A common issue with all new parents is sleep deprivation. Of course the normal 7 - 8 or so hours of sleep is not going to continue when a little person needs to be fed, changed or resettled overnight. As your baby grows and changes, it is important to look at your sleep. Are you able to sleep when baby is sleeping? If the answer is no, and you find yourself lying awake worrying, or playing conversations or events over and over again it is important you speak with your doctor.
Good sleep habits:
- Avoid coffee, alcohol or other stimulants within a couple of hours of going to bed.
- Establish a bed time routine that works for you. Just like children benefit from routine, we adults do too. Maybe this is a cup of herbal tea and reading, a bath and some quiet music, or a relaxation exercise such as focused breathing, visualisation or meditation techniques. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it is soothing for you, and you feel you want to do it.
- Spend time outdoors in natural light to help the body produce melatonin, a natural sleep promotion substance.
- Engage in regular exercise to improve restful sleep.
- Make sure your sleeping space is dark and any electronic devices (TV, computer, alarm clocks with bright light etc) do not interfere with the serenity of the space.
- If you have had an interrupted night with many wakeful moments catching an hour or so when baby is asleep during the day can be a good way to try and catch up!
Sleep deprivation wears you down. Sleep is an important priority for the wellbeing of the family unit. If you are a co-parent who is getting adequate sleep, make it your mission to provide as much support as possible when you can so your partner can have some blocks of sleep overnight too. With breastfeeding, this can be possible by expressing or getting up and bringing baby to mum for a feed and being responsible for burping and resettling. There are many ways to work as a team to support each other to gain as much sleep as possible. This is a positive step to take to maximise your emotional and mental health.
