The joy of a new baby is certainly special and something that
all new parents experience. However, a lack of sleep is also
part of having a new baby and new parents notoriously get very
little sleep, if any at all. Fortunately, there are some
strategies and tips to help new parents get some sleep when the
new baby comes. Of course, with a baby you will never get an
over abundance of sleep, but these tips will help you at least
get enough sleep to keep your sanity.
Tip #1 Take Turns
When the baby starts crying both parents
generally wake up, even if only one attends to the baby.
However, in the first couple of months both parents might get up
each time the baby cries. This will lead to a lack of sleep for
both parents. The best plan is for mom and dad to make a plan of
who will get up when to comfort the crying baby. Generally,
taking turns is really the best option and will help everyone
get just a little more sleep.
Tip #2 Nap With Baby
If
you are caring for the baby and are tired and the baby goes to
sleep then you should take a nap as well. This will allow you to
get some much needed sleep. So, whether the baby naps in the
morning, afternoon, or early evening you should also get a
little rest because you never know when the baby might wake up.
Tip #3 Accept Help
Frequently when you have a new baby there
are plenty of people willing to help from parents, siblings,
friends, and other family members. So, when you really need to
get some sleep just accept some of the help that is being
offered. Having your mom care for the baby just a couple of
hours will allow you to get some much needed sleep.
Tip
#4 Keep Baby in Nursery
The baby should sleep in the nursery
and not with the parents. Many times it is tempting to allow the
baby to sleep with the parents, but this is not healthy for the
child or the parents. So, put the baby to sleep in his crib in
the nursery. Then, when the baby cries one parent can easily go
attend to the baby without disturbing the other parent. This
allows a little more sleep for new parents.
Tip #5 Feed Baby Before You Sleep
If your baby has been
asleep for several hours and it is around 11 pm and you are
getting ready for bed simply wake baby for a feeding. Most
babies wake during the night because they are hungry, so if you
feed baby late before you go to bed it is likely they will sleep
until early morning or 6-7 hours. This will allow you to get
some continuous sleep, even if it is not as much as you want.
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