total exhaustion

[mmm]

I'm 45. I have a baby of 11 months and a big girl of 8. I am so very tired that since I've had children I go to bed at the same time as them and can't manage even the odd late night as I'm too knackered the next day. Am I the only one who goes to bed before 8pm ?

I'm usually in bed by 10pm. But I'm up again at 6am for work and my ds (21mths) doesn't sleep all night.
Could it maybe be you need a wee boost, like maybe you have an iron deficiencty since the baby was born??
How many hours of sleep do you get in a night and do you wake up refreshed?

You're not the only one. I used to like going to bed at 8.30 before I even fell pregnant. However, now that I have ds I find getting to bed before 10.30 is a challenge due to the amount that has to be done each evening. And I have a fantastic dh.

Are you suffering from an iron deficiency. I'm sure you have thought of this already but just in case there is a fantastic herbal iron supplement that will give you a boost. It is in liquid form and can be bought from any health food shop. By memory it is called Floradix (or something like that). It is completely herbal so once opened must be kept in the fridge and used within 30 days.

What's your diet like. It might help to write a diary for a week or two of what you eat and when as this may be causing some of your tiredness. The body doesn't actually function well on three meals a day and it is much better to eat six small meals (approx size of your two fists together) over the space of the day as opposed to larger but less meals.

Are you just like me and love your sleep. I live for the day my ds is old enough to get up in the morning and keep himself amused so I can lie in until 10.00. Even 9.00 would be a good lie in.

Hey meanmum! Great minds think alike!!

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Hi mmm - I'm also a 45 year old mum with a two year old - constantly exhausted - and then I feel so guilty when I read about mums like lisalisa with three, plus one on the way, and working !!!!!!

Just to get through the day (and I'm a SAHM) I have a nap most afternoons when DS is asleep; think I'll shut up & disapear! (to bed).

hey all you tired (old) mums - how nice to hear I'm not the only Mrs. Fun on the block !I do have a good wholesome diet and I take supplements, maybe it's a hangover from my misspent youth - all those drugs just can't be good for you ! Anyway here I am now as pure as the driven snow and loving being a mother but would perhaps like to manage at least till 10, therefore having some quality time with partner (who is that guy ?)Well at least I can now imagine all you other mums reclining elegantly on your chaise longues'( grammar alert !) as I recline on mine !

I'm 35 have twin DS's 4.5 yo, and work 3 full days a week.
I don't go to bed, to sleep, quite so early as you mmm, but as soon as the boys are in bed (7:30pm), I change into my PJ's and take to my bed.
I've always loved my bed, I love to sit in bed eat, drink and watch TV. If I had no responsibilities, I could quite happily never get up, and be waited on hand and foot !!!!

I love bed, love reading in bed - much better than sitting downstairs watching boring TV. My excuse is that if everyone's watching a programme I don't want to watch, the only other place I've got to sit is in the kitchen. And that is much too near food!

I started a thread about exhaustion a couple of years ago. I'm not as tired now as I was then, so something must get better. I cut down on outside activities (was very active in PTA) to spend more time with family - resentful at first, but I think it was the right thing to do for us.

mmm, have no advice but can also sypathise. I have a 14 month old ds and a 3yr old dd and I am permanently exhausted. I met 3 people I knew in town today and the first thing each of them said was 'you look tired' and I had thought I looked pretty good when I left the house today!
Am off to bed pretty soon tonight!

Hi sorry to hear you are feeling so tired. Have you tried evening primrose oil, lots of people think its for depression and PMS; it is good for these but is also really good for tiredness and people suffering from ME have noticed significant improvements. There is also the chinese herb ginseng but its best to avoid this if breastfeeding. Acupuncture, shiatsu and reflexology are really good if you can afford them.

Does anybody else find that with their total exhaustion also comes a lack of brain power ? I am struggling for words like ' extravagant' these days - I used to be reasonably articulate and could even crack a spontaneous joke - please tell me that you too can hardly spin two words together now .( ddddur, must go and lie down )