why am i soooo tired

[jollyfolly]

have been to the docs and had bloods checked etc etc and they showed nothing abnormal so i am guessing i am just exhausted through lack of sleep...... i go to bed about 11 and am usually woken up about 6am with one (sometimes two) interuptions in the night from ds, i nearly always sleep with him for an hour in the day as i am so tired. I am a single mum with no local family so everything pretty much is down to me and ds (14 months)is pretty active to say the least. I work just two days at the w/e when ex dp comes to stay to look after ds.... am not looking for sympathy just reassurance that it is ok and normal to be so constantly flipping knakered!!!.... oh and any magical cures or pick me ups would be good to!

I went to the docs with this problem and the not so sympathetic lady doctor advised me to get more exercise!!!! Cheeky bint!!!

Yes, my DD is now four and, although I am alot better than I used to be, I am still pretty much always tired.

However, at 14mo, I think I was prob in bed by 9 and now I still have lights off at 10.30 with a consistant 6.45 wake up call from short stuff.

Without being dim, can you not go to bed earlier? When she was tiny I was asleep, by 8.30 every night... (there again, I was also awake from 12-3 every night too....) Sympathies, I really remember that crushing, pinned to the sofa, tiredness. But I also know, that 11pm was way outside my league. Even now, I can't watch anything on TV that may end later that 10pm...!

more bloody exercise!!!! what the hell does she think running around after a tootdler (usually in the fresh air) is then????

God, I sound a complete wimp!

bootsmonkey.... ds goes to bed at 7pm and then i have to do all those boring daily routines.... some how never get much time in the day. I could go to bed earlier i guess but as i am on my own i never get anything else like letter writing or putting photo's in albums and stuff done if i dont stay up and have a bit of 'me' time.... that said i can often be found on here at ten at night which probably does not help much!

Why are you so tired... I think you've answered your own question! I would try and go to bed earlier. Your sleep patterns sound similar to mine and it does get to you after a while. Sleeping when he sleeps in the day is a good thing to do - I do it too.

Could you not get any time to yourself, just one night out a week with friends or whatever? It sounds like not only tiredness but monotony is the problem. I have a DH to help out so I know I'm lucky in that respect, but I found I'm much less tired now I've joined an gym and try and get there a couple of times a week. It's not just the exercise making you feel better (after a while!)but also the time away from kids and responsibility.

wordsmith... i was wondering myself if sometimes it is the monotomy that wears me out.... not that i find looking after ds boring but there are an awful lot of routines in toodler life!... i seem to have a miraculous spurt of energy sometimes in the evenings as if the pressure of constantly supervising,restraining tantrums and preventing desaster is suddenly relaxed and i can breath easy for a few hours.i was new to this area when i was pregnant so dont really know anyone well enough to let them baby sit for ds.... but guess i do need to start having the odd night out again at some point.... maybe i should enlist my mum to stay for the night.

Must admit, I did not do anything for myself for at least the first year (if not 3 - blurred memory!) as I was just so obsessed with sleeping! Wordsmith, I am sure your advice is sound, but my DD never napped more that 40mins at that age and only on me, so I never benefitted from a sleep in the day. I would have traded gold for sleep. I would have got a babysitter in and gone to bed upstairs if we could have afforded one and I thought we could have got away with it!

I will say, time to oneself is a VERY good idea, but sleep is (for me) ultimately a BETTER idea. One thing child-bearing has taught me is that with sleep, all things are possible....

Agree with previous posters re hte monotony aspect. Plus you need several weeks of early nights not just the odd one here and there.

Do you eat well? I've recently found that forcing myself to eat 5 fruit & veg EVERY day has made a difference (took about 10 days to feel the benefit)

But bascially, yes it is normal to feel knackered!

mercy.... i must remember to eat more fruit!!!! will attempt to eat some with every meal ds has... tbh i probably dont eat enough (have been losing weight another reason to get bloods checked at drs) so really i should be trying to eat more fruit stuff as it is easy and preparationless when my hands are tied feeding ds.
Not sure why i put this thread on here as it really is quite obvious why i am knackered!!! but nice to know i am not unique!

Did you know that just 3 dried apricots counts as one portion of fruit and they are packed with iron?!! Double benefit.

Don't be daft, you needed a bit of reassurance. Being a parent is very tiring - emotionally and physically.

btw, go to bed

No, it is true, small children have the ability to suck the life out of you from quite a distance. However, I know (now) that I need 8 hrs sleep a night and I am so much better with 9 or 10. However, I will rarely see 9 or 10 again, but I can aim for 8. I can get by on 7 for a short period - a consistent spate of 6hrs leaves me evil (ask my husband and DD)! I do nap in the day now whenever possible, much to the amusement of my friends with (older) children. It really depends upon you. If you think you are in equilibrium, then keep doing what you are doing. If you are seriously tired, then slow down and get more sleep. However, If you do not turn into a monster with lack of sleep and are happy, then keep it up! It does get better.... however, I now consider 7.30 a good lie in... 8am is a miracle!

I just wish I could get away with less sleep!

You eating enough Carbs? you BFing? I got mega tired about 2 weeks ago because I dropped alot of snacks because I was worried as I was putting on weight, but I couldnt get out of bed afterwards!

bootsmonkey.... i am definately barely suviving on the sleep i (dont) get... so think i will have to try and sort out an early bedtime,might have the energy to get more done in the day then (and hence not have to run round cleaning/washing/ironing in the evenings!). I am still bf quootiepie which probably does not help... esp as he is amonster feeder still! i think i get enough carbs (eat alot of toast as it is quick and easy and usually pasta for tea) am a veggie so probably need to take a serious look at my food groups and stuff... when i get the energy!
Will be buying apricots tomorrow, ds loves them as well so no excuse for not eating them really!
Bugger will you look at that... nearly eleven!!!! I will go to bed now!!... after feeding the rabbit... folding the washing... cleaning the bath out... yawn...