Trapped? Or Re-Directed?

Putting a new spin on an oft-discussed challenge with a baby...

I’ve spent the last two days on my couch, nap trapped. No really. I’m currently residing in my pre-determined baby feeding destination, two cushions to the right of our bay window allowing for optimal viewing pleasure of the great outdoors but not too up close and personal with random passersby who are separated by just a few panes of glass (and thankfully a significant amount of yard as well). If you’re not a parent then perhaps you don’t know the term “nap trapped” but as a first time mom to a two month old I’m becomingly increasingly familiar with this particular mom talk terminology.

However, it doesn’t take a genius (or a parent) to figure out what it means. It’s just as it says it is, I am quite literally trapped by a nap. My two month old eats in our aforementioned predetermined spot on the couch, and then proceeds to fall asleep. In my lap. Every. Single. Time. And whether or not you have children I’m certain you’re familiar with the well-known phrase - “don’t wake a sleeping baby.” It’s well-known for a reason! As much as baby prep classes and social media “mom-fluencers” make it seem like it can be this perfect choreographed routine, rocking their newborn gently to sleep before placing them in their $120 organic, natural fibers sleep sack to doze soundly in their $500 bassinet, let me be the first to burst that bubble for you. At least that’s not how it looks for us! But if what I just described is you and your newborn to a tee then honestly hats off to you. Mind sharing some tips and tricks for the rest of us???

Right now, in our household, we’re lucky if we have the ability to set our two month old in his bassinet for an extended period of time at ALL. It’s either contact naps, baby carrier naps or maybe a car seat/stroller nap here or there. So it should come as no surprise that I’ve found myself nap trapped for the last couple of days as my husband’s returned to work and I’ve taken up my post as full time SAHM. I was going to say full time mom but isn’t that the case with every mom? Once you have a child you’re never NOT a mom anymore.

I digress…

Back to my current state. It’s funny because just a week ago when my husband was still on paternity leave I felt more trapped by the nap than anything. Now, I find myself approaching it a little bit differently…

I’m sure I’ll get comments on this post talking about “enjoying these moments because they go so fast,” and I get it, I really do. I look at pictures from when we brought him home from the hospital and wonder how on earth that was EIGHT WEEKS AGO?! But it’s easy to make those comments when those moments and memories feel in the very, very distant past. When you’re in the midst of it, thrust into this transition from being go, go, go, marking your days by check marks on the to-do list, to being lucky if you even made a to-do list for the day, it can be quite challenging mentally. It’s been easy to look back at the end of the day and focus on all the things I didn’t get done simply because I was feeding, holding and loving up on my newborn. When do I stop calling him a newborn btw? Because I just recently found out there’s apparently a cutoff for that?!

Well, going on day two of my nap entrapment I’ve had a bit of an epiphany, an “aha moment” if you will. What if me being nap trapped is really just a way of forcing my hand and re-directing my “to-do” list? For example, I’m extremely far behind on my annual reading goal and now have to pump out 10 books a month for the next 5 months to meet it. You know one of the things I CAN do while nap trapped? Read. I set a goal for myself to write and publish a Substack post every day for the next month. Want to guess one more thing I’ve (awkwardly) managed to perfect while sitting on the couch with my sleeping boy? Writing. I say awkwardly because I can’t even begin to explain to you the gymnastics I’m doing to balance my heavy AF laptop on my knee, over my breast-feeding pillow with my arms rainbowed over this little sleeping angel so as not to disturb him. I actually had to take a break and re-position myself earlier in this post because he kept un-latching. I blame myself. Arms weren’t properly rainbowed over his head. Figures. I’ve been wanting to create more content for both my personal and business pages and I bet you can guess where I can do that from? Ding ding ding we have a winner! My happy, cozy little couch cushion.

So yes, I’m struggling in this season to get the laundry done, clean my house, put things away, photograph and launch a new collection for my business, and so much more, but I’ve managed to find ease with so many other things. So many other things in fact that I’ve been WANTING to do but harbored feelings of guilt over sitting on the couch (or anywhere really) and doing them. Especially when I could be doing so many more “important” things.

But who says they’re more important? I bet you my very sleepy two year old who’s most comfortable being held and napping on my chest would disagree. Right now, in this season, THIS is what’s most important. Providing comfort and companionship to this new baby who’s honestly trying to figure it all out just as much as I am. And the fact that I can squeeze in some reading or writing or content during that time is just an added bonus.

So Mama, if you find yourself in a similar position, trapped by the nap, stop and consider it a re-direction. Consider it an opportunity to focus on other things in this perhaps slower season of life. What are those things for YOU? I highly recommend getting yourself all set up with your supplies (water, laptop, snacks, book, etc.) before sitting down to feed (and becoming subsequently nap trapped) because once you’re in it, you are IN IT. Or worst case scenario just yell to your husband in the other room. Works for me.

And if you’re not a mom but could use a sleepy baby to nap trap you and help you re-direct your attention? Just let me know. I’ve got a great one for rent. Bonus, he’s really cute too.