Why is it that when you have a baby who does not sleep everyone else you meet seems to have a baby who does sleep?
Don’t get me wrong. I think it is great. I am honestly happy for these people.
I don’t even mind when they tell me about it.
Which they do.
Every time I see them. Continue reading
My eyes are bloodshot and my head is throbbing. There is sick in my hair and my throat is sore from singing half the night.
I swear that this is the last time.
I promise myself I will do something about it.
But myself has heard it all before.
And she knows I am full of shit.
The latest instalment in the Survivor Stories is by formerly sleep-deprived mother-of-two Leila Boukarim. On discovering her son was a Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) she decided to change the world…starting with a series of children’s books!
LEILA’S STORY:
“Prolonged sleep deprivation is a miserable, unnatural phenomenon that will drive anyone to the brink of total insanity. At times, I was convinced it might even kill me. And no matter how many books you read or what people will tell you, nothing can really prepare you for the nightmare that is sleep deprivation.
When I came home from hospital with my first baby I became obsessed with everything being ‘normal.’ Is what my baby doing normal? Am I normal? Is this normal, is that normal?
I did everything I could to check that my newborn was progressing normally. I studied developmental charts in the What To Expect books and signed up for those monthly ‘Why The Hell Is My Baby Not Doing This Yet?’ emails that list all the things your little one really should be doing by now.
If you are a brand-new parent, a quick word of advice… Continue reading
The second in the series of stories by parents who have achieved success against the odds. Having children inspired and motivated them to accomplish great things!
Rachel Phillips’ experience as the sleep-deprived mother of a child with severe Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD), inspired her to set up an advice website and online specialist retail store. While the website has become a lifeline for many worried parents, the retail side of the venture has developed into a flourishing business, turning Rachel’s negative experience into a positive.
Continue reading
The first in a series of stories called Sleep Thief Survivors by parents who have achieved success against the odds. Having children inspired and motivated them to accomplish great things!
It was not so long ago that sleep thief survivor Lucy Jones was down, desperate and so exhausted she was hallucinating. However, after finally finding the help she needed to get her daughter to sleep, she decided to quit her career in customer service management and retrain as a sleep coach. The 34-year-old from Lincolnshire went on to set up successful business Love Mornings through which she has assisted many sleep-deprived families across the UK. Continue reading
It’s fast-approaching that time of year when many parents will be preparing to send their little ones off to school or pre-school for the very first time…
When I say preparing, I mean, lying awake at night worrying about the best way to get your child ready for this important milestone.
How can I help my child do well at school? What if she hates it? What if she cries at the school gates? What if I cry at the school gates? How can I make sure she eats her lunch? Will Best of Both bread be frowned upon? Continue reading
WE walked to the beach singing, “Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.” The baby was smiling in her pram as the toddler skipped along beside her. She spotted the sea, grabbed her bucket and ran down to the shore laughing, while the baby looked on and smiled. I ran after my daughter in a designer tankini that had absolutely no nipple leak stains on it what so ever (cue Baywatch music) and joined her for a paddle. Continue reading
After reading (probably) all of the lists of tips for sleep-deprived parents on the entire internet, (including Ten Ways To Tell You Are Sleep-Deprived – der, I am not getting any sleep?!) it seems that all I need to do to feel better is to eat nuts, do yoga and sleep when the baby sleeps.
Well, I have no time for yoga, my baby doesn’t sleep and the only nuts I consume are in an occasional Snickers bar – so I came up with my own list… Continue reading
ACCORDING to the experts, when you have children, regular date nights with your partner is key to a successful relationship.
Forget communication, mutual love and respect or not marrying a dick; apparently the secret to a happy and healthy relationship is to go on a date. At bloody night.
But according to me (expert on nothing) this is rubbish. Here is why: Continue reading
How To Survive A Sleep Thief 