duds you can find. No need to think about what you're going to wear to venture out of the house when you are instead venturing to your bed. Problem solved.
Your Sleep Deficit
Not only am I the kind of person who needs eight hours of sleep, I also happen to be the kind of person who can't really stop thinking about how little sleep I got when I didn't make it to a full night. How annoying, right? But there's something about a mid-day nap that helps me feel like I've evened the score a little.
Whether To Make The Bed
I'm all for making the bed first thing in the morning, but if you think there's a mid-day nap in your future, don't bother! I say it's something you can tackle after your nap.
Your Cluelessness
As a new mom, there's a constant swirl of thoughts and worries running through my head. Am I doing everything right for my new baby? Does my little one have a fever? Is the swaddle too tight? I mean, it's never-ending, you guys.
A mid-day nap puts that stream of constant questioning on pause for a little while, and often helps me feel more level-headed when I wake up.
