'3 Years Na Akong Puyat' Sunshine Garcia Hilariously Sums Up Every New Mom's Struggle

Like any new parent, Sunshine Garcia is also an honorary member of the #TeamPuyat. While the arrival of a baby is welcomed with joy and excitement, it also comes with the caveat of finding sleep elusive for the next few years.

The former Sexbomb dancer, who just gave birth to baby Alexander last November 2021, painted a hilarious and relatable picture of the struggle of caring for a newborn through a 12-second Tiktok video.

Using a video filter, Sunshine is the very definition of a “mombie,” sporting dark under eyes and groggy vibes while patting her newborn to sleep. Her firstborn, Axel, was also in the frame and was detected by the filter, making the video even funnier. LOL!

"Sabi sandali ka lang mapupuyat. More than 3 years na akong puyat, nadagdagan pa. Anak pa more," read the text on Sunshine's video.

Motherhood and sleeplessness

Obviously, the video was just for fun. However, it still struck a chord with many parents on our online community when we re-shared it on our Smart Parenting Facebook page.

"Hahaha! Relate. Limang taon puyat sa shifting na trabah. Pag-uwi puyat pa din sa tatlong chikiting," one mom said in the comment section.

One simply said, “Relate much. Puyat is life mga mommies."

A new mom says her days of sleep deprivation alread feels like forever. "Ako nga 19 days pa lang puyat pero parang taon na pakiramdam ko."

Another mom remains hopeful for the day she will get enough sleep again. She says, "Ako din, 3 yrs lang sinasabi ko sa sarili ko, motivation ko yan, babalik din sa normal ang eight hours of sleep (crossing my fingers)."

It looks like this mom would have to wait for another three years for that to happen, at least according to one study.

The research published in the journal Sleep shows that new parents can once again get quality sleep when their child is done with kindergarten. Yes, that means almost SIX years of disrupted sleep after the birth of a child.

It also found out that moms are more sleep-deprived than dads during the baby’s first year. (Read more about this study here)

How to survive ‘puyatan’ with newborn

In a previous SmartParenting.com.ph article, we round up some tips and tricks moms found effective to keep themselves entertained and awake while caring for a newborn. 

Here are some hacks to cheat sleep deprivation. (Click here for the complete list)

Cliffhangers will keep you awake 

Those series cliffhangers can keep you wide awake because you just have to know if it ends the way you imagined. “I was able to finish rewatching all 10 seasons of Friends and a little of How I Met Your Mother during those times,” mommy Andrea remembers. 

Start a Mombie journal

Just like Sunshine, you can document all the #feels! When you’re sleep-deprived and exhausted beyond belief, you’ll have a million and one thoughts going through your head. Write those silly thoughts and rants down because it can keep your sanity intact.

Scare yourself silly

Fear beats coffee anytime! Nothing keeps a person wide awake, like watching an evil nun, a killer clown, or a possessed doll in the wee hours of the morning. “I used to watch Ghost Whisperer sa madaling araw. It’s not really scary, but the effect is different when you watch it at 3 a.m.,” Mommy Erika Guarino recalls.

There is light at the end of your puyatan journey, mommies! And when it feels like you’re really in need of some sleep, don’t hesitate to ask for help. As we always say here in Smart Parenting, self-care is not selfish. In fact, a well-rested mommy can always better care for her family.

Click here to read sleep advice for newborns from experts.

Want to get something off your chest? Share your parenting journey? Email us at smartparentingsubmissions@gmail with the subject "Real Parenting." Click here to read more 'Real Parenting' stories.