How to Fight the Mom Hangover

Ok, so you can’t drink like you used to, me neither. Gone are the days of late nights and tequila shots followed by sleeping in all.day.long. Now, after a date night or moms’ night out, I have to jump up at the crack of dawn ready to manage my (loud) kids and my day like nothing happened. Whenever these evenings occur (which sadly isn’t very often anymore) I swear my kids sense it. They wake up numerous times in the middle of the night and super early the next morning, only making my mom hangover sooo much worse.  Have you ever tried to rock a crying baby back to sleep with a mild hangover in the middle of the night? DON’T.

Here are a few tricks I have found to fight the mom hangover.

Eat a banana first thing after waking up

My kids are monkeys, so I literally have tons of bananas in my house at any given time, and you probably do too. Kids love them! So eat one as soon as you wake up. This is a trick I actually learned while having hyperemesis during my first pregnancy (Yes, I had what Princess Kate had, but I didn’t look like a princess; I was sick as a dog). Bananas are high in potassium, an electrolyte that is lost with vomiting and frequent urination after a night of drinking!

Drink water in the middle of the night

Sounds easy right, but it’s not. When you wake up to soothe your child back to sleep, assist your toddler with a potty run, or to participate in a search party for a lost pacifier under a crib, drink a full glass of water. Make yourself do it. If I am worried about having a hangover the next day, I keep an empty glass by my bathroom sink.  Then I can quickly run in and fill it up in the middle of the night if needed without having to go all the way to the kitchen.

Eat

Again, obvious, but sometimes tricky. Last month, my husband and I were invited to a little adult get-together. The hour leading up to the sitter arriving, I was making my kids’ dinner, showering, etc. I didn’t eat. Then at the party, I was so busy chatting with my girlfriends that I didn’t eat. I actually didn’t drink that much that evening but felt horrible the next day because I never had dinner! Moms are always worried about everyone else—remember yourself too!

Pedialyte

Most people with kids have Pedialyte on hand. It’s perfect to give after little stomach bugs, etc. But it’s also good for the mom hangover too! Pedialyte is packed with electrolytes that can help you get back on your feet fast. The Pedialyte website even has a page about parents using their product after alcohol consumption! Best of all, you don’t have to keep a big container of it in your fridge. Pedialyte comes in powder packets that are easy to store in the pantry and are perfect for travel!

We hope these tips help you the next time you have one too many on a Saturday night, but please remember that we are not medical professions; we are moms sharing advice, and always drink responsibly—you’ve got little ones at home! Cheers!

Editor’s note: This article originally published on September 14, 2017, and was reviewed and edited prior to republishing.