When a baby is born, a mother is also born and it is likely that the latter will be severely tested, not only by the new task in general, but also by the lack of sleep. So let's find out some tricks to be a mother and rest at least a little.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous
When a child is born, one is born too mum and the latter is likely to be severely tested, not only by the new task in general, but also by lack of sleep. So let's find out some tricks to be a mother and rest at least a little.
Between hormones, anxiety and various emotions that accompany the arrival of a new member in the family, we must also deal with sleepless nights. A newborn, in fact, wants to be fed approximately every 3 hours and often wakes up not only to eat but also because he has some discomfort that he expresses through crying or if he needs physical contact with those who have kept him in the belly for 9 months.
All this can have heavy repercussions on sleep, in particular for the mother, perhaps accustomed until recently to sleep 8 hours a night and in a row! Being able to rest, however, is of vital importance for those who need to recover energy after childbirth, to be able to breastfeed at best or in any case carry on their daily life, possibly without wandering around like a zombie!
Here are some tricks to be able to survive the sleepless nights:
Index
Lying down even if you can't sleep
When the baby is asleep, it is also time for the mother to rest for a while. You can relax on the sofa or on the bed but it would be better to stay away from cell phones and PCs, as well as from household chores. This is a moment that, especially in the early days, must be used to recharge the batteries. Don't get too stressed out if you can't sleep, even just lying down can give your body and mind a little rest.
Ask for help with nighttime feedings
Whether you are breastfeeding or feeding your baby with formula milk, you can ask for help and a little change even at night. Husbands and companions in the first place (but also sisters, mothers-in-law, etc.) can intervene to give a little rest to the mother who can, for example, express milk for one of the nocturnal feedings and stay asleep when the baby wakes up. to eat.
Keep the baby close
In our Western culture, the child often sleeps far from his parents from the first months of life, this does not actually favor the sleep of either the baby or the mother. This she in fact, every time she wakes up, she has to make a journey to reach him. An easy way to buy some sleep time is to attach the crib or cot next to the double bed so you don't even have to get up when the baby cries.
Relaxing activities before going to sleep
There are mothers who have difficulty falling asleep even after a tiring day in which they have taken care of their baby. The temptation is to watch some program on TV or to go to the PC. This is counterproductive though as these devices have lights that stimulate rather than relax. Instead, listen to good music, some radio program or read a book to help you sleep.
Choosing the right guests
Be choosy about guests. There are "helpful" visitors and visitors who can make a mom's life even more difficult. When friends or family come to visit the new baby, moms may feel compelled to entertain or offer food and drink so as not to appear rude. All this, however, could also weigh because maybe at that moment they would have preferred to rest a little. It is therefore better to avoid, at least for the first time, those visits that require greater expenditure of energy, perhaps postponing them to more propitious moments.
Avoid drinking too much coffee
A typical mistake of tired mothers is to fall back on coffee (exaggerating) to cheer up a little. This can end up being counterproductive by preventing a peaceful fall asleep in the afternoon (if you have the opportunity to rest) or even in the evening (if you have taken coffee even in the late afternoon). Breastfeeding mothers should limit their coffee to one or two cups a day.
Delegate to others
The mother, especially the first few months, cannot be a superhero who takes care of the child and the house alone and without having the chance to catch her breath. It is therefore important to delegate some chores to others, first of all to the father when present, to grandparents (if you are lucky enough to have them) to other family members or, if you have the possibility, to get help from a domestic worker to keep the house in order. .
Use the headband
The sling can be a good way to let both mom and little ones rest more. It is in fact an excellent way to relax newborns even in case of colic, thanks to the contact with the mother. Often, comforted by the heat, by the "skin to skin" contact and cradled, the little ones kept in a sling fall asleep. After having "unloaded" them, with care and delicacy, in the cradle or in the bed, even the mother will then be able to rest for a while.
Take the baby for a walk
A great way to get a new mom to rest for a while is to take the baby for a walk. Of course, someone else has to do it: dad, grandma, aunt, etc. Even a single hour away from home can be enough to give mum time to take a shower and relax, even if not necessarily sleeping but recovering some space just for her.
Thinking that sleepless nights won't last forever
Generally, the sleep of children settles definitively around the age of 3 but in reality there are many newborns who already at 3-6 months start to sleep for several hours (some even for the whole night). Who knows you are not among the lucky ones! However, you can always console yourself by thinking that this situation, even if tough, will not last forever and this could help you to face it with more strength.
And you? How did you survive sleep deprivation when you became a mom?
New mothers can also read:
- Pregnancy and the life of a mother in the funny cartoons by Nathalie Jomard
- Mum's (and dad's) job? It is worth a lot more than 3000 euros a month!
- Children's brain: how good is mom's love!
