guide to Restful Sleep For New Moms
Most new mothers find getting adequate sleep to be a challenge. Getting up constantly is disruptive to quality sleep, and you’re not alone if you’re feeling exhausted and irritable.
Research shows that chronically sleep-deprived mothers are more likely to experience marital discord or divorce, difficulty breastfeeding, and increased risk of perinatal mood/anxiety disorders such as postpartum depression.
Parents need adequate restful sleep to be prosperous and healthy. New mothers often find themselves exhausted after giving birth. This exhaustion can make you feel like you’re always ‘on,’ so some women start dreaming about new shoes!
This survival guide will help you get more quality sleep and offer coping strategies to make the temporary sleep loss easier to bear.
Guide to Restful Sleep For New Moms
Getting More Quality Sleep:
1. Your sleep cycles. The quality of sleep is more important than the number of hours you get.
To enter a night of deep restorative sleep, most people need 90 minutes to 2 hours of uninterrupted slumber.
New moms need methods to provide adequate rest when they’re frequently getting up to care for their babies. Sleep deprivation causes changes in the body, but short naps may be beneficial.
Research shows that napping helps restore normal levels of hormones and chemicals involved in regulating moods and immunity.
2. Supplement your nighttime sleep with naps. Until your baby sleeps through the night, naps can help you survive. Take a nap when your child falls asleep during the day.
Feeding your baby before a nap may help you both sleep longer.
Try not to nap too late at night. If you do, your brain won’t shut down properly. And if you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll feel groggy the next day.
-Have a cup of tea before bedtime, and it’s proven to relax the nervous system and improve sleep quality.
-Create a soothing environment. Get rid of noisy appliances and distractions. Keep the , and keep down low and dimmed. Make sure you’ve got plenty of comfortable pillows and blankets available. Turn off mobile phones and computers before you go to bed. Consider using earplugs or white noise machines to block out distracting noises.
3. Enlist your partner’s help. Even if you’re breastfeeding, your partner can take a turn with night feeding if you pump and refrigerate your milk.
You can also get more rest if your partner brings the baby to you at night for breastfeeding, so you don’t have to walk around as much.
4. Seek out additional support. The first weeks are often the most demanding, so think ahead to arrange the support you’ll need.
Your parents or other loved ones may be able to move in temporarily, or you may be able to exchange mutual assistance with other parents in your neighborhood. If your budget permits, consider hiring a temporary nurse.
Consider talking to others who’ve been through similar experiences. Share your feelings with trusted friends and relatives.
Their understanding can mean the difference between feeling alone and having someone to share your struggles with.
5. Talk with your doctor. Sleep deprivation can seriously affect anybody, and new mothers are already dealing with many hormonal changes. Consult your doctor if you need help managing your temporary insomnia. They might recommend medication as required.
6. Ask someone else to cover the first nighttime feeding coping with these challenges. They may be able to help you figure out how to manage your concerns.
Having someone else do the first nighttime feeding is a great way to get some hours of unbroken sleep. Even if you take over later in the night, you’ll have gotten some much-needed rest.
7. Work towards a consistent schedule. Rest assured that this is temporary, and I look forward to getting back on a regular sleep schedule. You and your family will rest better when you have regular bedtimes.
Coping Strategies for Temporary Sleep Loss:
Practice relaxation techniques. Try meditation or yoga. Deep breathing helps calm your mind and body. If you don’t like the feeling of being still, lie quietly without moving. Many moms swear by aromatherapy candles. Lavender oil has been shown to promote relaxation and help people fall asleep faster.
To help your body relax, focus on breathing deeply and slowly. Focus on relaxing each part of your body one at a time. You might even close your eyes while you breathe.
8. Eat a healthy diet. You can improve your sleep by avoiding excessive caffeine or alcohol. Drink lots of water because dehydration can be tiring. A balanced diet will also help provide the energy you need.
9. Do gentle exercises. If your doctor says it’s safe to exercise, a gentle workout may help you sleep better. You can find resources online or at your local library.
10. Take a shower. A simple shower may help you feel refreshed fast. A few minutes under the shower and a change of clothes can help you feel more awake.
11. Reduce other potential sources of stress. As a new mom, you have a lot going on in your life, so try to minimize any additional stress. Older children may be able to pitch in with more household chores. Postpone any big decisions until you can think more clearly.
When you’re trying to fall asleep, your brain is working hard to keep you alert. It’s also busy processing information about what you’re doing, thinking about where you’ll be going next, and planning what you’ll do once you’re there.
All this activity keeps you on edge. Permit yourself to stop worrying.
12. Baby must be included in the daily routine of both parent and child. Both parent and child should sleep at the same time. A mature circadian rhythm developed by infant if they are active at the same time as mommy. In the first few days after birth, babies spend most of their time awake — about 90 percent of the day.
At night, they go through three distinct phases before falling asleep
– To reduce stimulation at night, make sure to limit movement during feeding times. Try to keep the environment as calm as possible, and don’t move the baby too much. Avoid any loud or sudden noises. At first, your baby may wake up while trying to put him back down again. That’s okay. Just be patient and wait until he falls asleep before putting him back into bed.
– Exposure to natural sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythms in infants. This means that morning or evening light exposure may be more effective than exposure to midday light.
– Infant massage seems to help improve nighttime sleep quality. Massaging your baby helps them fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up less during the night.
-Breastfeeding may help babies fall asleep faster at night and get more sleep overall.
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