For nine months, parents are sleepless with excitement, but as soon as you welcome your new family member into your home, you discover that the many joys of parenting will inevitably be riddled with challenges – sleep deprivation included. However, too many parents take this at face value and simply embrace the fact that sleep will be scarce and that they won’t have a single moment to themselves until their offspring grows up a little bit.
Still, this is not entirely true. It definitely pays to reevaluate your attitude, to pick up a few handy tips from versed parents and to start adjusting your routine to make more room (and time) for proper rest. Now that you’re embracing your new roles, it’s time to introduce some self-care practices and prepare for the new, extraordinary chapter of your life, preferably while not gluing your eyelids to keep ‘em open. These tips should do the trick!
Nap while your baby sleeps
One key way in which parents can get more rest is to use the natural sleep cycle of their little ones. Whenever your baby falls asleep, you should pick up your favorite pillow, a blanket, and get some rest yourself. Tune out all distractions and make sure that you always have a comfortable place with no noise and chaos around you so that you can fall asleep more quickly and without any trouble.
Ensure comfort for you and your partner
Too many of us are completely clueless about what kind of beds, mattresses, and bedding we should get, let alone the right positions for our spine and neck and how we should sleep to get the most of our downtime. The right choice can mean the difference between getting ample sleep and ending up restless during the night, so it pays to find out more about the right bedroom essential to get enough rest.
Start by choosing a mattress that will give your entire body enough support while also ensuring ample comfort to help you fall asleep faster without causing any pain. A hybrid mattress that blends the memory foam with steel coils, for example, which makes it a great option to ensure comfort and support.
Set up a schedule
You and your partner have decided to bring a baby into this world, and you’re in for one rewarding, yet bumpy ride. It’s vital that you share every single obligation when it comes to taking care of your little earthling since you’ll also be cherishing all the joyous moments together. A schedule for those shared responsibilities is a great way to set up a system that both of you can develop together and adjust according to your needs.
For example, you and your partner can take turns getting up during the night for feeding your baby, whereas you can also switch when someone makes meals, takes care of the dishes, and handles nappies. Some parents easily communicate these chores, but just in case one of you feels overwhelmed, you should share your concerns and find a fair way to share chores.
Build a support system
Moms and dads everywhere: you’re not alone. Your friends and family members are also there for you, as they should be, and you can and should ask for help when you need to get some rest. There is no shame in letting your loved ones know that you’re exhausted, so they can jump in occasionally to take care of your little one while you get a few hours of sleep.
In case you don’t have a big family and none of your relatives are able to help, there are professionals whom you can hire. A sitter or a trained nurse can be of great help from time to time.
Practice sleep-inducing rituals
It’s easy to think that you’ll fall immediately asleep as soon as you put your little angel down for the night. As many parents will attest to, this doesn’t always turn out to be true, because many parents are too tense or have many other chores to think of, so they end up revising their to-do lists for hours in bed instead of falling asleep. To help your body unwind and turn on that sleep mode in your mind, you can introduce relaxing rituals.
For example, you can use scented candles with lavender to add this lovely, soothing fragrance to your bedroom. Also, you can prepare and sip on a cup of chamomile tea while you read a book to let go of all those daily worries. Some stretching and belly-breathing can also be of great help!
Parenthood is a time of revelation, beauty, and of course, ups and downs. Take downtime seriously, because you will have more energy to bond with your baby, you’ll reduce your risk of developing postpartum depression, and you’ll also preserve and deepen your connection with your partner. Hopefully, these tips will help you get your shuteye and rest more easily, and ultimately help you enjoy your new role for months to come.
About the author
Mia Taylor is a 33 year old blogger who writes about beauty, fashion and travel. She had always been passionate about fashion and over time she had developed a style of her own. Mia loves to mix and match and inspire girls with her advice about outfit and accessories. She loves telling a story about her travels, providing beauty tips with readers.
