We’ve all heard the sage advice to sleep when baby sleeps – especially in those early weeks when sleep is oh-so-precious and oh-so-hard to come by. But with baby #3, here is everything I’ve caught myself doing instead:
1. Take care of the other kids.
I highly recommend this one. That whole “sleep when baby sleeps” thing is really only a possibility with the first (if even then) – and older kids and toddlers are apt to get into all sorts of mischief when left alone for even 0.2 seconds.
2. Check e-mail. Compulsively.Β
While technically work isn’t paying me for my maternity leave, it’s become such a habit that I can’t NOT check in. How are we doing? You still need me? Good! Wait – what? No… No, I’m not answering questions right now. Back off. You’re not paying me for this leave, remember?
3. Binge watch your favorite shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Need a good show to burn an hour or two (or 20)? I can recommend some. Maybe lots. Suddenly you’re not sleep deprived because you were up all night with the baby… You’re exhausted from staying up until 4 am to see how the season finale of Scandal wrapped up (spoiler: it’s worth it!!!).
4. Watch baby sleep.
Best way to spend time. Ever. Babies are wonderful. Hours can pass by in seconds watching your little one breathe & grunt & snuggle & drool. This is the absolute best. (Just kidding – they don’t sleep for hours – but Β for however long it lasts, they’re absolutely beautiful!)
5. Watch baby breathe.
Isn’t this the same as watch baby sleep? NO. Watching baby breathe is a paranoid obsession! Did anyone tell you babies occasionally hold their breath when they breathe? It’s horrifying. And once you start watching them breathe, you can’t stop. You won’t sleep again until they’re 5!!!!
6. Take care of yourself.
Have you showered today? In the last 3 days? Maybe if baby takes a really good nap you can wash your hair? Paint your nails? Get dressed or brush your teeth? Be forewarned though, most babies are born with an internal sensor that triggers them to wake up fully alert the second they sense you’re doing something without them. Especially if it involves putting them down to do it (so don’t count on shaving your legs!).
7. Shop online.
It’s hard to get out and go shopping with a newborn at home. And who wants to expose a newbie to strangers and germs and whatnot if you don’t have to? Not to mention having to get dressed. You can buy pretty much anything online. And it will just magically show up a few days later!! It’s a bit like having your own personal genie. I buy things online so often now a package will show up & hubby will ask what it is. Who knows! I don’t remember. A breast pump? Mascara? A handmade tutu from Etsy? It’s a surprise every time!
8. Read!
I heart my Kindle. You can download any book in seconds! Even preview them for free to make sure you like them. Brilliant. And with the Kindle mobile apps, you don’t even need a Kindle device to do it. Plus you’re not trying to balance a baby and a paper book, which is a fairly impossible task. There are also blogs, online forums & great websites to read! So read up!
9. Bleach your hair!!!!
Just kidding. Baby will wake up (see item 6 above). You’ll end up with halfway processed hair. It will not be cute. Just trust me on this one and don’t get any crazy ideas!!!
10. Snuggle
Just snuggle and enjoy these moments. They grow up too fast. Everything else can wait!!!
You’ll be surprised how precious little sleep you can actually survive on!
Oh yes I remember No. 5 on my first baby.
Some nights was so bad I’d have to poke him so that he moved I was so worried, he wasn’t breathing!!
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Exactly! Nobody warned me the first time around. You never feel done making sure they’re okay! π I still check on the 6 year old sometimes.
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Oh I do. Once #BabyPink had her bottle and settled I go check her 6 year old brother.
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I LOVE this post π The photo is beautiful and I’m trying so hard not to get broody now! I remember the days of watching them sleep and looking all dreamy at them, eeek I miss those days!
Stevie x ‘#TenThings
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Thank you!! π We just had baby #3 a few weeks ago (completely a surprise pregnancy) & she is the sweetest little thing! π
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Hahah I love this. When my baby girl was born I was all about 4 and 5 and now 9 months later it’s BLOG! #thelist x
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4 & 5 are definitely taking up most of my time right now! I’ve just added blogging to the mix recently! π
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I always sit and watch baby sleep and even wake in the night to listen to her breathing. I also love our afternoon naps snuggled up together, nothing beats them.
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I love it!!! Sweetest moments ever! π
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I tend to run around like a mad woman whilst my two big ones are at school when my toddler sleeps. My baby sleeps on my in the baby carrier whilst I do this lol #TheList
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You are awesome!!! I need to be more like you! That is what I tell myself (and baby) that we’ll do every day — but usually we get side-tracked by the items listed above. Today I resolve to be more efficient!
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I’m currently enjoying numbers 3 and 10. It won’t last forever and it’s nice to have a moment of calm amidst the chaos! #TheList
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“Moment of calm amidst the chaos”. Yes!!! It goes by much too quickly!!! There will always be dishes & laundry & everything else to do — but all-day-snuggle-days won’t last forever!!!
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Ahhh I’ve watched so much Netflix so far during my maternity leave! Fantastic list! xx
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Me too – especially in those very early days when you’re up all night! Some of the very few times I get to watch something that isn’t the super hero cartoons demanded by my older kids! π
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lol watching baby breathe is something I used to do – paranoidly! It’s a great plan to sleep when baby sleeps but that time to yourself to do all the fun things you listed is just so tempting! π x
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Exactly! So often I think “I should be resting” — and then think “oh – but I could just stare at the baby for an hour instead – she’s so cute!” I bet my husband wishes I would add laundry to this list! π
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I went crazy Internet shopping. We were on first name terms with the postman. My husband would come in and say “so what are we sending back now!”. I also watch my little one breath. He sleeps on his front, face down, bum in the air with his hands tucked under him. Doubly paranoid and lots of poking to make sure he is ok. Great post.
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Internet shopping is addictive!!! And fun!!! I’ll gladly pay shipping fees! π
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I sometimes get down on myself that I’m not doing more when the baby sleeps but I think there’s a lot to be said for just snuggling – it’s already going by too fast! Blink and he’s almost 6 months old! So yes, more snuggling! Less worrying! #thelist
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Yes!!! Now is definitely the time for snuggles!!! Enjoy every sweet, precious moment!!!! (Holding a sleeping baby right now!) π
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Great list! My mummy would sleep when baby sleeps Zzzz but binge watching box sets sounds a good idea too! #TheList
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It definitely makes the most sense to sleep while you can – I don’t know why I get so restless & feel like I always need to do something!!
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I wish I had slept when mine were babies but I really did just watch them sleep and check their breathing every 5 minutes!!! #TheList
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Oh yes – watching them breathe is a non-stop job. I would even run back to check on them while my husband was holding them! Baby #3 & I haven’t relaxed at all – I’m just as obsessive about it!
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lush post π it takes me back and I definitely did a lot of watching baby sleep and breath, lots of watching for breathing!! I also really enjoyed watching every romcom sky films had to offer (it had to be happy or I would lose it!). Thanks for linking up to #TheList xx
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Oh, I agree 100% about the happy films!!! I’m too hormonal/emotional for anything else!!! Thanks for reading!!!
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[…] Wild Ones – 10 things to do while baby sleepsΒ – Aww, this took me back. Did it make me broody? I’m not […]
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