New Moms Over Forty...Sleep Deprived

I was so excited to be pregnant and having my first baby...finally... at 43 that I wasn't thinking about how drastically motherhood after forty would change my life. 

My husband and I had a very comfortable and relaxed life and routine, lots of freedom and independence.

As much as I was over the moon and in love with my baby, I just wasn't prepared for the months, no years of interrupted sleep and sleep deprivation. 

The first two years I was sleeping maybe 2-3 hours straight per night since my son just wasn't sleeping  well, I felt as if I were slowly dying, the lack of sleep was sucking everything from me; I was getting sick all the time, couldn't remember conversations, I had no interest in anything but trying to get my baby to sleep better so I could begin to function again as a human being.

Initially I didn't have any other moms to talk to that were going through similar experiences, so I felt very alone, my family wasn't near me and my husbands family just wasn't the same.

I finally found support online with other moms going through similar experiences and with older first time moms in my child's pre school. 

I'm finally getting more sleep now and do feel human again, but I also realize that being a mom comes with many changes in lifestyle one of them feeling like you never get enough sleep, ( because you don't) all my mom friends feel the same way, so I've excepted it and take advantage of sleeping in when I take a solo trip to visit family or friends!

Getting Your Sleep

If you do have supportive family and friends nearby let them help you, have them take the baby for a couple hours and let you get some zzz's, trust me you need every hour you can get, the better rested you are the better able you will be to take care of all the needs of your baby. 

• Add aromatherapy. If adjusting the levels of light and sound in your room hasn't made an impact, consider an herbal remedy that calms the senses. Adding an aromatherapy candle in a calming scent like lavender can help your mind to unwind at the end of the day and begin to shut down for sleep. In fact, a 2005 study conducted by Dr. Namni Goel at Wesleyan University's Sense of Smell Institute found that lavender improved the quality of sleep by helping subjects spend more time in deep, restorative sleep. If you're worried about the dangers of sleeping next to a lit candle, consider lavender oil on a sachet beneath your pillow or in an aromatherapy diffuser.
• Rework your workout. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon can help re-set your body's natural rhythms and sleep cycle, making it easier for you to catch some shut-eye at the end of the day. If vigorous exercise sounds like too much when you've been up all night with a crying baby, consider doing a few yoga poses before bedtime—a study on treatment of chronic insomnia with yoga published in the December 2004 Journal of Applied Psychophysiology and Feedbackfound that a simple daily yoga treatment led to statistically significant gains in sleep quality and total sleep time for participants. Gentle stretching helps your body relax and unwind, setting the stage for some serious drowsing.

 Cons Of Being an Older Mom:

As most women earn more money at 35 or 40 than they did when they were 25, there may be a sizeable drop in income if you are planning to be a stay-at-home mom. But if you return to work, you are likely to earn more than a younger mom, even if you return to work part-time. 

You are probably more confident and relaxed now than you were 10 or 15 years ago, which is a big plus when you're a mom. Having more life experience under your belt can bring maturity and better parenting skills. You're more likely to breastfeed your baby, which is good for your own health, as well as your baby's. 

You are also more likely to be emotionally and financially ready for children, and in a settled relationship.

Support For Older Moms:

One study found that older moms are less likely to live near their family or other friends with children. If this is the case, you may find it takes you a while to build a support network of friends in your local area. 

Taking birthing classes while you're pregnant will give you immediate contact with other local women who are expecting. Mommy and me groups after the birth may give you the social contact and support you need.