If your kids are up before the rooster crows, I feel your pain.
I’ve had to perfect my night owl routine as a mom every month because raising littles means you are ever-evolving…and ever exhausted!
You may feel like you’re always playing catch-up, trying to fit in all the things you missed during the day.
But don’t worry, you’re not alone! Here are some tips to help you survive (and thrive) as a night owl mom with an early bird kid.
This post is all about night owl routines for moms.
1. Ask for Help
This is the most obvious solution, especially if one parent is a night owl and the other is like a lark.
The morning person should take the early shift, and the other takes the late shift.
You can discuss and agree with your husband or partner to take care of the child as you get some much-needed rest for the activities of the day.
Another possible scenario could be hiring an early morning babysitter to take care of the child when you are asleep.
The chances are that you might be having relatives in the neighborhood, and therefore, giving them your key to help you out early in the morning with the child can be of great help to you.
2. Plan Ahead for Breakfast
Since you have low energy in the morning, plan ahead by making breakfast the night before.
This can make the early morning process of preparing a fresh meal less tiring for you, and you can sleep in a little longer.
3. Put Your Child on a Schedule
Even though the early days of a newborn can be accommodated, there are some options that you can explore.
Babies can be challenging to regulate in the first six months, but young infants mostly conform to the parent’s schedule when they sleep closer.
In this scenario, you can adjust the sleeping schedule of your baby by ensuring that you shift the feeding schedule of the baby.
After the baby is six months, you do not need to feed at night, and therefore, you can eliminate it to taper the amount of food that your child will need during the night.
You can replace this by ensuring that you give them a healthy snack before bedtime in small quantities.
This will shift to feeding during the day, making it very easy for you to have a more restful.
4. Shifting Your Sleep Schedule
Unfortunately, some kids will not budge from their sleep or wake-up times.
This could be because they have a fixed biological schedule, so the parent will be the one to adjust.
This means that you have to adjust your sleep schedule to go to bed early to wake up in time to be with your child.
For instance, if your child wakes up at 5 AM, you may have to adapt to a 10 PM bedtime to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
You can stop this by shifting your wake-up time to 15 minutes earlier.
It will be easier for you to change your waking time than the time you fall asleep, and therefore, you may want to consider to start making changes by adjusting your wake-up time.
You can also consider having early morning light and decreased nighttime light exposure to help you sleep faster.
Besides that, turn off your phone or television screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
This can also help ensure that you go to sleep a little bit earlier.
Another possible way you can adjust your sleep schedule is by ensuring that you maximize light exposure during the day.
5. Dim Your Lights At Night
When you’re up late at night, you should consider reducing bright light getting into your eyes.
Bright light can communicate to your brain that it is daytime, and therefore, it can continue pushing to be active.
To help your body and brain settle in the evening, you want to consider dimming the lights after dinner.
You should put down blue light-emitting devices at least two hours before you go to bed.
This gives your body the chance to produce melatonin which is essential for getting to sleep faster.
6. Try Natural Melatonin for Sleep
If you cannot sleep early naturally, Melatonin supplements help night owls feel sleepy a bit earlier.
You must ensure that you use this supplement correctly to achieve the right results.
You need to take it between 3 to 4 hours before you go to bed to kickstart the process of natural melatonin release.
To get the proper timing and dosage of melatonin supplements, you can consult a sleep specialist to analyze your chronotypes and circadian rhythms.
You need to avoid sedating medications since they can be tempting and can become addictive.
7. Naps Are A Good Thing
Make sure to get enough sleep yourself to be alert and present when you are with your kids.
This could mean scheduling a nap in the day to catch up with your sleep.
8. Use Technology to Your Advantage
There are many great apps and tools out there that can help you stay organized and on track.
For example, some apps can help you keep track of your sleep schedule, meal planning, and even your budget.
This can be a great way to help make the day-to-day a little bit easier.
9. Get Support from Other Night Owl Moms!
There are plenty of us out there, and we understand what you’re going through.
You can find support online or in person.
This post was all about perfecting your night owl routine.
As we have seen above, it can be tough for a night owl mom to deal with an early bird child.
You are not alone and many moms go through this successfully, so don’t despair.
Pro tip: start making small changes to your night owl routine gradually over time until everyone is in sync.
Once you follow some of the suggestions discussed above, with consistency and patience, you will find the right night owl routine that works for you and your kids.
Finally, remember that this is only a phase. Enjoy it as you watch your little one grow.
Hang in there!
Other posts you may like:
- Five Bougie Things That Make Mom Life Easier
- 21 Reasons Becoming a Stay at Home Mom May Be Harder Than You Think
- Engaging Diverse Picture Books for Mixed Children with Curly Hair
