Is anyone else exhausted????

[bmiltimore]

Okay, I must admit that I am exhausted! Lately I find myself just mentally exhausted at about 3:00pm.

My DD is 21 months old and usually wakes up at 6:30am and then naps from 8:30-10:30ish each day. Some days she takes an afternoon nap--but not regularly.

I use her AM nap time to shower, dress, clean up dishes, etc. Then when she gets up we spend time together, eat lunch, etc. By 3:00pm she is getting tired, but won't nap--and I am drained from being up since 6:30am and entertaining her.

On the days I work, I don't get this tired feeling.

Does anyone else feel like this sometimes?

Lately I put her in her crib for an afternoon nap and just make her stay in there for an hour or so which allows me to lie down and relax for a little bit.

My friends with toddlers have a totally different schedule. Their kids sleep in until 7:30-8:00 and then take one nap from about 2:00-5:00. I can't seem to get my DD on that kind of schedule because she is sooo tired at about 8:30am and she is ready for nap.

Any suggestions?

[Dee]

Betsy, I don't have kids but I'll try and help. What time does she go to bed at night? If you could slowly (do it a ½ hour at a time) get her to bed earlier, she will be ready for that afternoon nap I'm thinking.

I'm just going by what I remember my mom doing (she had 7 of us). I think 7-7:30 pm was bedtime for babies and we always took 2 naps a day.

HTH

[Mamawolf]

Okay, I must admit that I am exhausted! Lately I find myself just mentally exhausted at about 3:00pm.

My DD is 21 months old and usually wakes up at 6:30am and then naps from 8:30-10:30ish each day. Some days she takes an afternoon nap--but not regularly.

I use her AM nap time to shower, dress, clean up dishes, etc. Then when she gets up we spend time together, eat lunch, etc. By 3:00pm she is getting tired, but won't nap--and I am drained from being up since 6:30am and entertaining her.

On the days I work, I don't get this tired feeling.

Does anyone else feel like this sometimes?

Lately I put her in her crib for an afternoon nap and just make her stay in there for an hour or so which allows me to lie down and relax for a little bit.

My friends with toddlers have a totally different schedule. Their kids sleep in until 7:30-8:00 and then take one nap from about 2:00-5:00. I can't seem to get my DD on that kind of schedule because she is sooo tired at about 8:30am and she is ready for nap.

Any suggestions?


YES! Slow down and take a deep breath! LOL. For me, having at least 2 kids was easier than one! They keep each other entertained! Until she gets a little older, you will probably not be able to get her to take just one nap each day.

It seems that by your daughter getting up so early and then taking a nap almost right away, she seems to be getting up too early. Have you tried putting toys in her crib with her at night so when she wakes up she can entertain herself? No stuffed animals of course, but little plastic toys like connecting rings, play phone, etc. Consistency is going to be the key here... She's so used to you getting her up at that time each day. See if she will fall back asleep after entertaining herself for a while. I would give it at least 7 days before calling that a no-go.

If she just has to have the nap at that time, that may just be the way she is! Also, you didn't mention what time she goes to bed at night? I think the aim is supposed to be about 12 hours of sleep at night, so if she is waking let's say at 7am, her bedtime the night before needs to be 7pm. I have done this with my kids. If she seems to be getting tired in the afternoon at 3pm, you've missed it. When she shows signs of being tired, it's too late. I would lay her down for "quiet time" (that's what we call it) between 2-2:30. She doesn't HAVE to take a nap, but this is time for mommy to relax. Make it about 1 hour, to 1 1/2 hours, and if she has fallen asleep wake her up so she is sleepy for bedtime. If you keep doing this, she will see it as routine. The only reason I say to make it short, is that way she will be ready for bed at 7. We have dinner at 5pm, baths at 6, then start in for the bedtime routine and at 7pm everybody is in bed. They don't have to go to sleep, but it is lights out and stay in bed. That way you have 3 hours (if you go to bed at 10 to get YOUR sleep in) to do a little bit of cleaning and most of all spend time with your partner. If you make this routine, she will get used to it quick! Remember that it takes 3 weeks straight of consistency to make a routine, so don't get discouraged in the beginning! My kids are 2, 4, and 5 so I know right where you're coming from!

And YES! I'm exhausted all the time. I'm a SAHM!

[bmiltimore]

Thanks Dee and Mamawolf

Sorry that I forgot to mention her bedtime. She typically goes to bed between 6:30 or 7:00pm. She sleeps like a champ at night.

Last night she went to bed at 6pm because she was clearly tired and then woke up this morning at 6:45am.

Dee - your mom deserves a medal-of-honor for raising 7 kids!

Mamawolf--I do agree that if she had a sibling, she'd be more entertained. The days she is at my in-laws, they also have my 1-yr old nephew. He and Audrey play together very well.

DH and I are currently working on giving her a sibling. ;)

I will try putting her down for the afternoon nap earlier--good suggestion. When she was younger I followed a fairly strict schedule. She would wake up, nap two hours later, play for two hours, nap again for two hours, play for 2-3 hours and then bedtime. She seems to have outgrown this schedule--but only the afternoon part.

Again--thanks for the help!

[debbiepittman]

I have an 8 year old and a nearly 5 year old, both girls, both very active. They kind of run me ragged. I've been running on empty just about ever since about 40.

So yes, we all get like that at times and if you don't take care of yourself, it can become a way of life or even lead to disaster.

I'm trying to pick myself up out of it.

Debbie