Better Sleep Solutions For New Parents

Entering parenthood for the first time is a sweet but challenging experience. Among many disadvantages and discomforts of new parenthood, the most talked about and difficult to be dealt with are problems related with sleep. This is inter related problem. One, which is in relation with the child’s problems of sleep patterns and the sleep patterns of the parent. Simply put, the child does not sleep at expected times, neither can the parent when he or she needs to.

Strategies to maximize one’s opportunities to sleep

1) Ensure that the child gets enough sleep at regular intervals so that she is not cranky through the waking up time. This relaxes the parent and she can associate pleasure with bringing up her baby. She can even sleep peacefully.

2) Use the power of daylight to reset the child’s sleep wake clock. Show her daylight once she wakes up in the morning. Her body clock will adjust her to sleep at night and stay up in the day. Teach the baby to distinguish between night and day.

3) Try to tune oneself to the baby’s cries at night. One single cry should not baffle the parent and make her jump out of bed immediately.

4) Teach the child to soothe himself back to sleep on his own once he wakes up in the middle of the night. Teaching the child can encourage this to fall asleep on his own, to start with.

5) Do not try over the counter drugs to for sleep deprivation. Instead, plan for the night throughout the day. Eating a healthy diet, getting exercise, exposure to natural light, a comfortable atmosphere will affect how well a child sleeps. She sleeps through the night, the mother does so too.

6) Try a yoga routine before going to bed. Do the stand up stretch. Stand with both legs apart. Clasp your hands and stretch them above the head. Stand on the toes and stretch and then bend to each side as long as one can hold.

7) The most common solution “ sleep while the baby sleeps” may not be the easiest solution. A mother might have to finish other household chores or catch up with unfinished deadlines. Thus it is better to work towards getting a peaceful sleep routine.