Sleep. It's the hot topic whenever parents of infants gather - how long is your baby sleeping? How much sleep are you getting? Whatever those numbers are, it's never enough. And the advice about sleep can be laughable: "Sleep when the baby sleeps? What about wanting to shower or eat something more than a handful of almonds or needing to care for my non-napping older child?" Plus, advice about creating good sleep hygiene (habits and environment that promote sleep) just doesn't usually work for new parents: "reserve the bed just for sleep or sex - what about breastfeeding, or changing a diaper, or rough-housing with your toddler?" So, if you need more ideas for how to actually get to sleep or stay asleep with a new baby, read on. First off, prioritize sleep. Doula and life coach, Maria Dolorico of A Mom is Born recently wrote about this need to make sure you "sleep any way and any time you can." It really can make a world of difference to your mood to get a stretch of a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you have, are at risk of, or wonder about postpartum emotional complications (anxiety, depression, OCD, adjustment stress), then it's even more important to make sure you're sleeping. And for an excellent discussion about sleep management, breastfeeding, and postpartum depression, please see these two posts on Postpartum Progress. Here are my tips* for sleeping:
If it’s been more than 24 hours since you last slept, or you find yourself consistently unable to sleep when the baby is sleeping because of fear, worry, or sadness, please talk to someone: your OB or midwife, or your child’s pediatrician are good first calls to make. You can also contact Postpartum Support International for help finding a specialized therapist. *The "advice" caveat: I'm just another person on the internet making suggestions. Take what works for you, and leave the rest. And when you can, try to tune into what you think will help you. In the meantime, I hope this helps you get some more rest! Feel free to share strategies that helped you get through the worst of the sleep deprivation in the comments.
Emily
12/8/2014 10:04:15 am
None of these thoughts relate, but all were very important at various points of my daughter's infancy: (1) I tried to total the sleep I got all day, vs just the night, to avoid feeling stressed by low numbers! (2) My partner and I tried to split the night sometimes, so each of us got a good stretch. (3) I went to sleep in the guest room when I felt totally touched out... glorious. (4) When I missed my baby after being back at work, I would sleep in her room at night. It actually helped me relax just being closer to her. (5) When I thought that I should be " productive" rather than sleep, I reminded myself that I never regret sleeping!
Laurie
12/8/2014 10:11:17 am
So glad you found some strategies that worked for you, Emily! Love the idea of totaling the sleep over 24 hours - great mind trick. :) Comments are closed.
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