Has anyone else been tired since becoming a parent?

[woollycaterpillar]

I feel like I’m tired all the time. I have a five year old ds and a dd who will be three in June.

I don’t think I understood this aspect of parenting very well at all and I guess I expected to be tired with a baby but didn’t give much thought to when / if it improved! And you get no downtime in the day.

Always tired

My autistic dd has always struggled with sleep and is currently awake with no signs of dropping off 🙃

Mine are teens and I still look forward to blood donors so I can have a lie down in peace!

I often find myself doing this. I'll be walking and close my eyes because I'm so knackered and then several seconds later will realise with a jolt that they're still closed.

I used to fall asleep whilst reading books to my toddler.

I’m surprised that you are surprised. People are always complaining about being tired once they have kids. It’s probably best to have kids mid 20s so you get a few years in your 40s with grown up kids & no perimenopause or elderly parent to look after.

I don’t think I’m premenopausal and my parents aren’t around so not that. I just ge tired with how early they are up and how full on it is all the time.

😂..of course. I've been tired since becoming a parent 22 years ago.

I was hoping it might get better but it seems not!

Oh gosh I remember those days - the micro naps while pushing the buggy 😂

Mine are now 22/18/16 and yeh I'm exhausted!
I think it's physical tiredness when they are small, and more mental tiredness when they are older. I seem to be worrying about them all the time!
(And yes, I'm awake in the night wondering what time they will be home, if they are ok or lost / drunk / abducted...😩)

I have only been tired and frazzled. The GCSE years were another round of epic lack of sleep. I had to take those herbal sleeping tablets to try and function.

Yes.
I didnt realise how long it goes on for.

Micronaps while walking the buggy and also having to run up and down office stairs to wake myself up in between afternoon meeting so I didnt fall asleep

I still fall asleep midafternoon most weekends.
Also on the tube home and sometimes briefly nod off on way in.

I cant remember what its like to have energy.

My dh was musing on HOW successful / senior / rich we'd be in we were as productive as we are now from when we were 20....

We both also wonder wtf we were doing when we were childfree and thought we were "busy" as we were busy doing nothing except lovely relaxing leisure activities 😅😅

Mine are 2.5 and 4.5 and now its getting towards summer I do find days more relaxing slightly especially when we get out in the garden / put with nature

No, nobody in the history of parenting has ever found it tiring 😐

JK, we're all exhausted 😄! It truly does get better though. Mine are older primary school age and I feel much more rested these days. I have more energy to do things round the house. For years, on a Friday, I would come home after work and only be able to feed kids, bathe kids and flop. Now I actually do things.

If you are more tired all the time than you think is normal, it is worth asking for a blood test. My friend did this and they all came back clear, she was just a working parent with two small kids and that was basically the GP's diagnosis! Definitely worth checking out though

I think that’s what I was asking, if it does get better. Seems not though.

I probably didn’t phrase it very well. I’m just wrung out, and it feels like it’s been going on forever and like it will never end.

Since I became a lone parent I've liked my "breaks" at the blood donors, hygienist, MRI scan, almost flu but enough to function at home. Used to think about having a rest on a park bench in my lunch break.

wooly it is hard. Especially if you have them 24/7. I have had to be really healthy to try and keep on top of things. Take multi vitamins and minerals, not too much caffeine, lots of water and as much bits of exercise as I can. To be fair, there was a lull in the older primary school years, from that age they can usually get themselves up at weekends and make cereal so you have a slower start to the day.

I’d say it’s not only sleep but getting an actual breather, which at your children’s ages you’ll only partially get from eg school because 3yo won’t be there yet. Also think of all the self care things you can’t do now that gave you a break, I was blown away when I analysed my pre kid life! You’ll need some of them back but then you get more tired chasing/ having those moments now! Hugs op, it’s all a vicious circle!