When E was a few weeks old she didn’t nap at all, I had no idea why. All the other mum’s I know had babies that napped, not E she just screamed and cried! One day when I thought I was losing the will to live I put her in her cot, which she had never been in, so that I could go to the toilet in peace. A few moments later there was no crying, instant panic set in but I found her fast asleep. I was amazed, E would never sleep in her moses basket or in daylight but the room with her cot had a dark curtains and she fell fast asleep. Even to this Day E will only sleep in the dark, thank goodness for black out blinds.
From that point E would nap for an hour in the morning and an hour or more in the afternoon when she reached over the age of one she just napped for an hour to hour a half in the afternoon. E gave up napping when she was 2 years and 7 months, we took the nap away as she was taking a long time to settle at night. I had mixed feelings about the nap going. It was going to be so much easier not worrying if she didn’t get a nap, she would only ever sleep in the car or a dark room so I was sometimes tied to being home as I really wanted her to nap. A grumpy baby/toddler isn’t fun!
The negative side of her no longer having naps is that I no longer get that golden hour in the afternoon to do what I needed to do. Like today, I woke up tired and I really could have done with a little afternoon nap, when E napped I was able to do that which I was grateful for.
Not having the option to nap this afternoon made me think of some of the things I would do when E was napping, here are a few
- Run around silently shouting “YESSSS” and waving your empty hands. Even now when she falls asleep in the car when really tired I get the urge to do this every single time.
- Take your own nap.
- Do something productive
- Do something completely unproductive (like lying down and doing nothing), just because you can.
- Check Twitter, Facebook, email, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram…and repeat.
- Gaze in wonder at E if she is napping on me, until the phone battery dies and you realise you’re hungry and too far away to reach the TV remote.
- Have a shower or a bath in peace.
- Phone my mum or friend for a catch up.
- Read some blog posts.
- Pin some things on Pinterest.
- Check on E napping child, to see she is fine.
- Do something vaguely domestic like sorting some washing out.
- Read a book or a magazine,.
- Do some online shopping – or that thing I do where I put loads of things in the basket then a) realise I shouldn’t really be spending money on things I don’t need or b) E wakes up before I buy it!.
Today I missed that hour of peace and quiet other days I love that she doesn’t nap so we can do so much together… but that will change when I need a nap again!
What wonderful things do you get to do or get done when your little one is napping?
