WOMEN & SLEEP || Forget about sleeping like a baby… 25 tips for ways to return to sleeping like an adult after the baby is born


- Nap when the baby naps
- Enlist help with dishes and laundry
- Have Daddy or another member of the household or family help with overnight feedings by pumping breastmilk or preparing bottles ahead of time
- Co-sleep with your baby to make night-time nursing easier (or) sleep apart from your baby so their nightly noises don’t awaken you
- Use a rocking cradle at beds’ side; ones with batteries can help baby fall asleep
- Midnight snacks of protein to recharge during nursing overnight
- Sleep separately from the baby and any other bed partners a couple nights every week
- Sleep in on weekends
- Go to bed at night when the baby goes to bed
- Check in with yourself daily; if you need extra sleep, plan for it the next night
- Don’t be afraid to let the nurses watch your baby while you are still in the hospital in recovery
- Say no to outside nonmotherhood activities that cut into your energy level and bedtime until you can catch up on your own sleep
- Don’t binge watch TV at this time; use that downtime for sleep
- Hire a babysitter
- Deal with your new motherhood anxiety whenever it pops up
- Try to remember that this phase of parenthood is finite and temporary
- Make note of unusual mood swings that might indicate baby blues, and get help for them ASAP
- If you struggle with sleep even in the presence of opportunity, consider the possibility that you might have a sleep disorder postpartum that you might not have had prenatally, and get checked out
- Turn your phone off when you lie down for a nap
- Prepare for the time when it might be better to let junior cry it out
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed
- Practice good relaxation tips before bed
- Lie down even if you can’t sleep; your body can use the break
- Drink you water, especially if you are nursing, as dehydration can lead to fatigue
- Allow guests only if they are willing to do the cooking, cleaning and babysitting
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