How to Survive Baby Not Sleeping Through the Night: Nap Time for Mommy
It is often said regarding newborn babies that a parent can say goodbye to getting a good night’s sleep ever again. Although this is an exaggeration, it is true to say that things change literally overnight when a baby is born. Babies do not lie down to sleep for eight hours like adults are supposed to, but wake at least every three hours in order to feed. As the keen-eyed among us will have noticed, this means that a parent’s sleeping pattern will be disturbed at least twice, on average, by a new baby and, even if parents take it in turns to get up and feed the baby there will still be no little disruption.
Add to this the fact that the mother probably has not been sleeping well with her large belly before the baby is born, and you might find yourself in a very stressful situation.
The lack of sleep can get to parents.
Frayed nerves are an almost inevitable effect of having a new baby in the house, and anyone living with a new parent will be well-advised to learn how to tread carefully so that they do not aggravate an already emotional person. Sleep is important, and there are ways that a sleeping pattern can be protected to an extent if not completely in the early days of having a new child. As anyone who has tried to wake someone else up will know, there are stages of awakeness. It is possible to feed a baby while still half-awake, although this is easier for the mother. With a baby bottle warmer it is, however, not impossible for a father or other family member to do the same – it just requires collaboration.
How to survive baby sleep patterns: Tip 1
Nap time for Mommy
With our five children we have experienced a few different challenges with our infants and thier nightly sleep patterns. Over time, I look forward to sharing with you some of our struggles and triumphs. My main tip for you today is to take your chances to sleep when you get them. Is the baby napping during the day? Consider taking a nap yourself. A rested mother is a more relaxed mother and more prepared to engage with her young baby.
Baby Napping Do’s & Don’ts
May 15, 2009 by BabyCare
Filed under Baby Problems
Worried Look
Image by kcnickerson
Young boy looks out from the safety of the family door in the Dominican Republic.
Baby Napping Do’s & Don’ts
New parents are filled with elation when they meet their baby. The elation is quickly coupled with fear as they second guess their ability to take care of such a tiny person. Following are a few tips for things to do and things not to do with babies.
Dos and Don’t of Working While Your Child Naps. Don’t schedule anything that absolutely can’t be interrupted during naps. Conference calls come to mind. Having several other people plan to join you on a conference call only to be interrupted by a crying baby is embarrassing. You know that the one time your extremely regular nap per wakes up will be during that call.
Do have a back-up plan; if your child slept late or is beginning to skip naps, have a quiet time activity ready to substitute for the naps. Don’t count on meeting a deadline during nap time. Certainly you can work toward meeting a deadline while you toddler sleep. Or maybe you can put the finishing touches on a project that is due shortly. But plan ahead and don’t leave a large amount of work for nap time.
Do feel free to catch up on household chores or other non-work tasks. If your child’s nap schedule is unpredictable and your work doesn’t accommodate interruptions well, you may find it more productive to clear the decks of other tasks. Later when you have someone to watch your child, you won’t be tempted to use that time to do other tasks. Do pay attention to your child’s signals about naptime. Napping schedules change over time. Infants drop the morning nap as they grow into toddlers. Preschoolers eventually drop the nap all together. Don’t let your work schedule keep you from realizing that your child’s sleep needs have changed.
Routine is essential for both naptime and bedtime. Each needs its own specific routine that is different, one from the other. Your infant will learn that when Routine #1 is done, it is naptime and when Routine #2 is done, it is bedtime. This will be very important as she grows and the expectation of longer sleep at night increases. If she knows which routine is consistent with which sleep schedule, it will be much easier on her to distinguish one from the other.
As with every piece of parenting advice, you will have to find what works best for you. Above all else remember this: your baby will not be this age forever. The sleep patterns will work themselves out eventually. As with thumb sucking, bottle feeding, and temper tantrums, this too shall pass. After all, there are very few brides who walk down the aisle with a bottle or sucking their thumbs or who do not sleep through the night! Take note of what is good for your baby and follow through with what her body needs. This will be the guiding force that will facilitate you both falling into a pattern and, hopefully, a good night’s sleep!
Peter Benders, a freelance journalist online. Love to photo shoot, trekking and scuba diving. Writes on various aspects of life like collectibles, RV camping, baby safety, mountain biking and music.
http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-napping-dos-donts-3135982.html
