Candyfloss & Dreams

Tag: guest post

  • Top 7 Ways to Get a Better Night’s Sleep When You’re Pregnant

    This is a guest post.

    It’s hard enough to fall asleep at night on the regular, but now you’re pregnant, and there are other comfort issues at play.   

    Although there’s really nothing you can do about the kicking and moving (at least until baby comes) there are some things you can do to make yourself as comfortable as possible so that you can get the maximum amount of sleep each night.  Because, after all, your baby is growing inside you and you both need as much rest as possible! Check out this infographic which talks about how your mattress affects sleep quality.

    Here are my top 7 ways to get a better night’s sleep when you’re pregnant:

    1. Find a position that works well for you.

    In general, everyone has a sleep position that they prefer.  Some people are side sleepers, some are back sleepers, some prefer a fetal position or to sleep on their stomach.  When you’re pregnant there are obvious reasons why some positions won’t work for you.

    It’s important to note that sleeping on your belly can be dangerous for the baby and for yourself, because it can restrict blood flow to both of you.  Know that sleeping on your left side is ideal for your circulation and baby’s blood flow and growth, according to WebMD, but ultimately you should experiment with different positions until you find the one that works the best for you.

    1. Invest in a pregnancy pillow.

    Pregnancy pillows can be amazing for helping you get comfortable at night.  Not only do they make you feel more comfortable but they also position you correctly, and help keep you from assuming positions that might be harmful to you or your baby (like rolling over).  

    If you’re not sure which pregnancy pillow is the right fit for you, you should check out this helpful list of comparisons from SleepAdvisor.

    1. Sleep in just the right spot.

     

    And I don’t mean in your bed.  Sometimes your bed is going to be the best place, but when you’re pregnant, that couch, armchair, or futon looks pretty good, too!  It all just depends on what makes you feel the most comfortable.  

    Sometimes it’s going to be the room that gets the coolest within your house, and sometimes it’s going to be in the chair that reclines the farthest.  Experiment with different locations, surfaces, and levels to find the best fit for you.

    1. Get a Maternity Band.

    Maternity Bands aren’t for sleeping with, but wearing one during the day can definitely cut down on your pain at night and allow you to feel more relaxed, leading to better slumber.  You can read this article from healthline.com on why Maternity Bands are super helpful during pregnancy.

    1. Ease Up on Caffeine & Large Meals Before Bed

    You’re pregnant, so you’re likely avoiding caffeine anyway.  If you aren’t, you definitely need to, because not only is it bad for baby but it’s also not letting you sleep as much as you should be able to at this point.   

    Additionally, although you are eating for two (or three), you should limit the size of the meals you eat before bed. Large meals before bed can lead to even more heartburn, indigestion, and it can make your body stay up all night trying to digest the meal, when it should be helping your baby grow.

    1. Find Things that Relax You.

    This is kind of an obvious one, but a lot of times women get so wrapped up in taking care of their families that they forget to take care of themselves. Make sure you’re doing things for you.  Wear comfortable pajamas, put on your favorite movie,  take a hot soothing shower, or drink a cup of sleepy time soothing (non-caffeinated) tea.

    You should make sure to do whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed right before bed for an amazing slumber.  If you don’t necessarily have a relaxation routine, you may want to look into yoga and meditation, and there are specific classes geared towards pregnant women.

    1. Limit Electronic Exposure

    Finally, as soon as your favorite movie or TV show is over, you should turn it off.  The worst thing you can do is try to go to sleep with the television on, or with your mobile phone in your hands.  The electronic glare affects your brain and “wakes it up”, leaving it even harder for you to go to sleep.  

    Not to mention, the jury is still out on whether the emissions from these devices can be harmful for you in large doses.  Make sure to be truly unplugged at night so you can go to sleep soundly. Of course, the one thing that you can allow yourself to have electronic wise, is a sleep tracker, which will let you know how much sleep you’re actually getting, and ways you can improve.  Here’s an awesome sleep tracker, and some more tips from Candyfloss & Dreams.

    Try these simple tips for a better night’s sleep and in no time at all, you’ll not only be sleeping with a baby, you’ll be sleeping like a baby.

    Better Night Sleep When Pregnant, Top Tips For Sleep

  • Noisy Boys – Guest Post by Blog Fox

    Noisy Boys – Guest Post by Blog Fox

    Apparently in some homes children are seen and not heard. I know it’s a completely antiquated idea but I have to admit that a tiny part of me finds it quite aspirational. My boys are SO loud. Off the scale loud. Grizzly took Big Bear to a football match last week and people were turning to look due to the volume of his shouts. At a football match! They were surrounded by noisy horns, yet still Big Bear’s voice boomed out. Little Bear is no quieter. He is very excitable and likes to squeal and scream. Unfortunately he is also going through a phase of shouting rude words at the top of his voice (and not just at home).

    I seem to say “don’t say bum-head” a lot more than can possibly be healthy. I’m pretty sure we haven’t done anything en famille where we have been seen but not heard. We  can usually be heard before you see us, probably at about 50 paces. Yesterday we were wandering beside a boating lake where a group of older model-boat building enthusiasts were sitting. Big Bear chose the moment we were passing them to start singing “I see you baby, shaking that ass” with about half his might, which is plenty enough to ensure that all the hearing aid users amongst the group had caught it.

    The thing is that I’m not a noisy person. I’m chatty but at a normal volume. I think I have a fairly quiet voice as I can’t project it at all. I always struggle when I’m running training courses and I ask people to work in a group – I can never get their attention back again and usually have to call on a louder voiced friend to help me. When I shout, Grizzly says I sound like a mouse whispering (though as you can tell he does exaggerate).

    Big Bear has a tendency to get into trouble now and again at school and I’m sure it’s because the teacher can hear his voice over everyone else’s, even if they are being just as silly. His sizeable lungs come into good use in assemblies though, as he’s very good at public speaking and a microphone is always surplus to requirements. Although I like fun and messing about as much as the next mum, my quieter nature can mean that I sometimes (often) find the incessant noise a little over-stimulating.

    We have recently completed a renovation project at our house so we now have an open-plan family room. I love how it looks and being able to keep a close eye on the boys. However, in auditory terms it’s much worse: noise levels have sky-rocketed and I can no longer hide in the kitchen. Usually it starts with two boys watching TV (perfectly normal and bearable) then one will lose attention and switch on his I Pad. The other will then want their I Pad, increasing noise levels to a little confusing but just about ignorable. Big Bear will proceed to play some music on his before also switching on his football game, which has its own sounds. Then, to tip me over the auricular edge, Big Bear will begin commentating as he plays (in his aforementioned none too dulcet tones). Little Bear has been to know to then want his music playing too. That is 5 or 6 different sound streams assaulting my brain at the same time! At this point, a cat usually saunters in and starts mewling plaintively and I feel as though I may drown in the cacophony.

    The TV goes off and at least one child is handed a pair of headphones, though unless I start doling out gags I can’t quell the noise storm completely. I have literally no idea how people manage more than 2 children. The noise alone would keep me locked in the bathroom most of the time. That said, I’m well aware that other children are not AS noisy as mine. I reckon in volume terms my 2 are equal to approximately 4 typically-voiced children. And it is not as though my 2 are shy and retiring creatures. They are both outgoing, opinionated and chatty (“spirited” if I’m feeling euphemistic). I shouldn’t complain about them speaking: as a Speech and Language Therapist communication is kind of my thing. It’s just that, now and again, maybe if they were quiet for just 5 minutes, my brain would really appreciate it.

    We have recently tried to introduce the idea of turn-taking in conversations as both tend to speak over the other. Frequently I have Big Bear giving me a very detailed account of what happened in Star Wars in one ear whilst Little Bear is chanting “Mum! Mum! Mum!” in the other without so much as pausing for breath. It is a situation compounded by me sometimes trying to speak to another grown up (can you imagine?!) or, God forbid, having a sensible phone conversation. I have realised that the secret to it all must be having well-honed ignoring skills. Grizzly has it down to a T. World War 3 could be breaking out but he’d still be happily snoozing. Unfortunately, I’m completely rubbish at it. Grizzly takes advantage of my poor ignoring if we are going to play a competitive board game like Scrabble or Boggle: he puts music on in the background knowing I won’t be able to think straight. It’s an affliction! During term time I cope by making sure I have a quiet morning at least once a week to give my jangled senses a rest. Now it’s the holidays, well, bring on bedtime! I love my boys so much but maybe sometimes, just for 5 minutes, they could be seen and not heard.

     

    Do your children have a voice like a foghorn? Do you have trouble ignoring the cacophony of

    parenthood? I’d love to hear how you cope with it.

     

    Thank you so much Blog Fox for willing to guest post here! You can read more about these noisy boys here.

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