Sleep when the baby sleeps...or don't.

😴Sleep when the baby sleeps VS. Do not sleep when the baby sleeps.

😴I have been hearing alot of back and forth on the subject lately. So instead of telling you what I suggest as a doula, I'll share with you what I do as a parent of seven.

😴I never napped until my first pregnancy. I found that I just couldn't function without closing my eyes and resting my mind and body atleast once during the day.

😴Fast forward 12 years, and I hardly ever miss a nap. When the baby is dozing off, I take that time to find quiet activities for my kids to work on, and I curl up with my baby and melt into those baby snuggles.

😴But when do I get things done? Sleeping when the baby sleeps does make my schedule look different. But heres the thing, this type of schedule works great for "night owls" and the parents who find themselves staying up later than normal so they can decompress the day and steal alone time to just be by themselves. Both of which I do, whether I sleep when the baby sleeps or not.

😴 I sleep better during the night when I am satisfied with how much I stopped during the day to facilitate closeness with my babies, have had alone time to myself, had time to thoroughly clean my house without kids following me and messing things up again, had energy to read books and have epic dance parties with my kids and could prep things for homeschool. It also helps that a lot of my friends are night owls doing the same thing, so we can actually catch up during that time 😉

😴So what do I actually recommend? Well, I think everyone needs to be supported to explore all options to find the one that fits their needs best! There is no wrong option, if it is the option that makes you feel confident, supported, and successful in this journey of parenting.