New parents are often told about the complete exhaustion that comes with having a newborn. You probably heard every parent you know talk about how tired they felt. However, you might not have realised how much it will affect you. If you’re suffering from exhaustion, try these tips on how to cope with tiredness as a new parent.
Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps
Everyone from your midwife to random parents in the street will tell you to sleep when your baby sleeps. You’ll hear this so much that it will get annoying. It is true, though. It might seem impossible, but take any opportunity you can to lie down and have a nap. If you can’t nap, just lie down and rest while your baby sleeps.
Make Comfortable Areas In Your Home
Create your own comfortable areas in your home. Set up comfy chairs, big cushions, and blankets in the places where you feel most comfortable. You can use these areas as a place to feed, and settle your baby. Keep things there for you as well such as bottles of water, snacks, or a book or magazine.
Keep Your Bedroom Comfortable
Babies need quite a lot of stuff – cribs, cots, changing areas – but you need to keep your own bedroom comfortable, and relaxing for you to rest and sleep in. Try to keep your bedroom as clutter free as possible, and keep a supply of drinks and snacks nearby.
Try Sleep Devices To Help Your Baby Sleep
Some parents find that the best way to settle their baby is by using sleep devices. You could try a white noise machine, a lullaby machine, or even the radio to help settle your baby down to sleep.
Ignore The Bragging Mothers
Each baby is an individual, and it’s not helpful, useful, or healthy to compare them. This includes how well, or not, your baby sleeps. So, ignore any mother who tells you about the full night’s sleep they’re getting. It may not be true in the first place, and it means nothing. You don’t need to focus on comparing your baby to someone else’s. You just need to focus on finding what works for you and your baby.
Eat Well And Drink Plenty Of Water
If you’re feeling extremely tired, you’re probably also feeling moody, irritable and foggy headed. Eat as healthily as you can. It might also help if you eat more small meals and snacks instead of three big ones. Staying hydrated is also important especially when you’re sleep deprived. Drink plenty of water. Some people recommend buying a water bottle and using it as a reminder to drink. Others recommend setting an alarm to go off every so often. Others drink every time they change or feed their baby.
Forget About The Housework
Household chores are not important right now. So, forget about them. If you can afford it, you could pay for a cleaner to come in once or twice a week to stay on top of the laundry. If you can’t then it really doesn’t matter anyway. There will be plenty of time for cleaning when your baby is a little older, more settled, and you are getting more sleep.
Limit Visitors
Of course, everyone will want to see the baby, and there will be a part of you that wants to show off your brand new bundle of joy. However, don’t feel that you must entertain and serve visitors. Limit the number of people that visit. Be polite, but be clear that you need alone time with your baby. Of course, if you have visitors who are offering to do some cleaning, laundry, or looking after your baby while you have a nap, that’s going to be a little different. Take any help that is offered.
This Will Pass
While this stage can seem like it’s never going to end, it will. The newborn stage passes, and your baby will start sleeping for longer periods of time.
