Moms and Taking Naps

This is absolutely normal and healthy and often necessary for sanity! I do this also whenever I can. And every time I am awake at night with my fifteen mo. old it is affirmation to me that those naps are time well spent! They are how I keep a smile on my face and have the energy to be there for the many demands of family life. I remember my mother saying that husbands like it when you take naps because then you have the energy to have fun with them later in the evening after the kids are in bed;-)

How about this: why don't you have dear hubby stay home with the kids for a few days, and then see how HE feels when their naptime rolls around?

Geez. Even with a good night's sleep, riding herd on two toddlers at once is exhausting. Lighten up, dude!

I too think it's totally normal to nap!! I do it whenever I can!! I do not look forward to the days when my daughter isn't napping anymore!!

Tell your hubby to kiss off! To the outside world, it may look like being a SAHM is the easiest thing in the world, but to almost any mom in the world would say BS to that. All those demanding children, even though we love them with each breath, can really drive a person into the ground. I know my kids do and they're 7 and 10, I can't imagine having 3 under the age of 5, so nap away honey. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Yes you have a problem! It's your husband. Sounds like he needs some attention and a nap. :)

I laughed out loud reading your post. Can your husband do YOUR daily schedule and not pass out on the couch?

There's an old saying, but it's true.."If Mama ain't happy, ain't no one happpy." It's a good thing you're taking care of yourself and napping.. a crankier Mom just might tell Dad to go to....

You take that nap, sweetie! Ignore him. Even if he is a oil rig roughneck, your job is WAY harder than his, I guarantee it!

Oh, my, IT'S NORMAL! You are lucky! My almost 4 year old stopped napping a year ago, so I cannot nap while my 18 mo. old is napping. I'm wondering what your husband thinks you should be doing, unless he is concerned for your health. Are you up a lot at night w/ the baby? My baby still wakes a few times at night, so I need a nap most days (though don't get one). If your kids are both sleeping through the night & you still need daily naps, then maybe you should consider if you have other "symptoms" and maybe go to a dr. However, if you're up a lot at night, the naps are most likely normal.

Are you kidding me?? Has he ever spent a week in your shoes?? I'm sure his day's aren't easy, but taking care of any sort of active being, whether it be dogs, to kids, to working retail. If you are spending day in and out with children then you deserve to take a nap here and there or everytime. I wish I could nap when my son does! He takes such short naps at 6 months, that it's just easier to relax another way. But definatly keep napping if you can!!

Um well I nap when my kids are napping sometimes. My Husband tells me to... so that i can rest too. He knows I get too tired otherwise and grumpy. LOL

NO it is not abnormal, as your Husband says. My Husband encourages me to rest/nap whenever I can. He knows I am so busy with the kids.

good luck,
Susan

I used to nap with my children every time they napped. Those little ones' sure can play you out. There is definetly nothing wrong with it. If you feel so much better after that nap then you surely deserved it. Your the one looking after those little ones' day in/and out. If the table were turned he would be napping to. Do I hear a little jealousy? :D

That really irriates me. We women have enough to deal with and he's going to throw that on your plate? Give me a break. He sounds annoyingly controlling to me. If it weren't for me taking a nap when my highly active kids passed out, then I would be clinically insane. His thought process is just plain wrong. That's not an opinion. He's wrong - point blank. He really doesn't get it, and is completely 110% clueless. I say print all these comments out and give him some reading to do. Don't you feel guilty for 1 second longer, because of what your husband thinks in this instance. You're the one who is with your kids day in and day out. Not him. Does he seriously want you to stay awake if you would rather sleep while your kids are sleep as well. How on earth does that effect him in any way if he's not even there. Even if he was there? He really doesn't get it.

Are you sleeping an abnormally long amount of time...or have trouble waking up when the kids wake up? If the answer is no...then I am not sure why he thinks it is a problem. He thinks you're not keeping up with stuff at home? Not paying enough attention to him at night? I thought that I had heard it all.

The only reason I would peg it as a problem is if the daytime napping effects your night time sleeping (like you are up half the night unable to fall asleep, or you wake up really super early in the morning--like 3 or 4 AM-- and you are unable to fall back to sleep)

Otherwise, tell him to quit being jealous and be happy that he has a refreshed wife who is awake enough to spend some time with him in the evenings instead of crashing at 8PM!

That is the best laugh I have had in a long time. What is your husband smoking?????

I nap when my daughter naps. She goes down for about 3 hours each day and I nap from 1.5-2 hours, generally. Without it our afternoons wouldn't be the wonderful time of day that they are. Sleep on, Mama!

My kid is three and I nap when she does.

If my boys would nap, I would nap :) I have a 5 year old, 3 year old, and 1 year old and let me tell you, nap now while you still can! Once my oldest stopped napping, followed shortly by my second, my napping days were done. You do not have a problem, enjoy your needed rest.

J.

Both my husband and I nap whenever our baby does because we are exhausted from the interrupted sleep at night and the running around all day that goes hand in hand with raising babies. I can't believe your husband thinks that!! You have TWO kids you're raising..you definitely need to nap!!

I nap with my kids almost EVERY DAY! Weekends included! They are 5 and almost 3. We are due with our 3rd in Sept. I've been doing this for 4 years now~

J. - it's TOTALLY normal. Don't even feel bad about it - these naps help your energy levels recover. In fact, since you have a chance to rest, your naps probably make you a better mom!

You are totally normal!!! I have a 3 year old and a one year old, too, and I don't always get a nap when they both are, BUT, I wish I could, and my hubby BETTER NOT say a darn thing about it. Who gets up when the 3 year old has a nightmare, or has a potty accident at 3 am, who gets up with the one year old who is getting his molars, 3 time a night screaming to give him edicine and get him back to sleep??? Who chases them around all day and keeps house and doesn laundry and cooks - MOM!!! We deserve a break whenever we can get one!

What exactly does he think you SHOULD be doing while they are napping???? Is there something that is being left undone, like dishes or laundry or something, that he has a complaint about? Or is he just jealous that he doesn't get to take a nap in the afternoon. Let him take over for a whole weekend 24/7 without any help from you (go to a spa for a weekend or to a friends' house) and lets just see how he likes it? See if he is not tired at all. AND he needs to rememebr this has been goingon for 4 years straight for you, you didn't get alot of recovery time inbetween #1's baby hood and the pregnancy/birth of the second one, so hmmmm - counting pregnancy when you don't sleep well for body aches and having to pee, almost 4 and a half years of sleep deprivation. Ask him if he would like you to be even more overtired, and grumpy, and not at all interested in "taking care" of HIM too?

sorry - can you tell I am a bit in the same boat....DH wouldn't tell me not to take a nap, btu on the days where i do leave something like dishes in the sink or something and take a nap instead, he is pretty crabby about it. Also, he gets out of doing one of the 2 bedtimes if he has the littlest complaint - last night his eyes were buring from allergies - but yet I was up all night the night before from a bed wetting and having to change the whole child and bed, and then teething with the other one, and HIS SNORING....UHG! In 3+ years, he has gotten up for anything with the kids maybe 5 times....only when they were both going at the same time, or when the baby wouldnt' stop crying for an hour or so ( becasue HE has to WORK - like what we are doing isn't work)...and yet he doesn't understand why I am not "interested" in his advances? I AM TIRED, and YOU are NO HELP.

Sorry for the rant in the answer - but you are TOTALLY NORMAL, and he is TOTALLY OFF-BASE!

I nap, everyday if i can :) I am fortunate enough to have a five year old that still takes naps!

not only is it a great idea but research has proven that naps are beneficial. Does he realize you have a 24/7 JOB and we are the only "civilized" country to not have some sort of mid-day break/recharge period?

there are studies done that we should all be taking a nap at work everyday -difference if you are working at home or at a place of business! enjoy - I wish I could fit one in!

I have a 5, 4 and 2 1/2 year old and all 3 nap daily and so do I.

I think napping with the kids is definitely ok. It sounds like your husband doesn't appreciate how much work it can be to take care of little kids. Although I don't always nap when my daughter does, I pretty often, especially if she's been up at night or woke up particularly early.

I took naps when my kids where napping all the time and don't feel like this is an abnormal situation. If you are especially tired all the time then you might want to check with your Dr to see if you are anemic or try increasing your vitamin intake and see if that helps. Most men don't understand how tiring it is to be a mom, wife, chief cook and bottle washer. Then men want you to be the sexy individual in bed at night. This takes a lot out of a women. If you are keeping up with all the thing that are required I wouldn't worry about it. However if you house duties, mom duties are suffering I would see your physician immediately, you could have post partum depression and yes you can get it later as your children grow older and not just right away after birth.

To have energy to keep up with two children - taking naps is completely normal! I have a 6yo boy and an almost 2yo boy and when the 2yo goes down for a nap I tell the 6yo it is quiet time for him and me also. If I am lucky, I get a little snooze too!

A nap is totally normal, and can reset your mood, so you are happy and ready to tackle the afternoon. My guess is he has never taken full responsibility for the children for any length of time. If he had, he would understand.

I take a short nap with my 4 year old every day. I usually get up after 1/2 hour to an hour, but she sleeps for a full two hours. I don't see it as a problem, but as an added benefit of staying home with her :-)

i have a very active 2yo girl and there are definitely days i want to take a nap when she does. i think it's perfectly normal. tell your husband to stay home with the kids and see if he feels like a nap by the middle of the afternoon!! lol even my husband, who works full time (fast food, odd hours) will take a nap some days when our daughter does.

J.,

I went through phases when my kids were little where I napped with them. If you feel refreshed and not groggy afterwards, you should nap. Small children are exhausting.

Good luck,
S.

What ever tell him to get over it! If I could I would do the same thing! Go for it girl..

Has your husband ever spent a full day by himself with the kids? You certainly have a right to rest while the kids are resting! You're busy and active with them all day, of course it's normal to need some down time. To get your point across you should be gone for a weekend and have him take care of the kids. :)

Really? Has he ever had a baby? I nap when I can. My baby is 7 months old and my other is 11 years. There were times when she out grew them that i would pay her a dollar to take a nap so i could nap! and if your 12 month still gets up at night even infrequently you have to nap too! If your body is tired, you need the sleep! So nap on!

I'm actually jealous! I would love to nap during the day. My son is at school & my daughter (3.5) doesn't nap anymore. So, no, it's completely normal to nap.

Ha I think we all want to hear what your husband had to say. YAY for naps!!!

How is he coming up with "abnormal"? Just his opinion? My comment to you is take your nap! My comment to him is "your wife needs to take of herself in order to take care of anyone else!"

There is absolutely nothing wrong with you! I took a lot of naps when my kids were young too. I don't think I could have gotten through the day without them! Your job is a 24-hour, demanding job...do what you need to take care of yourself!!

Of course it is normal. You are exhausted and the easiest way to get some rest is when the kid are napping. I was doing that 28 yrs ago when I was a full time student, mother, and partner. On week-ends when my daughter was napping so was I. So enjoy the naps while you can as the older one will stop wanting/needing that nap soon enough.

I think it's time for Mommy to take a week long vacation alone!! After he spends a week home with the 3 kids under 5 and keeps up with the housework, laundry, dishes, cooking, bathing, playing with the kids, play dates etc etc... He will see for himself that it is not only normal but necessary.
And he doesn't have to deal with the hugh emotional impact of your hormones trying to re-balance themselves. Of course you are tired.

I think you should do what you need to do to get through your day. If you feel better and have more energy when you take a nap, then do it. Don't feel bad because you are not a robot. Kids drain you, especially when you are with them all day long. I think it really helps with not loosing your mind sometimes. Good Luck.

i nap every day...no kidding....with my three year old...just because we can...and if you can I think it's fine....there are two drawbacks to taking naps: 1) i give up the "me" time i would get while my kid is sleeping 2) i'm kind of in the habit now of doing it and get sleepy the next day if i didn't take a rest the day before.....but overall, if it helps you to have energy for the rest of the day....and you are not hurting anyone....why not do it if it is something you enjoy.....if, on the other hand, you WANT to stop napping and feel like you can't....check into why you may be tired.....is it normal mom tiredness or are could you have a bit of depression....or, since you've recently had children.....could you have hypothyroidism? i became hypothyroid after i had my daughter and took medicine....after i stopped breastfeeding her, my thyroid went crazy and i couldn't get enough sleep.

if you feel like you are too tired to get through a day and it is not just because you have two kids....look into it with the help of a doctor....if you feel like you are napping cuz you love naps and it refreshes you to help you be a better mom....then nap now while you can! sleep has so many benefits....good luck....

I take FULL ADVANTAGE of nap time! I almost always need the extra snooze, so I take it. If it helps you feel refreshed and gives you that extra omph you need, take it! If i have things to do I will do them, but I never hesitate to try and at least get a 30 minute doze because let me tell you, children are exhausting, more than our husbands think!

i say hey, if you are there all day, running around with 3 kids, and they all manage to sleep at the same time and you can sleep too, why not?
it is NOT abnormal! you are probably up and the butt-crack of dawn and up much past the time the kids go to bed right? then you at some point have to tend to your husbands needs right? so im guessing you are running from say 7 am to 10 pm? roughly? thats 15 hours. FIFTEEN. that doesnt leave much time to sleep or have time for yourself or him does it? im guessing some mornings it might be 6 am or 11 pm too. so not only are you constantly taking care of someone else's needs, but you are expected to have the energy to do it all?
nono .

ask your husband if he would nap if he were home. chances are he would, i can guarantee it.

or even better, take a day off and let him have the kids all day long, by himself. turn off your cell phone because you are bound to get a lot of calls. (if you are breastfeeding i understand the need to be home with the 12 month old; but you can pump and go for one day.)

That is so weird. I have been *told* by my husband to lay down and rest while I can. Actually - just about everyone I know has said "You have got to learn to sleep when they sleep so you can keep up with them while they're this young..."

I have never heard of anyone calling it abnormal.

J. - your husband is all washed up! Napping is not only normal when you have young kids, it's healthy. My children are much older (17 and 20) and I still enjoy a nap every now and then. Actually, most Americans are sleep deprived. As adults, our bodies really need 8 - 9 hours of sleep every night (teenagers and athletes need much more). Napping is a great way to help make up the deficient.

Enjoy your naps - if you're sleeping in the middle of the day, your body needs the rest!!

Take a nap. Do not feel bad! Let him think whatever he likes, he is not home all day with them.

Oh my gosh, do not let yourself be shamed out of napping when your kids do. Its so natural for all humans to need a nap during the day, take a look at many latin cultures.

The only thing that can rival an infant in making for an exhausted mom is a toddler, and you have 3! Chassing a toddler all day and keeping the house picked up as fast as they become borred with something and throw it on the ground, or become curious about how things work and limits that has you running across the house saying no to save them from injury is exhausting. I have six kids (1, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 15) and there are days where I will grap a quick nap when they are napping and many others where I wish they would. As long as you are able to hear them wake up and get up with them there is nothing wrong with a nap!!! Have you husband try doing it solo on a long weekend like memorial day and I bet he'll change his mind quoick encough. You also might try keeping a spiral notebook with a list of every single little thing you do all day long lying arround where he can see it. - have discovered that a lot of people think being a stay at home mom is easy untill I show them my lists for the week. Then they change their tunes really quick. It's okay to be tired. It's okay to nap, it makes you a more alert and better mom!

I nap when my son naps for the most part, it gives me energy to finish the day and I feel it makes me a better wife and mother because i'm not so tired. You are very normal!!

I agree with everyone else! Mom's nap time is totally normal! When I first became a Mom, the best advice I was given was, "Sleep when the baby sleeps!" That single piece of advice has saved my sanity! Between my own kids and my daycare kids, I'm lucky if I get a nap anymore, but I try!

Remind him that if you get a nap, and aren't falling over tired, you'll be less crabby with him, and the kids! Everyone wins!

Normal. A nap never hurt anyone.

Wow. He is so off-base. OF COURSE it's normal for a mother to take naps! Mothering is one of the most intense, exhausting jobs there is. You have a baby and a preschooler and you are in one of the hardest stages as a mother, so it's no wonder you're tired.

Take a nap without guilt.

Has your hubby never taken care of the kids on his own for a long period of time? If so, he would see that the naps are a necessity. You are on-call 24/7 and your work is never done. Get your rest while you can!

my husband thinks the same thing for the most part. but it is normal to take naps when kids are sleeping. we are the ones up with them in the middle of the night not dad. unless you are a single parent. any ways sleep when you need to and poo on dad. until he is able to step into your shoes he will not understand what you do as a mom.

It is normal to take nap when your kids are napping,because you also need to rejuvinate yourself for the rest of the hour

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It is normal to take nap when your kids are napping,because you also need to rejuvinate yourself for the rest of the hour

More power to you! I'm not a good napper, but I always used the kids nap time as downtime for sure! Your 4 year old will out grow his nap in no time. Enjoy what limited nap time is left!

I have not read the other answers, but my FIRST reaction is HECK NO! That would be very normal! The constant focus and attention kids need at those ages is exhausting! In several years when they are more independent it won't be as tiring, but right now I think it's a great idea to grab a nap when you can to refresh and renew your energy to maintain a positive attitude. If you are happier and better rested it only benefits him as well!!

Um...my kids are 12, 9 and 7 and in school full time. I STILL take naps sometimes, because I know that the hours of 4pm - 9pm will WIPE ME OUT completely. Plus I don't sleep too well at night and I'm one of those people that can't function well on less than 8 hrs of sleep. Your husband probably doesn't realize that with kids that young, you're probably sleeping with one ear open and not getting the deep, restful sleep you need. Dads just don't get it sometimes...

I'm so sorry your husband says that! I do the same thing! My son is almost 2 and I LOVE getting to take a nap when he does, I really look forward to that otherwise I'm going nonstop. Sometimes you need that time to yourself to keep your own energy and sanity. My husband also naps when he has our son for the day :). I hope this helps!

I didn't read the other responses....but if you can get a nap in, go for it! Are you kidding???? I lay down when my three year old has "quiet time" and sometimes nod off. I feel lucky to get in a five minute break!

Yea! What they said. I have a 13 month old and am due in 2 weeks, I thought I was never,ever, ever going to get to nap again but now I have hope. Thanks.

NORMAL! My husband is a stay-at-home-dad to our 18 month old twin boys. He takes a nap almost daily!