Moms need a break — American mothers just want a good night’s sleep for Mother’s Day this year
Four in 10 moms just want to stay in bed this Mother’s Day, according to a new study.
A survey of 2,000 American mothers found 43% said the best gift they could receive this Mother’s Day would be a night of uninterrupted sleep.
Results also found that nearly two-thirds (64%) said they would feel like a better parent if they could get better sleep at night.
For many, the fight for ample sleep starts at childbirth. Of those surveyed, American moms of newborns only get an average of four hours of sleep per night, while also having to get up in the middle of the night an average of four times to tend to their child.
Almost seven in 10 (68%) mothers said their child woke them up every night as an infant.
Commissioned by Mattress Firm and conducted by OnePoll, the study found American moms aren’t likely to get decent sleep until their child is at least four years old.
More than half of mothers with partners (56%) trade off on who has to get up to take care of their child at night, but even then, 73% of moms said they do the majority of the work.
More than three in five (62%) often let their child sleep in the same bed as them. For those who do, it’s usually to bring their child a level of comfort (54%) or help get their child to sleep faster (52%).
Six in 10 moms (61%) are so tired they’ve even fallen asleep while putting their child to bed.
According to respondents, other times moms have fallen asleep include while breastfeeding, reading their child a bedtime story or cooking for their child.
“Most infants need between 12 and 18 hours of sleep with three or more naps in between, which is a lot of work for a new parent,” said Dr. Sujay Kansagra, Mattress Firm’s sleep health expert and author of My Child Won’t Sleep. “Truthfully, no child sleeps through the night — and when your child isn’t sleeping, parents aren’t either.”
Throughout a child’s life, a mother’s sleeping routine will likely change.
While 65% of moms said they’re lighter sleepers now than before motherhood, moms can look forward to better sleep in the future.
Respondents who have waved goodbye to their kids leaving the nest said they get an average of six hours of sleep each night.
For many, that’s a long way off — and events from the past year have also forced moms to shift their role and make sacrifices.
More than half (60%) have had to adapt to a new sleeping routine over the last year and nearly three-quarters (70%) have taken on multiple roles in the house, including nanny, teacher and housekeeper.
So it’s no surprise that 64% agreed that being a mom has become more stressful during the pandemic.
“Motherhood is full of sacrifices, and the last year has been no exception. Between work and raising my children, there were never enough hours in the day, and for that reason, sleep often fell to the bottom of my to-do list,” said Angela Wheeler, Senior District Manager at Mattress Firm and mother of eight. “The silver lining of the long hours and multitasking of the last year is how much quality time I was able to spend with my kids.”
WHAT’S KEEPING MOMS UP AT NIGHT IN 2021?
My kid(s) being home during the day for remote learning 63%
Working from home 57%
The pandemic 53%
Not having childcare 38%
General stress 31%
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