You might even believe that after six weeks your baby would miraculously sleep through the night! Well this is just a fairy story told to first time parents during the first few weeks of their new baby’s life in order to give them some hope of survival. You may have been brought up to believe that you need eight hours sleep a night to survive but as parents of young children you will soon learn to hold up on very little sleep. And once you accept the fact that you can indeed manage on very little sleep you will be a much more contented parent.
If you talk to any parents of newborns, you will find that they are completely obsessed with sleep. My husband and I used to debate constantly as to which of us was getting the most sleep, and who was more tired. Happily we had many friends in the same situation, and it was no longer a surprise when even the best of parties finished dramatically at eleven o’clock as we all rushed home to get some well-needed sleep.
As a sleep obsessed mother I read many books on the subject of getting my baby to sleep through the night, but babies have a tendency not to read books, and to live by their own rules.
Being prepared for having less sleep is an advantage, because then you feel less inclined to end up getting cross about the lack of it.
It is important that your baby learns the difference between night and day. At night, be very boring and never be tempted to play with your baby. Keep things dark at night and try not to turn on the light. It is very important to organize things in such a way that you are not awakened fully every time you need to tend to your baby’s needs.
Babies love routine, because routine makes babies feel safe. So, take time to think about your baby’s nighttime routine. They need a settling down routine, because this is what makes them realize that this is what leads to sleep time. A typical routine might begin with bath time, followed by a massage, then a last feed in a darkened room before placing baby in the cot. After covering him, try singing to him and then he will hopefully nod off. I made the mistake of rocking my babies to sleep, which they loved as it probably reminded them of the sensation of being in the womb. But once you start rocking, you will always rock, and the rocking can go on for hours.
Feeling tired sends a message to the brain to send food for energy but sweet snacks are not the answer long term. Eating a healthy balanced diet with lots of protein and carbohydrates will give you the energy you need to cope; if possible take naps when the baby is sleeping and remember this phase of your life does not last forever.
• Rest whenever you can.
• Go to bed half an hour earlier than usual.
• Have a milky drink or wind down period before you go to bed.
• Take a break from breast-feeding occasionally and express milk into a bottle so that your husband can take over the night feed and you can get some sleep.
• Don’t try and do too much during the day and take time to relax and enjoy the moment.
Butter and margarine contain different types of fat, but both contain a similar amount of fat. So whichever one you choose, remember to use it sparingly. Butter is a natural food and also contains vitamin E so to have a little once per day is fine.
