When you have a newborn, sleep is an essential part of life for the both of you. The amount of time your baby sleeps can vary with some newborns needing around 18 hours a day in the first few weeks, with others sleeping in short intervals. Looking after a baby is challenging and incredibly tiring, but it’s essential you’re also looking after yourself.
Here are ways you can cope with tiredness when you have a newborn.
Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps
When your baby sleeps, you should try and get some sleep too. Whilst you may use this time to do some housework or some general hobbies, getting rest when you’re tired is also extremely important for keeping yourself healthy and your energy up. Even if you have a short nap, you’ll be recharging your batteries ready for when your baby wakes up. Set an alarm if you need to, making sure you wake up at a specific time and don’t oversleep.
Go To Bed Earlier
You’ll be waking up during the night to look after your baby, so getting to bed earlier can help you add some extra hours of rest to your current schedule. Try it for a few days or a week, and if you are finding it hard to do straight after you’ve put your baby in their cot do something relaxing before you go to bed so you can wind down and chill out after a busy day.
Share Responsibilities
If you have a partner, work together to take the nightshift in turns – allowing you both to get an adequate amount of sleep or a simple break whilst caring for your newborn. If you can’t share responsibilities with feeding at night, ask your partner to help out in the morning whilst you get some uninterrupted sleep. If you don’t have a partner, or they’re going back to work, don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends and other family members. You don’t have to do everything alone, and reaching out to others will let you have some time to rest whilst your baby is in the care of someone else that your trust.
Try To Avoid Pressure & Expectations
When you have a baby the expectation to have a spotless home and maintain your usual routine can cause you to feel a lot of stress and pressure, on top of looking after a newborn. Remember, you don’t have to be perfect at everything – sleep is much more essential than attempting to carry out your regular daily tasks, so make sure you prioritise this over unnecessary tasks. Be kind to your mind and body – this won’t last forever, so remember this is just temporary and both you and your baby will get better, improved sleep schedules over time.
Keeping Your Energy Up
Dehydration and hunger or poor nutrition can make your fatigue worse, so make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and are eating healthy foods. Whilst this isn’t a quick fix for tiredness, it can give you that extra bit of energy that you need to continue with the day. You may feel exhausted, but getting outside and moving your body can actually have a lot of benefits! Being out in the sun and walking aids with regulating your body’s sleep cycle, boosts your circulation and reduces fatigue. It’s also something you can do with your baby, also helping them to relax and experience the outdoors.
Coping with sleep deprivation as a new parent is difficult, but prioritising rest and making small adjustments to your life can help you manage tiredness much more effectively. Take care of yourself, and rest whenever possible – and you’ll start to feel a lot better as time progresses.