How a Single Mother Can Alleviate Exhaustion

The Unforgettable Blog
Zayden (my son and I)

Most posts you see anywhere on social media talks mainly about mothers who have a significant other.  But what about us, the single mothers who are overwhelmed with exhaustion? We have it very hard right now with the pandemic and it appears that sleep is an illusion when you have an infant. Not every single mother has a great support system to help her when she needs it.

The Main Problem: Exhaustion as a Single Mother

When it is only you and your baby, you have no other option but to get up 2-3 times a night every single night to feed your baby.  There is nobody there to help and take turns with you.  It is just you, a single mother.

A Contributor: Not Being Able to Leave Your Child for a Night

After 8 months of no sleep, I was losing my mind! It felt like exhaustion was starting to become part of my normal day. I would have given anything for one good night of rest, but if you are like me your children are your responsibility and I do not out that responsibility on others. I also couldn’t imagine leaving my son for a whole night with someone else, even if it was family.

Other People’s Opinions: Everybody Says to Nap When the Baby Naps

Well, when you’re a single mother and work from home, baby naps mean mommy can work, clean the house, or do another chore on the endless list of things to do. Now every baby is different, and some babies are able to play or sit by themselves for a while.  For others, like my son, I have to be in viewing distance almost all the time.  On a good day, I can leave him to play and get some cleaning done, which is very rare.  On a bad day, I have to be in his playpen with him.  

So realistically speaking, napping when he naps every day was not an option for me. The only time I napped when he napped, was when I was feeling under the weather.  

What Has Worked for Me as a Single Mother:

My son is now 8.5 months old and still gets up 2-3 times a night to eat. I decided to give myself a bedtime of at least 2 AM. My son wakes up anywhere from 6-9AM. If he gets up from 6-8AM I will put him in his Evenflo Versatile Play Space, Indoor & Outdoor Play Space and lay down in there with him and take a short nap.

Why the Evenflo Versatile Play Space, Indoor & Outdoor Play Space? His crib didn’t have enough room for him to play around in, and I was worried he would fall off the bed if I put him in the bed with me. By using the Evenflo Versatile Play Space, Indoor & Outdoor Play Space I did not have to worry about him getting into anything he wasn’t supposed to so I could sleep soundly while he played around me.

Why Did This Work for Me?

I did it this way because during the day my son required so much attention that I was hardly able to complete any work. My son’s bedtime was anywhere from 6-8PM. With him going to bed around that time, me working until 2AM, and waking up around 8-10AM, I was able to get a good 6-8 hours of uninterrupted work and 6-8 hours of sleep!

Your Thoughts

If you are a single mother, what tips and tricks helped you? Please leave a comment below! Let’s help each other out!

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5 Comments
  1. I brought my son to sleep with me. He start sleeping through the night after 14 months. It’s exhausting!! But it gets better.

    1. I can’t wait until that day. I am ready for a full nights rest, but even then when he sleeps for to long, I still go and check on him.

  2. I am relate! My kids are 9 and 6 but I will never forget the beginning. And now they are with 24 hours a day! It is still exhausting. Thanks for the tips

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