'tonics' for an exhausted cm?!

[mama2three]

Do any of you take supplements or could recommend something to wake me up a bit , my get up and go got up and went ( and dragged any libido i once had along with it! !) Im so tired! Sleeping ok , eating a fairly good diet , but am completely drained. Mindee just slept for an hour and a half and i was so tempted to sleep at the same time.
Dont really want to go to the docs , so what do you all take to help? Im even yawning writing this!

[FussyElmo]

I dont know but that sounds like me right about now. I can go bed at 9 and still wake up tired.

My bed too is looking really inviting.

[Gizmo]

when they are sleeping (like now) I have me time I will either come on here or sit and read a book. It has taken me a few months to realise that Im not Superwoman and even tho I work from home it cant be pristine all the time and dh can still help me out. I went to docs after Xmas got blood tests done they all came back clear but I was just stressing too much. Now when mindees leave and my kids are bathed I let them play and take myself off for a quiet long soak in the tub and I feel so much better now

[Goatgirl]

Do any of you take supplements or could recommend something to wake me up a bit , my get up and go got up and went ( and dragged any libido i once had along with it! !) Im so tired! Sleeping ok , eating a fairly good diet , but am completely drained. Mindee just slept for an hour and a half and i was so tempted to sleep at the same time.
Dont really want to go to the docs , so what do you all take to help? Im even yawning writing this!

Hi ,
I'm going to be dull and say, go to the docs, as it may be as simple as being a tad low in iron. I went for the same reason a few months ago, convinced it wouldn't be anything they could put their finger on, but was found to be slightly (!) anaemic.

The iron has made a difference, as has making sure I get enough sleep .
To be honest, this is just a very tiring job, physically and emotionally, and the nature of it does make it hard to keep it separate from normal life and 'switch off'.

Ideally I'd have liked to do a complete detox for a month or so: Did that a few years ago and couldn't believe the difference in energy levels.! Trouble is, its too time consuming for me now, to do all the washing chopping and preparing veg etc, 3 times a day and too mentally tiredto find a more efficient way... so I just make an effort to include good stuff into my average diet. Easier said than done when there aren't enough hours in the day, Lol.

I went a bit mad and bought lots of supplements too:

Zinc (with copper) to help absorb the iron; I also drink a little orange juice to help absorption and avoid tea as that inhibits it...
Omega 3, a version which has vitamin A, C, D and E in it too.
B complex vitamin
Spirulina
Co enzyme Q10, for efficient hormone function
Cranberry extract, because I kept getting mild water infections and
Echinacea (throat spray seems to work best for me) which I take at night if I feel run down: sore throat, glands swelling etc. It's like magic, I love it: wake up the next day and completely fine again.

I am feeling better, but I've just had a free hour and a half between mindees and would have had no problem at all just slipping into bed for a snooze . Maybe I'm just getting old


Hope you find something that works for you: especially for the libido

bws,
Wendy

[Mouse]

I'd suggest you go to the Drs for some routine blood tests. I went a while back & was quite anaemic. I take iron tablets now & it has made a difference. Apparently it's very common in women, especially if you have heavy periods.

Also, you need to acknowledge that you do a very tiring job. I often work a 10hr day, but before any mindees have even arrived I have been putting washing on, sorting out my kids for school, running the hoover round, setting up the toys & equipment for the day etc. Then after the last mindee has left I need to tidy up, help my kids with homework, so the shopping, cook the tea, do more washing & ironing. Yesterday I started at 7am and eventually sat down just after 9pm - that's a long day without taking into account the times I do paperwork, courses, kids' activities and going out.

I think we should all make a real effort to make some time for ourselves during the day. We don't get a proper break, so need to make time to sit down with a cuppa & switch off for a few mins...without feeling guilty for doing it!

[Bananabrain]

What Mouse said! and I take 'Feroglobin' tonic too. Can usually only get it from independant pharmacies tho'
Childminding is a really hard job. I don't think anyone that doesn't do it realises how demanding it is. Give yourself some TLC and try not to be so hard on yourself.

[RainbowMum]

I am currently taking bassets chewy energisers with q10 and also a zinc supplement as that does wonders for a flagging libido

[theplayroom]

i swear by metatone tonic packed with vitamins and minerals u can get in any supermarket or pharmacy