The pretty picture that instagram showed you of being energetic all the time, baby sleeping in for good sixteen hours, you pulling up long baths, must have vanished by now. Not that these things cannot be true but as a new parent you must be sleep deprived for weeks, for some even months now. Don’t worry good times are right round the corner, let’s quickly take some steps to get a little more sleep as new parents.
Practise a good sleep Regime
Although you must hardly getting sleep but when you get some please practice good sleep hygiene, that could be taking simple steps like
- Avoid Caffeine
- Avoid screen time before bed
- Stick to a regular sleep time
- Listen to calming music
- Actioning Meditation
Odd and Even
Share night time schedules with your partner, share the load, divide between the odd and the even days. One could wake up on the odd nights while the other on the even, this way each of you will get abundant rest and won’t get cranky also.
Help will always be given, when asked for
It’s okay to not judge yourselves and ask for help from the very beginning, parents that shy away from this are just kidding themselves. Don’t shy away from denying to do extra work at home, you have an entire lifetime to make-up for all of that. The focus right now should be decent sleep for both the parents and the baby because that’s what’ll keep you healthy, sane and give you the prowess to do it all right.
Sleep when the Baby sleeps
Sometimes the baby sleeps at odd times, well if they can’t set their clocks according to you why don’t you set yours according to them? Be greedy and don't miss the opportunity of sleeping when the baby chooses to. It’s absolutely okay to act a little selfish and jump right into your bed even for the 30 minutes of shared sleep with your baby.
Power Snacking
Just like sleep, food is also very important in keeping you all energetic and alive, don't shy away from power snacking and thinking that it may make you gain weight. Your body needs the food and knows what’s best for you and the baby, trust your instincts and eat when you feel like. Like the baby, take those cheat meals sometimes that give you small energy boosts.
If nothing works for you don't shy away from taking professional help, every parenthood journey can be very different. Not judging yourself and accepting the fact that your journey is different from others is the first step to finding peace and some sleep in life. Happy healthy sleep.
