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Having a newborn in the house is cause for a lot of excitement and heightened energy, especially for new moms who are overwhelmed with the number of tasks they have to take on to take care of their baby’s needs. This is why you must look after yourself to better look after your baby. And sleep is an important factor that contributes to your overall well-being. Not to mention that it directly affects how well you function. So, if your baby is sleeping, why aren’t you? Many new mothers stay up all night as they are filled with too much nervous energy and excitement. Because what’s the point of passing out when your baby may wake up at any minute with a shrill cry for yet another feeding session, right? Wrong. Tackling your to-do list in the middle of the night will do nothing to prepare you for the next day if you are sleep-deprived and unable to complete mundane tasks without feeling taxed and exhausted. Sleeping is actually the best course of action for you and your baby so that you can survive the next day.
So, here are 6 ways to solve your sleep troubles:
1. Lie Down Even If You’re Not Sleepy
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The best course of action to help your brain shut down is to get off your feet and just lie down. It could be on the couch, the carpet, or the bed. But simply lying down without your phone or any other distraction will do wonders to help you feel refreshed. Don’t worry if you don’t fall asleep. It’s okay if all you do is close your eyes for a little while, it will help you feel relaxed and calm.
2. Ask For Help With Nighttime Feeds
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Having people you trust work the night shift for you is the best way to get a long stretch of sleep. As hard as it may be to hand the task over to another person, letting your partner or a visitor (like your mum) deal with your baby during the long nights will help you recuperate. This is easily done when your baby is bottle-fed with formula, but it is also possible if you exclusively breastfeed your baby. Pump earlier on and bottle-feed their breast-milk. Introducing this technique will help your baby take to it quickly so that they don’t need you to be present while they feed at night. This can ensure that you get at least 2 to 3 hours of added sleep during the night or additional sleep during the day. If breastmilk is stored properly, it can be used the next day, ensuring that you sleep through the early mornings while your partner feeds your baby.
3. Keep Your Baby Close
Get a bassinet that you can attach to your bed or sit next to. This will help you sleep better and for longer periods as all you have to do when your baby wakes up is scoop them up, feed them, and put them back in without shuffling and moving around, which can disrupt your sleep. This will help nursing moms get all the sleep they can.
4. Include Sleep-Inducing Activities To Your Nighttime Routine
As tempting as it may be to turn on the TV or put on a movie to unwind after your hectic day, watching a James Bond movie will not put you to sleep. This activity may turn out to be counterintuitive as it is just one other thing to turn your attention to. Instead, listen to something soothing, like mellow music or something that does not need your attention, like the radio, and drift off to sleep with soccer scores as background noise. Engage in something that takes zero to minimal effort so you can slide into a deep slumber.
5. Be Picky About Visitors
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During this taxing time, all your guests can be sorted into two piles: helpful visitors who can and want to help with tasks such as bottle-feeding or putting the baby to sleep, and unhelpful or aggravating visitors, like colleagues who only come over to talk endlessly, making you sacrifice your precious sleep and “me” time. Eliminate the latter as much as possible. New mothers with less social support sleep better as they are not putting their effort into staying connected and entertaining their many social circles. This is when you prioritize your health and your baby’s. Everyone else can take a raincheck.
6. Lay Off The Coffee
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Coffee has caffeine, giving you the kick you need to start your day. But gulping down mugs of coffee throughout the day will mask your tiredness and need for sleep and prevent you from getting some well-deserved sleep when you finally lie down.
As endless as they may seem, your sleepless nights won’t last forever. Eventually, your baby will settle into a routine that will enable you to get some shut-eye. So, hang in there and sleep whenever you can in the meantime.
