Sleep deprivation is an unavoidable part of having a baby, and clearly, that’s been true throughout the history of our species. But we also live in a society that seems to take some amount of satisfaction in getting by on little sleep. We think of sleep as time wasted, as lost potency. We forget – or neglect – the biological need of sleep.
How to manage sleep deprivation with your new born baby
Becoming a parent only stretches our already-too-thin sleep portions. Infant babies wake constantly to feed or for comfort throughout the night. We try to “sleep when our baby sleep” and piece it together to come up with a fair amount, but it often doesn’t feel enough. And now more than ever, new parents are very isolated as they make this change; they don’t have much in the way of backup support to help with the 24/7 job of caring for a baby.
So what can you do about it? After talking to lots of experts we arrange 12 expert tips for improving your sleep while bringing up baby. How to manage sleep deprivation with your new born baby
- Talk about your sleep needs – Do it early, even before you bring the baby home. Once you become pregnant, consult your ability to handle sleep deprivation with your partner.
- Use the hospital crèche – It’s there for a reason — do not feel derelict. This is your time to recover from birth. Let a qualified professional take care of your baby for the night or two that you are in the hospital. So that you can get all the rest you need and recover easily.
- Just say no to added burden – If you feel wrong about spending less time with your grown-up, you may want to join him on a trip with his class or take him for a unique trip to the museum. Think twice. Do not take on any additional responsibilities when you have an infant at home.
- Sleep when your baby sleeps – Every experienced baby nurse will tell you that the key to staving off postpartum sleep deprivation is to sleep when your infant sleeps. If your baby is having a nap, put everything down and take a nap too, as everything can wait — except the baby.
It is very intriguing to try and do chores, do laundry, wash dishes and clean floors when your baby is asleep. But admit that your house is dirty and messy and go to sleep as once baby is up, you have to be up too.
Also try not to use this time to make phone calls or catch up on episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, 24, or other favorite shows that you have been recording. How to manage sleep deprivation with your new born baby
- Say yes to help – Take all help that you can get. Most people are resistant, but if it is a family member, babysitter, or friend, accept help, so you can get a few hours of needed sleep. People think of sleep as an extravagance, but it is a medical necessity. How to manage sleep deprivation with your new born baby
Whenever you do get to nap, avoid radio, television, and looking at your clock so you don’t converge yourself on how much time you have left. A cool, dark atmosphere is also optimal for napping.
- Don’t fret if you won’t hear your baby cry – A new-born is a natural alarm clock and mothers manage to be accommodated to their baby’s crying. If you are worried that you won’t hear your baby or if the nursery is at a distance from your bedroom, buy a baby monitor and keep it near you.
- Outsource tasks – If your infant takes a bottle, ask your spouse to take on some of the feedings. If you’re breastfeeding, consider pumping and giving someone else a turn to serve. Try to share up all your household duties as best you can. How to manage sleep deprivation with your new born baby
- Keep your eye on the reward – One day — maybe tomorrow, perhaps when your infant is 8 months — she will sleep throughout the night. And so will you. Some babies sleep through the night earlier than others. If your baby is crying loud all night, talk to your paediatrician because there may be a medical reason such as acid reflux or too much gas which is a normal case.
- Don’t overlook the baby blues – Lack of sleep can lead to mood shifts, and new moms are at risk for infant blues or the more pressing postpartum depression. If you are feeling some of these symptoms, talk to your doctor to approach them. Mood changes may be made poorer by sleep deprivation.
- Rule out bearing sleep disorders – Short naps are helpful somewhat, but if you don’t feel like it’s enough, see an expert as there may be an underlying sleep disorder that can be treated. Sleep disorders like sleep apnea which is a pause in breathing while you sleep are very common among individuals who gain weight and may occur due to the weight gain of pregnancy. How to manage sleep deprivation with your new born baby
- Know Your Limits – If an individual sleeps for just four hours of sleep a night for four to five nights, her mental impairment is similar to that of someone who’s legally high. Keeping that in mind, new parents should shun making big choices until they are well rested. Having a buddy pick up a few groceries while you take a good nice needed nap is a good idea too as driving while slumberous is a real danger.
On the topic of mental fatigue, if at any time you feel like your lack of sleep is hurting your ability to take care of your child, or if waking up every few hours is making you so crotchety and irritable that you start feeling mad toward your baby, seek help for an expert. Talk to a friend or call your obstetrician and tell her that you’re at your rupture point. They will reconcile and get you some help before things rolled out of control.
- Look Ahead – Like the distress of pregnancy, sleep deprivation is a transient problem that will fix itself with time. Do what you can to get some extra shut eye.
