This is a collaborative post.
It’s true what they say: if you’re talking about it, you’re not getting it. And we’re not getting it. Sleep, that is. When I was pregnant, I prepared myself for what I thought I could expect when it came to sleep as a parent. After all, it’s what everyone says to you before your first child, isn’t it? I found all the ‘get sleep whilst you can!’ comments infuriating, always said with a patronising little smile and a tone that implies you have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for. I knew Sunday lie-ins would be a thing of the past. I was well aware new-born babies need feeding around the clock. I thought my expectations were realistic. But never, ever, in my worst-case scenario thinking did I ever imagine I’d get to this point: twenty months of parenting with only TWO nights where Pickle has slept through.
Think about that for a moment. That’s around 600 nights in a row where I’ve gone to sleep not knowing for how long it’ll be for. 600 evenings where I’ve taken myself to bed, feeling anxious about what lies ahead of me in the next eight hours, worrying about whether the night will be full of little and frequent wake ups, or one big mega tantrum at 2am that lasts hours. Each day, the lack of sleep compounding a little bit more than the day before. Sounds like a right barrel of laughs, doesn’t it?
We’re at the point where we’re open to trying whatever we can to ensure a better night’s sleep. And if, thanks to Pickle, we haven’t got much control over the amount of shut-eye we’re getting, we can at least try our best to improve the quality of the sleep we do get, which is where Bed Guru comes in.
[epq-quote align=”align-left”]We’ve learnt that sleep is one of the most important aspects of our lives. Not only is it a vital component in the everyday functioning of our bodies, a rubbish night’s sleep can cause chemical imbalances of the brain resulting in a day to day attitude leaving much to be desired.[/epq-quote]Bed Guru is a leading online bed specialist, offering a huge range of beds, mattresses and bedding. They champion the idea that no two people’s sleeping requirements are the same, and by listening, educating and advising, they help customers navigate their extensive collection to find what is right for them. Seeing as we obviously need all the help we can get, I’m taking part in Bed Guru’s #NestGuru campaign, aimed to get us thinking and talking about our individual sleeping requirements.
Well, straight off the bat, my first requirement for sleep would be: more of it. Easier said than done though, eh? Truth be told, I feel completely clueless when it comes to all things beds. Not only have I never actually bought my own bed frame (we’re still using the same bed frame LPD had before I met him, even though it’s been broken and hastily repaired many times… with decking wood if I remember correctly! How embarrassing?), but we’ve never picked out a new mattress for ourselves either. After our old one burst a spring, we were really lucky to be given a new mattress from some friends of ours. They bought two for their home, one for their room and one for the guest room, but weren’t keen on it after a few nights sleep and so asked if we’d take one off their hands. I cannot tell you how excited we were to go to bed that first night! We felt like a King and Queen.
Now that Pickle spends half the night in bed with us, I’ve been wondering lately if it’s time for us to size up, and make the leap from Double to King. If we shift some furniture around, there’s definitely space in our room to accommodate a larger bed and I’m hoping a bit of extra space for each of us would help reduce the amount of times LPD and I get kicked, slapped and thumped throughout the night. He may only be small, but a star-fished toddler takes up quite a lot of room. A new sized bed means everything needs to be new: the base or frame, all new sheets and bedding sets and, of course, the most important element: a new mattress.
I’m a fan of a fairly soft-feeling, cosy bed, and always find myself checking out the mattress and bedding labels in hotels, desperate to try and recreate that plush feeling at home but worry about needing better support. For me, I think a nice pocket sprung mattress would be the way to go, maybe with a memory foam element to give a bit of added postural support. I’d finish it off with some top quality sheets, a nice high tog duvet (no matter what season it is, I like to be cocooned in a big fluffy duvet!) and a chunky soft throw to cover the bottom of the bed.
That all requires a bit of investment, which we’re not in a position to take on just yet, but I’m not sure how long I can manage to efficiently function if things go on as they are for much longer! I’m keeping all my fingers crossed that starting nursery will signal the start of longer sleeping patterns for Pickle, but if it doesn’t, I know what my first paycheck after going back to work will be spent on.
Our bedroom is always the messiest room in the house (which takes some doing, let me tell you), and I long for the day when I can come home, walk into a tidy bedroom, flop down on a big luxurious, plush-feeling bed and sleep for a full eight hours. That really is the dream, isn’t it?
Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post written for Bed Guru. By taking part in the #NestGuru campaign, I have been compensated for my time. All views and opinions remain my own.