Tag: sleep

Girl Tribe Tales – Part One. Baby, why don’t you sleep?

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Today marks the first instalment of the Girl Tribe Tales! A collection of stories and even poems from The Girl Tribe. It’s a celebration of womanhood, motherhood and all the joys, trials and tribulations that come with being a woman.

First off we have this fabulous poem from Jude. A little ode to her son 😍 that made me laugh so much I let out a little wee.

Baby, why don’t you sleep?

Sometimes I want to weep.

I’m so tired why aren’t you?

When will you sleep the whole night through?

6 months of so many wake ups a night,

And yes I look at you and feel delight,

And yes I love you more than words can say,

And yes I treasure every day,

And yes I even love your poo sick and farts,

And yes I can’t bear for us to be apart,

And yes you are the best best prize,

But jeez I’ve got big bin bags under my eyes.

Without concealer and mascara I’d cause people fear,

And I’ve aged about 2 decades in half a year.

If you slept, I’d love you as much as I love you every bit,

But wouldn’t it be good to have a mummy that doesn’t look like shit?

So a good night sleep would be the cherry on the cake,

Some glorious sleep from ten until eight.

Love mummy! xx

I Drug My Child to Sleep – Confessions of a Tired Mum

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I’ve been so tired that I’ve slept fully clothed many times. I’ve been so tired that I haven’t bothered to make myself dinner and just curled up instead. I’ve even been so tired I’ve almost gone to bed without taking my three year old up to bed too.

This is life with a child who does not sleep. I rely very heavily on caffeine.

A few months ago, I sat in front of Tilly’s neurologist and told him that my child was broken, she could not and would not sleep. She was surviving on a few hours of broken sleep a night. I was only half surviving by letting her sit and watch Mr Tumble half the night.

So he offered me melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone made in the pineal gland in the brain. Tilly does not make enough of this hormone so now I give her synthesised melatonin made in a laboratory. It puts her to sleep but doesn’t keep her asleep.

It’s been the best thing I could’ve done. Raising a disabled child and her brother whilst juggling university and work is hard enough as it is… at least now she can have a few more hours sleep and I can catch a few hours too before she starts waking again around 3am and I have to get into her bed.