Another thing that would be helpful is for co-sleeping, something that's safe if done safely, to stop being demonized by the medical establishment. Once I tried it (3rd kid), I realized that we're doing this to ourselves.
Yep! Another good example on the power of the language around the recommendations that neglect the mom health side of the risk v risk equation -- a disproportionately small (but dramatic) risk to the baby that can be mitigated in any number of ways, always seems outweigh the very real risk (stress, sleep loss, etc) to the mother.
For my first, we co-slept from her 4am feed to 7ish and that was only because I had a friend recommend it. Total sanity saver.
It doesn't work for everyone though. I know people who could not sleep AT ALL with a baby in their bed and definitely benefited from having separation at night.
And sure, nothing works for everyone. I would guess though that it would “work” for a lot more people if they were properly educated and encouraged around it, you know?
Wish I could like this 1k times. Hard agree on all of these points. Peri has been rough on my sleep and it directly affects my ability to cope with stress.
I was thinking about your work and I honestly think it’s vital because mothers are the foundation (women too but I’m particularly talking about mothers) and if the foundation is shaky and cracked and warped by these massive stressors we are all in trouble 😞
Great piece on sleep protection, Molly! I especially love this part:
"Let’s start with an eye on those early days — encouraging non-birth parents to take leave or demand leave, share nighttime responsibilities, and split caregiving tasks in those early days (I really do think this creates a divergent neurobiological path that carries throughout life). Let’s remind moms that their sleep is equally if not more important. Let’s lean into equal partnership and away from maternal martyrdom throughout the parenting journey. Let’s stop perpetuating the “just suck it up” mentality that normalizes shitty sleep as a price of motherhood."
YES, YES, and YES!
Thanks for including my story, and I'm looking forward to our conversation next week.
Your article on "The Sleep Prescription" offers such valuable insights into improving sleep quality. It's a great reminder of how essential good sleep hygiene is for our overall well-being. One aspect that particularly resonated with me was the emphasis on managing light exposure before bedtime. I've found that reducing blue light in the evenings has made a significant difference in my sleep patterns. For instance, using night ease glasses ( https://gloojo.com/nightease-sleep-glasses/ ) has helped me wind down more effectively, leading to deeper and more restorative sleep. It's fascinating how small adjustments can have such a profound impact on our rest. Thank you for sharing these practical tips—they're a helpful guide for anyone looking to enhance their sleep health.
Another thing that would be helpful is for co-sleeping, something that's safe if done safely, to stop being demonized by the medical establishment. Once I tried it (3rd kid), I realized that we're doing this to ourselves.
Yep! Another good example on the power of the language around the recommendations that neglect the mom health side of the risk v risk equation -- a disproportionately small (but dramatic) risk to the baby that can be mitigated in any number of ways, always seems outweigh the very real risk (stress, sleep loss, etc) to the mother.
For my first, we co-slept from her 4am feed to 7ish and that was only because I had a friend recommend it. Total sanity saver.
It doesn't work for everyone though. I know people who could not sleep AT ALL with a baby in their bed and definitely benefited from having separation at night.
Yes.
And sure, nothing works for everyone. I would guess though that it would “work” for a lot more people if they were properly educated and encouraged around it, you know?
100%!
Wish I could like this 1k times. Hard agree on all of these points. Peri has been rough on my sleep and it directly affects my ability to cope with stress.
Thank you! The sleep --> stress --> sleep spiral is the worst.
We really do need better research on this -- plus recognition that it is an issue so many of us face -- especially during perimenopause.
I was thinking about your work and I honestly think it’s vital because mothers are the foundation (women too but I’m particularly talking about mothers) and if the foundation is shaky and cracked and warped by these massive stressors we are all in trouble 😞
Exactly. We are ALL better off when women (esp mothers) are healthy!
Great piece on sleep protection, Molly! I especially love this part:
"Let’s start with an eye on those early days — encouraging non-birth parents to take leave or demand leave, share nighttime responsibilities, and split caregiving tasks in those early days (I really do think this creates a divergent neurobiological path that carries throughout life). Let’s remind moms that their sleep is equally if not more important. Let’s lean into equal partnership and away from maternal martyrdom throughout the parenting journey. Let’s stop perpetuating the “just suck it up” mentality that normalizes shitty sleep as a price of motherhood."
YES, YES, and YES!
Thanks for including my story, and I'm looking forward to our conversation next week.
Thank you, Devika! So much to discuss from here!
Yup, certainly! Excited to dive in!
Your article on "The Sleep Prescription" offers such valuable insights into improving sleep quality. It's a great reminder of how essential good sleep hygiene is for our overall well-being. One aspect that particularly resonated with me was the emphasis on managing light exposure before bedtime. I've found that reducing blue light in the evenings has made a significant difference in my sleep patterns. For instance, using night ease glasses ( https://gloojo.com/nightease-sleep-glasses/ ) has helped me wind down more effectively, leading to deeper and more restorative sleep. It's fascinating how small adjustments can have such a profound impact on our rest. Thank you for sharing these practical tips—they're a helpful guide for anyone looking to enhance their sleep health.