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Double Duty - Trials and Tribulations of Closely Spaced Siblings
By Anne Arthur
Challenges For Parents of Closely Spaced Children
One of the biggest challenges most new parents face is getting their babies to sleep through the night. That obstacle becomes even more challenging for parents of closely spaced children. Parents of closely spaced children often have 2 children under 2, 3 under 3 or more. That makes getting a newborn baby to sleep a lot trickier, and often leads to sleep deprivation among hard working parents.
Having closely spaced children is one of the biggest challenges parents will face. It is not only taxing on parents but it is also taxing on children. Many parents also find it is one of the most rewarding experiences of their life.
There are many advantages of having children closely spaced. Perhaps the biggest advantage most parents find is their children grow up to be lifelong friends.
Until your children are at least 3 however, one of the biggest obstacles of managing multiple young children is getting them to sleep at night. Often the oldest go to bed a little later than your youngest. Because everyone is basically still a baby however, most will need a lot of attention, coddling, love and support in order to even get to sleep at night. Then there are no guarantees they will even sleep through the night.
Tips For Ensuring A Good Night's Sleep When Pregnant With Closely Spaced Young Children
Being pregnant for three years in a row will challenge a parent in many ways. Sleep deprivation is often a big concern for mothers of closely spaced children. Handling the day to day demands of more than one young child is sleep inducing in and of itself. Adding a pregnancy on top of that can make sleep seem like something a mother only dreams of rather than participates in.
Fortunately there are several strategies parents of closely spaced children can adopt to ensure that they get a good nights sleep. In fact, many parents have used these strategies successfully to ensure that each of their children was sleeping through the night by just 12 weeks!
Here are some tips to try if you find yourself exhausted and need of some rest. Some of these will help you get your baby to sleep through the night, while others will leave you feeling refreshed throughout the day even when you don't have time for a nap:
1. Get your children to bed early. The latest your children should go to bed is 7:30, and many newborns will go to bed as early as 6:00pm. The more your children sleep, the more inclined they will be to sleep regularly and take routine naps. Most young children need between 9 and 13 hours of sleep minimum every day!
2. Offer your child a snack or bottle an hour before bedtime. A hungry tummy can wake up even the soundest sleeper.
3. Be sure you develop a sleep routine for your child. This may involve taking a bath, reading a book, having a bottle and spending some extra cuddle time with one or both parents before retiring.
4. Nap when your babies nap IF they nap together. If they do not, plan some quiet activities for your older children during the day that will allow you a few minutes rest. You can try for example popping their favorite video in for 15 minutes during the day while you put your feet up.
5. Consider lying in your bed with your older children for 15-20 minutes. Most kids will gladly hang out and rest quietly with you for a short time, allowing you to rest if not sleep for a small part of the day.
6. Implement a no TV rule 1/2 hour before bedtime. During this time you should dim the lights and stick to quiet and restful activities. Too much TV or other stimulus too close to bedtime can cause young children to behave in a hyper manner and disrupt their ability to fall asleep naturally.
Remember, as a parent of closely spaced children, the more sleep you get at night, the more likely you are to address the trials and tribulations that come with parenting closely spaced children! Young children, even if close in age, can learn to sleep well and sleep regularly!
About the Author
Anne Arthur is a freelance writer living in Denver, CO. Her new guide, the one and only for parents of Closely Spaced Children, "Double Duty: The One and Only Guide For Parents of Closely Spaced Children" is currently available at Booklocker.com by linking to http://www.booklocker.com/books/2323.html. Check out her site for more information and support for raising closely spaced children at http://www.CloselySpacedKids.com
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| Some other articles by Anne Arthur | |
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