Being a mother to your baby means you would most likely have your share of sleepless nights. Some mothers get a healthier dose than others, but it is something to expect. The bonding with your infant is priceless – and it makes everything worth it. However, as humans, sleep is mandatory for our well-being.
So how do mothers cope after working around the clock during the day and doing an extra shift at night? These tips do not primarily help the baby sleep through the night; rather they help parents with the dreaded morning (or day) after.
1. Water is life
Having water as soon you wake up and throughout the day helps the body with the strain your body is experiencing.
Some mothers might prefer to take coffee or tea (please note that the caffeine could be harmful in certain amounts for breastfeeding moms) to self-soothe and stay awake for their babies, but remember that water is life!
2. Walks do so much
If the baby is of age, taking a walk with the baby is a good way to exercise and make it through the next day after the double shift. Sleep deprivation can be a slippery slope so mothers have to put in effort. Some form of physical activity to stretch the legs and move the body would do a lot of good. Every form of self-care is important.
3. Plan. Plan. Plan.
Figuring out the natural rhythm of your child and aligning to it is very helpful to beat sleep deprivation. Most infants have predictable circadian rhythm that mothers can use to their advantage. Proper planning of errands, activities around the house, work, sleep and personal time can be very helpful because the phase can be challenging.
4. ‘Sleeping when the baby sleeps’ can be hard
The stable and easily-churned out advice is sleeping when the baby sleeps. While it can be helpful, it can be frustrating to have to sleep around someone else’s clock. A modern adaptation is to make the best use of ‘baby-free moments’.
Getting re-energized during this ‘free’ period is a plus. A power nap of less than thirty minutes can help but if it does not happen naturally – be sure to freshen up, avoid screen lights and distractions, and relax, though don’t force it.
Just lying down can be soothing even if sleep does not come. Relaxing and not stressing can be restorative even without sleeping.
5. Tag-teaming or getting help
Obviously, the immediate post-partum phase is tasking but it does not end there. Throughout the new-born stage, getting help is advisable. Being strategic with a co-parent, working as a tag team to take turns to watch the baby all night is a double-punch to sleep deprivation.
Getting help from family, friends, pro care-givers can help with the stress of baby care. Mums could really do with a decent support system. Delegating chores and minimizing casual commitments can also help.
In conclusion, deprivation of sleep can lead to lethargy, fatigue and can also be life threatening to human beings.
Sound sleep is very healthy for nursing mothers as research shows that the prolactin hormone which plays a part for muscle restoration and body repairs is released when nursing mothers go through deep sleep cycles. Therefore, adequate sleep should not be taken for granted.
