{Guest Post} 10 Things to do when you’re stuck under a sleeping baby…

Anastasiya shares with us what to do when you’re immobile with a sleeping baby.

I was blessed with two little boys who, at a younger age, refused to sleep anywhere but on top of me.

While all the snuggles and cuddles were greatly enjoyed and loved, this helped with no chores being done or even having breathing space because once they were awake, they wanted to be fed and given all my undivided attention. This was a lot trickier the second time around as I had to work while on maternity leave and multitasking with a sleeping baby on your chest proved to be harder than I had expected it to be. I survived though, because I found ways to keep myself busy and be productive in other things while my kiddos were happily snoozing away. Sure, the dishes stood piling up and the laundry stayed in the baskets but waking my babies up was a lot lower on my agenda than worrying about a couple of chores.

So if you have a baby that refuses to sleep anywhere but on top of you, here are some ideas to keep yourself busy.

1. Read.

If, like me, you love reading but never actually get a chance to getting around to it, now is that chance. I caught up on so many forgotten books that I had been planning to read for months, and I finally had the chance!

2. Write.

I wrote a lot of my poetry pieces while on maternity leave, because while the boys were sleeping, I had peace and quiet. I was able to keep my thoughts forming one after another and I became pretty productive. Also, I kept journals about my experiences with mamahood and all the thoughts that passed through my mind to reflect on later. Of course, I caught up on drafting blog posts and scheduling them for appropriate times so I knew that that was one thing I didn’t need to worry about later on.

3. Pinterest.

I have been a huge fan of Pinterest for many years now but couldn’t always find the time to actually enjoy it. While my babies snoozed, I pinned away like a mad woman. Of course, I also pinned loads of ideas for things I really wanted to do or try, and still haven’t gotten around to doing them.

4. Make a list of all the things you should be doing.

Why not? You’re going to be getting around to doing them eventually. The dishes won’t wash themselves, the dirty clothes won’t switch the washing on, and the clean laundry won’t pack itself away. You might not get to all the things you should be doing right away (or maybe in a day or two), but it’s a nice feeling knowing that you’re semi prepared for them to be done. Ah, wishful thinking at its best.

5. Wishing you had followed the advice of preparing ready-made meals.

I wished I had listened to the advice I was given about preparing ready-made meals so I didn’t need to worry about not eating when I didn’t actually have the time to cook. So I found myself thinking about all the delicious food I could’ve been eating while my babies were happily sleeping away. And no, I didn’t think of following the advice the second time around, it only came to me later, when I didn’t need it anymore.

6. Research ways of creating a clone.

Joking, of course. But it would be nice to have a double to take your place for a few minutes so you could use the loo in peace or take a much needed shower. And it would be nice if that double took over all the chores that required your attention.

7. Watch movies/series.

Have you been planning on having a movie marathon or catching up on series? You won’t have the same opportunity when your baby is awake and needs your full attention again. So while they snooze, mark those series and movies off your list and enjoy the moments of uninterrupted screen time.

8. Learn something new.

Have you been planning on learning a new language or trying some self-improvement techniques? Pinterest here might be your new friend as you scroll through thousands of ideas to help you reach those goals. Also, need to get some parenting advice or do some mamahood research? You can do all that, so it’s kind of a win-win situation; baby sleeps and you’re growing your knowledge bank at the same time.

9. Stare at your baby.

Those tiny newborn features won’t be around forever. Embrace every detail, admire every curve and even though, having a sleeping baby pinned to your chest might feel like a little too much, enjoy these moments. Soon they will grow out of this stage and you will end up missing these times, when your kids actually enjoyed cuddling, and staying still in one spot for longer than a minute.

10. If all else fails, take a nap.

You’re probably pretty sleep deprived at this stage and that’s completely normal when a little one enters your life. I’ve never been the type to take naps during the day, because I struggled to switch my brain off, thanks to all the reminders of the things I should be doing. Though I quickly got over this ‘problem’ when fatigue kicked in and I just gave in to taking naps when my babies took them, and with though warm little bodies against you, it’s very hard to resist the urge to snuggle and enjoy a snooze yourself.

Anastasiya Meintjes is a full-time working mom, to two little boys. She is a part-time night blogger while working as a copy and content writer by day. She enjoys writing about her two boys on Anniemation Floe while trying to squeeze in info about the rest of her life.

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