‘Say goodbye to sleep’.

That’s one of the things I remember being laughingly told when we announced we were expecting baby number one, but the thing is it’s no laughing matter.

sleep after having a baby

I’m now a knackered mum of three and sleep is the one thing I constantly crave but can never get enough of – and if you’re a regular follower of the blog you’ll know I’ll happily bang on about it until the cows come home.

So when sleep specialists Bed Guru got in touch asking me to take part in their #NestGuru campaign – which is all about understanding the importance of sleep and that no two people are the same when it comes to sleeping requirements – I simply couldn’t resist.

They asked me to share a little bit about my sleeping habits and what sleep means to me, which made me realise there’s an awful lot they don’t tell you about sleep after having a baby.

Things they don’t tell you about sleep after having a baby

1. It’s surprising just how little you can survive on. Before becoming a mum I was an eight-hours-a-night girl. Minimum. Now I’m lucky if it’s half that.

2. Get the biggest bed you can find. If I’d have known we’d routinely have all three kids in our bed at night we’d have gone for a super king, without question. We’ve even got one long bolster pillow so we can all sleep comfortably in a line instead of lining up individual pillows (I know, bonkers isn’t it).

sleep after having a baby

3. Your mattress matters. BIG time. Since becoming a mum I creak in places I didn’t know it was possible to creak (I blame car seat hip and those other unavoidable pesky parenting injuries). Investing in a memory foam mattress has made a big difference to my quality of sleep – it’s the difference between a good night’s sleep and a mediocre one and how much I creak in the morning. If you’re thinking of investing in a new mattress Bed Guru has a range of mattresses to suit your own personal requirements from my personal fave the memory foam to pocket sprung to organic mattresses.

4. You could cheerfully throttle anyone who complains they’re tired when they don’t have kids.

sleep after having a baby

5. Competitive tiredness is unavoidable. Whether it’s with your other half, your best friend or other mums and dads at toddler group, it’s one parenting trap you just can’t help falling into.

6. A good night’s sleep can make you feel reborn. Six hours uninterrupted in my nest and I feel like a new woman. It’s just a pain you don’t know when it’s coming or if and when it’s going to happen again. Of course, there are things you can do to ensure you get the best night’s sleep possible, like keeping your body and metabolism healthy with supplements – see MCT Wellness reviews for more.

sleep after having a baby

7. You find yourself dreaming of your bed at random intervals throughout the day. If I had £1 for every time I think about climbing into my bed during the day I’d be significantly better off than I am now.

8. Hell hath no fury like a tired mama scorned. Only another sleep deprived mama can possibly know what it’s like to feel new mum sleep deprived, and it’ll bring out the worst in you.

sleep after having a baby

9. There are actually some good things about broken nights. Like moon beams and sunrises you wouldn’t see if you were sleeping.

10. Lie-ins are golden. I get Saturday mornings and Misery Guts gets Sunday mornings. And they’re non-negotiable.

sleep after having a baby

How has your sleep been affected since becoming a parent? Is your bed a nest away from it all like it is for me?

This post was written in collaboration with Bed Guru.

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