10 Effective ways of sleeping better after a newborn Baby

10 Effective ways of sleeping better after a newborn Baby

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By BreeAnn
There are a few kinds of people on this planet who suffer from consistent exhaustion more than new parents. Now that your new baby has returned home, everything will change. As you have no doubt learned, babies are pretty terrible at sleeping. Their sleep schedules are all over, and they can wake you up at all hours of the night. Recovering from childbirth means getting enough rest, and that means that you need to get creative. Don’t worry; you will make it through it. In this article, we will outline a few tips to help you to get the rest that you need to be the best mama around!

Get Used To Napping Professionally

A huge transition that a lot of new mamas have to make is getting used to napping. Newborn babies are known for their terrible sleeping habits, and unfortunately, that spells trouble for you. Since your baby will need constant care, you will find that your full nights of rest are almost surely over for the foreseeable future. This doesn’t mean that you have to lose your sleep. Instead, it means that you need to reschedule it.

Sleep whenever you get a chance
Sleep whenever you get a chance

Most of us are used to sleeping all night and being active all day. After you have a baby, this is no longer possible, at least not for a little while. Baby life requires some adaptations. Instead of going to bed at night and lamenting that moment in a few hours when you will have to wake up, focus on your naps. You just need to break your sleep up. When the baby goes down for a nap, sneak in a nap of your own. This will help you to get your full eight hours, even if it has a few breaks along the way. It is better than taking on a full day on three hours of sleep.

Don’t Let Your Baby Sleep In Your Room

For most mamas, this one is incredibly difficult. Unfortunately, it’s a must. Your baby needs to sleep in their own room. Newborn babies are little humans that still need to learn how to adapt to daily life. A huge part of this is learning when it is time to sleep. You can help this by not keeping them in your room.

Having your baby sleep in their own room is important for a couple of reasons. First, it means that your baby will not be disturbed from their slumber when you or a spouse make any noise. This will help your baby to sleep better throughout the night. In addition to this, it will keep your baby from waking you up at night with their noises. Not all baby sounds require mama attention, but if you keep them in your room, you will remain too aware of their presence. This will make you wake up more and will likely make you sleep worse at the same time.

Stop The Worrying To Sleep Better

After giving birth, so many moms struggle with insomnia. Though there are a lot of things that can cause insomnia for you after birth, a lot of it is just straight anxiety. When you bring your baby into the world, there is nothing that you want more than to protect them. That is your core instinct, and it makes perfect sense. However, it also drives a lot of moms to worry about their babies, especially when they can’t see them. To help you to move past this, it can be beneficial to try certain mindfulness practices to clear your mind before bed.

Use Herbal Sleep Aids or Tea

Herbal tea can aid with sleeping
Herbal tea can aid with sleeping

Herbal sleep aids are a great way to help you fall asleep faster and to sleep better. There is a common belief that sleep aids are risky. You might wonder if it will make you sleep through your baby when they need you. Though some sleep aids might make you sleep heavily, not all of them work that way. In fact, many herbal remedies are commonly used to help you relax, so you fall asleep easier rather than outright knock you out. A good cup of tea before bed might be all that you need to make the most of three or four hours of sleep.

Share The Nighttime Duties If Possible

In the event that you have a significant other that you can share the duties with, it can help you sleep better and recover more quickly. Instead of taking turns getting up throughout the night, consider making a schedule for days of the week. This means that on one night, one of you will tend to the baby while the others sleep, and on the next night, the other person can put in the time.

Leave New Babies In Their Crib

When you hear your baby, it is a natural instinct to want to go check on them. However, sometimes you just need to ignore the urge. If your baby is happily cooing in their crib or is even just fussing a little bit, it is generally best to let them sort themselves out while you catch an extra fifteen or thirty minutes. It is a great way to catch some Z’s while they learn to be alone.

Many new parents struggle with allowing their babies to self-soothe. It can be difficult to know that your baby is anything but perfectly happy, but it is important. Just like the rest of us, babies have to learn to be comfortable on their own. When you let them self-soothe, you foster the idea that they can be alone and still safe. As you learn the difference between baby needs and a fussy baby, you will know when you can wait that extra few minutes before you go to them.

Negotiate A Night or Weekend Off

New mamas who are trying to juggle a new baby, life, and the house, all while recovering, get burnt out. It is up to you to be aware of this and to manage it when it happens. Instead of just pushing through, do what you can to make recovery possible. Whether it is letting your spouse handle the baby duty for the night while you put in some earplugs, or even letting mom come stay the night, it can help you to bounce back quickly.

Call In Backup

For new parents, there is nothing more important than a good support team. If you are finding yourself burning out or not getting enough rest, sometimes it is necessary to call in backup. Whether it is letting your baby go stay with a loved one for a night or even having them come to you so you can take a nice long nap, it can make such a difference.

Grandparents are great in helping out
Grandparents are great in helping out

Plenty of new moms struggle with this idea. It can be intimidating to be away from your baby. After all, they are the light of your life. This line of thinking makes sense, but it won’t do you any favors. It is important for your baby to spend time being social, and yes, it is important for them to get some time away from you every once in a while. When you are well-rested, you will be able to take care of them that much more effectively.

Rest First, Handle Life Second

Rest first, whenever you can
Rest first, whenever you can

As hard as it is to accept, a huge part of recovery after you have a baby is just doing the bare minimum at best. This might mean napping while the laundry goes undone. It might mean napping while the dishes pile up. It might mean napping while dinner goes unmade. Trust us; it does happen. Sometimes you need to prioritize your baby and your recovery first, then handle everything else when you can. A well-rested mama can do so much more. Give yourself a break when you need to.

Begin Working On The Baby’s Sleep Schedule Immediately

If you want to stand a fighting chance when it comes to getting your precious night of sleep back, get to work on your baby. There are so many different approaches that you can take to teach your baby to sleep better, faster. There are plenty of helpful experts who know how to get babies used to sleeping at night. It might be rough to start, but over time, you will find that it just might lead you to reclaim your sleeping habits more quickly. Recovering from childbirth is a lot easier when your newborn can sleep for more than a couple of hours at night.

Conclusion

Sleepless nights are, more often than not, a common occurrence of having a newborn in your home. As you adjust to baby life, remember to focus on getting enough sleep. You need and deserve the rest. You have already done more than should ever be asked of you, so help yourself to recover as quickly as possible. With these tips, you can get your rest and deal with your baby’s whacky schedule until they learn to sleep more regularly!

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