things you can get done whilst co-napping

The hardest thing about having a baby who needs human presence next to them in order to sleep, is coming to terms with the fact that you will never have that 2 hour chunk of time where you can just do housework or have a shower in peace.

I found my mood really started to improve when I stopped focusing on the things I couldn’t do (laundry, dinner prep, cleaning floors) or what I was missing (alone time) and started focusing on the things I could do, and what I gained by co-napping.

So here is a list of some of the great things you can do whilst co-napping, sorted into categories of Learning, Earning, Nurturing, Fun and Productive. (though many things will cross over depending on personal tastes.)

Learning

• Readings for university
• Research for uni
• Writing papers for Uni
• Khan academy
• TED talks
• Podcasts, Blogs, Vlogs, Ebooks and online courses on a topic you want to learn about
• Decent parenting books and articles
• Documentaries
• The news

Earning

• Surveys
• Work emails
• Message clients
• Work research
• Creating ad campaigns
• Planning for projects/business
• Edit photos

Nurturing
 

• Meditation
• Prayer
• Paint your nails
• Sleep!!!
• Colouring in app
• Have a snack*
• Have a wine (obvs depending on how long between your baby's  breastfeeds)
• Snuggle your baby (especially skin-to-skin)

Fun

• Online shopping
• Video/ Phone Games
• Pinterest
• Social media
• Watch TV
• Reading/audio books (most libraries have free access to online books these days)
• Crosswords/sudoku
• Crochet/Knitting/Hand sewing
• Text/Message/Call friends
• Reminisce over old photos of bub

Productive
​

• Sort through photos
• Edit photos
• Organise/name files & photos
• Email family
• Plan / Research your next vacation or holiday season plans

Top Tip:


Keep a box with a drink bottle, some snacks, a book, your tablet/phone and charger near your nap station. Tissues, breast pads and burp rags are also useful additions.


* from your nap-kit or gather your snack just before nap time if there’s no one around to bring you one.