Bringing a new child into this world is exciting, but boy oh boy, can it be tiring. Speak to anyone who has been through the parenting process before, and they’ll invariably tell you that the most difficult component is without a doubt the lack of sleep that you have to contend with.
First of all, it’s important to remember that this period will pass. You might be exhausted right now, but things will look (and feel!) a lot rosier in a few months. You’re also not entirely at the mercy of sleep deprivation. By incorporating a few tips into your routine, you can increase the amount of shuteye you get during your baby’s first few months.
1. Sleep During the Day
If you’re only trying to sleep during the night, then it won’t be long before you’re severely tired and need a long, long rest. Your baby doesn’t have a concept of night and day just yet — they’ll sleep at all hours of the day. So why don’t you? When your baby drifts away into the land of nod, use it as an opportunity to do the same. Even if you don’t have the ability to fall immediately asleep during the day, you’ll still be giving your mind and body a break. And when it comes to getting rest, remember that every little really does help! A 5-minute nap can do wonders.
2. Be OK With Mess
During normal times, you’ll probably like to keep your home clean and organized. In fact, you’ll probably insist on it. When you have a newborn baby in your life, however, you might have to make a few choices. You can get some rest, or you can spend some time cleaning up your home. Given the importance of being well-rested, we think you should take the sleeping option. There’ll be plenty of time to clean up later on. If you’re really feeling like a walking zombie, then leave your to-do list to one side and get some shuteye. We’re confident that you won’t regret it!
3. Alternate Nights
You and your partner will be a team during the first few months of your baby’s life. But you don’t need to be playing at the same time, not always, anyway. It makes no sense for both of you to be exhausted and in need of twelve hours of uninterrupted rest. One way to get around this is to alternate nights of getting up in the middle of the night. Many couples take turns throughout the night, but alternating nights works better — that way, you can be sure that you’ll be getting a real night of rest, rather than just a few hours. Spending the whole night asleep is possible, it just takes a little communication and planning!
4. Sleep In Separate Rooms
Another handy tip that can help you and your partner: sleep in separate bedrooms. Now, that might sound unappealing since, well, it’s nice to sleep with your partner! However, there’s a good reason for doing so: it’ll make staying asleep all the more straightforward. Your partner will likely accidentally wake you up when it’s their turn to get up. By sleeping in separate bedrooms, you can ensure that their constant coming and going does not interrupt your much-needed rest. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for you to spend nights in the same bed later down the line. When you need to sleep, have them spend the night in the guestroom. And of course, you should do so as well when it’s your turn to get up with the baby.
5. Establish a Routine
Your baby will sleep better when they have a set routine. And guess what? So will you. This won’t always be possible, since you’ll need to, first and foremost, make sure that your baby’s needs are being met. But do your best to stick to your routine. For instance, you might decide to get into bed at 10pm each evening. Many parents use night hours to watch television shows or otherwise unwind, but it can be best to simply hit the hay — you’ll appreciate getting a few hours of sleep more than you will watching the latest episode of your favorite show. Plus, the more consistently you go to bed at the same time, the easier it’ll be to fall asleep.
6. Accept Help From Friends and Family
Your friends and family will likely be more than willing to help you out. The only obstacle may be your response! It’s recommended to become comfortable saying yes when your loved ones ask if there’s anything they can do for you. In doing so, you’ll find that you’ll get many more hours of rest under your belt. Remember that, back in the old days, the entire tribe would raise a baby, so you don’t feel guilty that you’re not doing everything all by yourself. Plus, it’s good for your baby if they develop a bond with your friends and family.
7. But Be OK Telling Them Not To Visit
While it’s recommended to accept help from your friends and family when you need it, it’s also important to learn the art of telling them not to visit from time to time. If you’re really tired and can’t face the thought of someone turning up at your home, then tell them. There aren’t too many times in life when you get to be completely selfish and self-serving, but being a new parent is very much one of them. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for your friends to visit you in the future — for now, use your free time to catch up on your sleep.
8. Minimize Baby Wake Ups
You’ll need to get up the majority of the time that your baby wakes up. The solution to this issue? Minimize the number of times they wake up! That might sound like an impossible task, but it’s not really, there are plenty of ways you can increase the likelihood that they’ll sleep through the night (or, at least, sleep for as long as possible). One of the best methods is to swaddle your baby. As this comprehensive swaddling guide explains, a swaddled baby is more likely to sleep better. And that, in turn, will mean that you’re more likely to sleep better, too. Creating a calm environment and putting them into fresh, clean clothes will also help them to drift away to sleep, too.
9. Learn How to Relax
You might want to spend several hours sleeping, but sometimes, that won’t be a realistic option. Sometimes, you won’t even have the time to have a nap. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get some rest and combat your tiredness. Relaxing isn’t as good as sleeping, but it’s not far behind. To get the benefit, you’ll need to relax all the muscles in your body and empty your mind of thoughts. If you can do this for 10 – 20 minutes, then you’ll have given your body the micro break it needs.
10. Install Nightlights
A good hack is to install low-lighting nightlights in your home. This will ensure that you don’t need to turn on the main lights throughout the night, which would be more likely to wake you up. With nightlights, you can get up without fully waking up.
11. Minimize Technology Use
You’ll want to use your free time to catch up with all the other things going on in the world. But it’s recommended to avoid staring at your smartphone for too long. While it can be entertaining to scroll through social media, it’ll also keep your mind in a state of alertness that makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Don’t make things more difficult for yourself!
12. Be Wary of Caffeine
It can be tempting to pour yourself a cup of coffee multiple times a day when you’re a new parent. After all, you’re tired, and coffee seems to offer the antidote. However, keep in mind that while that cup of joe might offer you a jolt of energy, the lingering effects might make it more difficult to fall asleep later on. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to twelve hours, so it’s best to avoid those afternoon cups. Try to stick to just a cup in the morning, it’ll make it possible to nap during the day and you’ll also avoid those caffeine crashes that can make your tiredness feel even worse.
And there we have it! As we said at the beginning of the article: feeling tired is just part and parcel of the experience for new parents, and no matter what you do, it’s unlikely that you’ll feel genuinely fresh and energized during the first six months. However, just because you’ll have to accept that you’ll be tired, that doesn’t mean you have no say over how tired you are. By incorporating the tips we’ve outlined above, you can help keep your tiredness levels to a minimum. However, if you’re really struggling with sleep, then consider speaking to a medical professional. Plus, don’t forget, it’ll pass eventually!
Bringing a new child into this world is exciting, but boy oh boy, can it be tiring. Speak to anyone who has been through the parenting process before, and they’ll invariably tell you that the most difficult component is without a doubt the lack of sleep that you have to contend with.
First of all, it’s important to remember that this period will pass. You might be exhausted right now, but things will look (and feel!) a lot rosier in a few months. You’re also not entirely at the mercy of sleep deprivation. By incorporating a few tips into your routine, you can increase the amount of shuteye you get during your baby’s first few months.
1. Sleep During the Day
If you’re only trying to sleep during the night, then it won’t be long before you’re severely tired and need a long, long rest. Your baby doesn’t have a concept of night and day just yet — they’ll sleep at all hours of the day. So why don’t you? When your baby drifts away into the land of nod, use it as an opportunity to do the same. Even if you don’t have the ability to fall immediately asleep during the day, you’ll still be giving your mind and body a break. And when it comes to getting rest, remember that every little really does help! A 5-minute nap can do wonders.
2. Be OK With Mess
During normal times, you’ll probably like to keep your home clean and organized. In fact, you’ll probably insist on it. When you have a newborn baby in your life, however, you might have to make a few choices. You can get some rest, or you can spend some time cleaning up your home. Given the importance of being well-rested, we think you should take the sleeping option. There’ll be plenty of time to clean up later on. If you’re really feeling like a walking zombie, then leave your to-do list to one side and get some shuteye. We’re confident that you won’t regret it!
3. Alternate Nights
You and your partner will be a team during the first few months of your baby’s life. But you don’t need to be playing at the same time, not always, anyway. It makes no sense for both of you to be exhausted and in need of twelve hours of uninterrupted rest. One way to get around this is to alternate nights of getting up in the middle of the night. Many couples take turns throughout the night, but alternating nights works better — that way, you can be sure that you’ll be getting a real night of rest, rather than just a few hours. Spending the whole night asleep is possible, it just takes a little communication and planning!
4. Sleep In Separate Rooms
Another handy tip that can help you and your partner: sleep in separate bedrooms. Now, that might sound unappealing since, well, it’s nice to sleep with your partner! However, there’s a good reason for doing so: it’ll make staying asleep all the more straightforward. Your partner will likely accidentally wake you up when it’s their turn to get up. By sleeping in separate bedrooms, you can ensure that their constant coming and going does not interrupt your much-needed rest. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for you to spend nights in the same bed later down the line. When you need to sleep, have them spend the night in the guestroom. And of course, you should do so as well when it’s your turn to get up with the baby.
5. Establish a Routine
Your baby will sleep better when they have a set routine. And guess what? So will you. This won’t always be possible, since you’ll need to, first and foremost, make sure that your baby’s needs are being met. But do your best to stick to your routine. For instance, you might decide to get into bed at 10pm each evening. Many parents use night hours to watch television shows or otherwise unwind, but it can be best to simply hit the hay — you’ll appreciate getting a few hours of sleep more than you will watching the latest episode of your favorite show. Plus, the more consistently you go to bed at the same time, the easier it’ll be to fall asleep.
6. Accept Help From Friends and Family
Your friends and family will likely be more than willing to help you out. The only obstacle may be your response! It’s recommended to become comfortable saying yes when your loved ones ask if there’s anything they can do for you. In doing so, you’ll find that you’ll get many more hours of rest under your belt. Remember that, back in the old days, the entire tribe would raise a baby, so you don’t feel guilty that you’re not doing everything all by yourself. Plus, it’s good for your baby if they develop a bond with your friends and family.
7. But Be OK Telling Them Not To Visit
While it’s recommended to accept help from your friends and family when you need it, it’s also important to learn the art of telling them not to visit from time to time. If you’re really tired and can’t face the thought of someone turning up at your home, then tell them. There aren’t too many times in life when you get to be completely selfish and self-serving, but being a new parent is very much one of them. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for your friends to visit you in the future — for now, use your free time to catch up on your sleep.
8. Minimize Baby Wake Ups
You’ll need to get up the majority of the time that your baby wakes up. The solution to this issue? Minimize the number of times they wake up! That might sound like an impossible task, but it’s not really, there are plenty of ways you can increase the likelihood that they’ll sleep through the night (or, at least, sleep for as long as possible). One of the best methods is to swaddle your baby. As this comprehensive swaddling guide explains, a swaddled baby is more likely to sleep better. And that, in turn, will mean that you’re more likely to sleep better, too. Creating a calm environment and putting them into fresh, clean clothes will also help them to drift away to sleep, too.
9. Learn How to Relax
You might want to spend several hours sleeping, but sometimes, that won’t be a realistic option. Sometimes, you won’t even have the time to have a nap. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get some rest and combat your tiredness. Relaxing isn’t as good as sleeping, but it’s not far behind. To get the benefit, you’ll need to relax all the muscles in your body and empty your mind of thoughts. If you can do this for 10 – 20 minutes, then you’ll have given your body the micro break it needs.
10. Install Nightlights
A good hack is to install low-lighting nightlights in your home. This will ensure that you don’t need to turn on the main lights throughout the night, which would be more likely to wake you up. With nightlights, you can get up without fully waking up.
11. Minimize Technology Use
You’ll want to use your free time to catch up with all the other things going on in the world. But it’s recommended to avoid staring at your smartphone for too long. While it can be entertaining to scroll through social media, it’ll also keep your mind in a state of alertness that makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Don’t make things more difficult for yourself!
12. Be Wary of Caffeine
It can be tempting to pour yourself a cup of coffee multiple times a day when you’re a new parent. After all, you’re tired, and coffee seems to offer the antidote. However, keep in mind that while that cup of joe might offer you a jolt of energy, the lingering effects might make it more difficult to fall asleep later on. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to twelve hours, so it’s best to avoid those afternoon cups. Try to stick to just a cup in the morning, it’ll make it possible to nap during the day and you’ll also avoid those caffeine crashes that can make your tiredness feel even worse.
And there we have it! As we said at the beginning of the article: feeling tired is just part and parcel of the experience for new parents, and no matter what you do, it’s unlikely that you’ll feel genuinely fresh and energized during the first six months. However, just because you’ll have to accept that you’ll be tired, that doesn’t mean you have no say over how tired you are. By incorporating the tips we’ve outlined above, you can help keep your tiredness levels to a minimum. However, if you’re really struggling with sleep, then consider speaking to a medical professional. Plus, don’t forget, it’ll pass eventually!
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