Sleep. Everyone loves sleep. Especially parents of a newborn baby! Just ask any mom or dad that has brought home a baby within the last couple months how important sleep is to them. As adults, our bodies have adjusted to sleep patterns. It takes an infant’s body much longer to be able to sleep through the night! And by the way what does “sleep through the night” really mean anyway? Immense exhaustion and fatigue leads to frustration and life can become overwhelming in a matter of sleepless nights. Some families try to “train” their newborn to sleep though the night without understanding normal sleep patterns. Additionally there are a sleep training methods out there that may not always best support the breastfeeding infant and can actually contribute to shortened duration of breast-feeding times.
Some methods and tips that work well and are more healthy for parents and babies! Consider the following tips to help take back your sleep. Heidi Brooks PhD, a Certified Lactation Counselor and Certified Child Sleep Consultant shares her top tips for parents of newborns.
WHITE NOISE.
Brooks says, “Remember this is all new for baby. Baby has been in a safe space up til a few days ago! It was not dead silent! There were heartbeats and the sound of whooshing blood. Get a white noise machine and run it when baby is asleep so that they fully relax and outside noise is blocked out.”
PITCH BLACK
“When baby slept in the womb, there was hardly any light. So let’s replicate that in the fourth trimester. Make sure the room baby is sleeping in is dark when baby is sleeping. It allows for them to get super restorative sleep!”
TIMING, TIMING, TIMING!
“Timing is everything. I can’t stress this enough. Newborn Babies can’t be awake for hours. They need to be put down to sleep every 45/60 mins in the first few months. I know this sounds unreasonable however, that’s how it was in the womb! They slept on and off all day. Why? Because their circadian rhythms haven’t developed and won’t til about 16 weeks. An over tired newborn will not know why they are tired just that they are and THEY HATE THIS FEELING and will cry themselves til exhausted and fall asleep. An overtire baby is one of the hardest things to deal with as a new parent and one of the easiest things to avoid. “
DON’T FORGET YOU!
“Take time for yourself. When baby is asleep take a shower, eat something, have a coffee or a nap! I know everyone says this but take the help when you need it. That plus the above newborn sleep tips will have you rocking through the newborn phase.”
If you would like additional support to get more sleep, reach out here.. Heidi is ready to work with you to get your little one sleeping better and Deliver YOUR PEACE OF MIND, no matter where you are located!. Also consider a postpartum doula to support you as you transition with your little one to better sleep.
