Getting a good night's sleep with a baby in the house can be difficult. It may seem as though every time you lay your head down to rest, the baby starts to cry. However, getting a good night's sleep can work wonders on your ability to be a good parent in addition to saving your sanity. Fortunately, although getting a good night's sleep with a baby is difficult, it is not impossible.
Step 1
Work with a partner. Create a plan that will allow you both to trade off feedings during the night so that both people are able to get a good night's rest. Breastfeeding mothers can pump and store the expressed breast milk so they do not always have to be the one doing the feedings.
Step 2
Move the baby into her own room and turn down the baby monitor. Infants make many noises throughout the night, and many new parents make the mistake of waking up and rushing in to make sure everything is OK. Unfortunately, many babies make these noises in their sleep, so parents rushing in will not only interrupt their own sleep, but the baby's sleep as well. Therefore, arrange it so you will be able to hear the baby if she cries loudly, but will miss out on all those other little noises.
Step 3
Avoid caffeine and naps late in the day. Although you may feel like caffeine and naps are necessary in order for you to make it through the day without falling asleep, avoid both late in the day, as both can interfere with your ability to fall asleep.
Step 4
Teach the baby to sleep through the night. This is the Holy Grail of new parenthood and is much easier said than done. It also is a process that doesn't happen overnight, and rarely consistently occurs until the baby is two to four months old, according to KidsHealth.org. However, the sooner you are able to help your baby sleep through the night, the better night's sleep you will get as well. In order to get your baby to sleep through the night, create a consistent bedtime routine. This will train your baby to fall asleep more easily because he will learn to associate the routine with falling asleep. The bedtime routine should conclude with you placing your baby in his crib each night while he is sleepy but awake. This will give him the opportunity to learn to fall asleep on his own without your help. Also, avoid rushing in to give bottles or to rock him to sleep when he cries, as this may cause him to rely on those things and not learn to self-soothe or fall asleep on his own. Instead, when he cries, give him a few minutes to see if he can settle himself before going in. Doing these things consistently should help your baby learn to sleep through the night sooner rather than later.
Step 5
Be realistic. Although the sleep deprivation can seem never-ending while you're in it, most babies will learn to sleep through the night within a few months and parents will get the chance to sleep through the night again as well. Remind yourself that this is only temporary and will be resolved soon.
Tips and Warnings
- To maximize the effectiveness of the switch-off approach when it comes to feedings, consider sleeping far away from both the baby and your partner so you will not be needlessly woken up when it is not your turn.
- Although many new parents decide to co-sleep with their baby in order to get a better night's sleep, there are some safety concerns that should be considered before taking this approach. Talk to your doctor or pediatrician about the advantages and disadvantages of co-sleeping before deciding if it is right for you.
