Nap times

When Henry was a tiny baby he was a terrible sleeper (sign of things to come) and I remember desperately wanting him to do more than 20 minutes in his Moses basket so that I could nap during the day too. After a few weeks my mum told me I needed to take him to bed with me and let him sleep on my chest, and it was the best thing I ever did. I remember that sleep so well. I was shocked that he slept for hours, and I slept too, albeit lightly, terrified that I'd squash him or hurt him. But motherly instinct is a weird thing and you just don't squash your baby, you are so aware of them even when you're asleep and you just don't fall into a deep sleep anymore...I think that's part of motherhood, never sleeping well again!

Safe cosleeping then because something I researched and looked in to, having previously been adamant that it wasn't something that we'd do. We went back to bed every single morning together for Henry's morning nap and we had a nap together most afternoons too. I never ever felt the ridiculous overwhelming tiredness that some new mummies talk about, simply because I slept when the baby slept and we slept together. Of course there were bad days, days where he was poorly or unsettled, but never more than a day or two at a time.

And our napping together has carried on right up until now, almost three years on. Not because I created a rod for my own back, as some advised, and he wouldn't sleep anywhere else, but because we both loved it and still do. He will nap anywhere: in his own bed, on the sofa, in the car, at my mum's house, lying under a tree at Alton Towers a few weeks ago -  anywhere if he's tired enough, but our favourite place to be on an afternoon is cuddled up together, him in the crook of my arm, at home and in bed. 

I'm so sad that the days of just the two of us are almost gone. I'm desperately clinging to every single second, enjoying every nap time, kissing him that bit more while he sleeps, lying watching him for longer and taking just one more photo of his perfect little sleeping face. I've loved the closeness of our afternoon naps for the last three years and I really hope they can continue once Simba arrives - you never know, he or she might be more of a fan of their Moses basket than Henry ever was! But if not, I intend to make the most of afternoons with both of my children, tucked up away from the cold autumn and winter weather, together in bed for an hour or two. 

These beautiful babies grow up way too fast and I'm so grateful that I listened to my mum back then and took the advice of sleeping when the baby slept. The housework can wait, as can time alone or 'me' time. I just hope we can squeeze in a few more naps together in the next few weeks before Simba arrives, just me and my little Pigwidge.