Caring for a newborn baby is exhausting and challenging as a new parent. You have to frequently feed the baby, change their diapers, sing lullabies, and carry them around so that they sleep soundly. And this transition to parenthood compromises your sleep. But does it have to?
We all need 7–8 hours of sleep to function efficiently, especially new parents who have to take care of the baby’s needs as well. A lack of sleep may impact your parenting experience. For example, you might feel irritated whenever the baby makes a fuss instead of cooing and loving them. So, it’s essential that you get quality sleep – so you can shower your baby with love and be there every step of the way for them. In this article, we have suggested seven tips for new parents to get a good night’s rest.
7 Suggestions for New Parents to Finally Sleep!
Sleep-deprived new parents can follow these proven tricks to get a good night’s rest:
- Nap When the Baby is Sleeping: Studies suggest that newborn babies sleep for 16 to 17 hours daily. They take frequent naps lasting 2 to 4 hours. You should sleep and get some rest when the baby is sleeping. It can be challenging if you have other kids too. But, even a short nap can refresh you, so try to hit the sack when you can.
- Divide Nighttime Duties: You can share baby duties with your partner. Mothers can pump breast milk in the feeding bottles so their spouses can feed the baby whenever the child feels hungry. It will leave room for some extra sleep for the mom.
- Ask For Help: Whether it’s picking up groceries or holding the baby when you sleep, don’t be shy to ask for help. You can ask your family and friends to change diapers and help with feedings; it will buy you some time for rest. Also, whenever you get time, instead of focusing on vacuuming or cleaning the house, opt to sleep.
- Place Crib Close to Your Bed: New parents should place a crib near the bed so whenever the baby wakes up in the middle of the night, it becomes easier to put them back to sleep.
- Forget Social Graces for a While: Whenever your family, friends, or relatives visit the baby, don’t try to be a host. Tell them if you are tired, and when you are off baby duties, they will understand if all you want is to rest.
- Sleep Train the Baby: Three months onwards, babies start sleeping at a longer stretch at night. As a new parent, you should begin sleep training and teach your child when and how to sleep on their own without any help. Even though babies can’t sleep, research shows they can get cues when they are expected to go to sleep. They can eventually sleep on their own, which helps parents get a good night’s rest. Also, do not pick them up whenever they make a fuss. It will help them learn the habit of self-soothing. Once they start comforting themselves, they can fall back asleep on their own, and you can have peaceful nights.
- Follow Good Sleep Hygiene: You must maintain a proper sleep schedule and hygiene to get optimal sleep. All the baby chores can stress you out. Sleep is precious during this period of your life, if you or your spouse snores, it can worsen the situation. You can use a smart snoring solution like Smart Nora to get sound sleep and avoid disturbing your partner’s or baby’s sleep. It is a science-backed, patented technology that moves the snorer’s pillow whenever it detects snoring sounds.
Conclusion
New parents feel exhausted when taking care of their babies. This is because they make adjustments to meet the needs of newborns, especially when it comes to sleep, which makes them sleep-deprived. An easy way to combat this is to sleep when your baby is sleeping. Or try asking family and friends to help with some tasks like groceries so you can get some downtime.
Inadequate sleep affects every body system, from the brain, heart, immune system, and even mental health. If, even after trying all these strategies, you find it challenging to get adequate levels of sleep, consult a physician.
