Sleep is essential to human health and development, especially to babies and children. Thus, as a parent, you ensure that your kids get the right amount of sleep; you either hum them some soft melodies or read them their favorite bedtime stories just to make them fall asleep. On that account, by the time your kids have adrift to their dreamland that is the perfect moment to do some small chores before hitting the bed. But that is completely different when you are a new mom.
While a mom of two, three, or more kids are having difficulties dealing with the everyday stress of keeping their children’s life organized and healthy, new mothers of a newborn baby, on the other hand, experiences twice the stress of the former, which also triples when your other kids are in total chaos.
For new mothers and even a mother of a newborn baby, the first few months is vital for their health – especially to make them keep their sanity. According to studies, PPD or post-partum depression is frequently linked to sleep deprivation; when a new mother is unable to get enough sleep, she is in greater risk of acquiring physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. So, if there is a chance for you to sleep, you need to grab it; sometimes, cat-nap is the best way to defeat sleep deprivation. “Sleep when your baby sleeps” but you can still maximize sleep and survive sleep deprivation as a new mother through these following tips:
1. Ask for help
You are not a supermom that can do all things after giving birth; ask for help. To stretch your sleep, ask your husband to take turns in feeding (either bottle feeding or bottled breast milk) or changing the diaper.
Also, during weekends, use special chances to have some quality sleep. If your husband is around, ask for some time for him to attend to the baby and your other kids just to have a quality power nap.
2. Always keep the baby close
If you are a nursing mom, it would be wise to keep your baby close to your bed during bedtime. So, instead of tucking your baby into the crib, why not invest a baby bed that can be attached to the parent’s bed or a bassinet; this will help you easily attend to your baby whenever you feel him or her stir. Even if you wear a luxury sleep mask, you know that your baby is safe near you.
3. Do not lengthen your baby’s naps during the day
Sleep is essential to your baby’s growth and development; however, keeping him or her sleep for too long during the day will rob you and your husband’s sleep during night time. The best way to make the baby have a good night sleep during night time is to limit their day naps by 2 to 2.5 hours. You can feed him or her or keep him awake for a short while, and then you may lay him back to his or her crib for another small nap.
Finally, know your baby’s sleeping and eating pattern; the purpose of this is to help your child get the right energy after waking up and get the right feeding before some small activities or for another nap. This practice will benefit the baby and you, when it comes to sleep and recovery after giving birth.