Being a new mom is a great blessing, and also a great responsibility. The well-being of a helpless, vulnerable child rests in your hands. At the same time it is important to get adequate rest to ensure good health and maintain sanity. Sleep loss can lead to mood changes, and new moms are at risk for baby blues or the more serious postpartum depression.

Here are some of the best ways by which you can get the much-needed sleep after becoming a New Mom:

1. Seek the help of the experts: For the first few nights after the delivery, while you are at the hospital, it’s a good idea to keep the baby in the hospital nursery where he/she can be monitored well. You can nurse the baby and send her back to the nursery.
2. Engage your partner’s help: It is important to talk to your husband about handling sleep deprivation. After you bring home the baby, plan the night time shift with your husband. If this seems difficult, you can also discuss the possibility of hiring a night nurse for this purpose. If possible, you can introduce the practice of bottling breast milk so that somebody can feed the baby at night.
3. Lie down: Lying down while tending the baby can feel very relaxing. Lying down itself is very restorative. Don’t fret, if you don’t get to sleep. Even lying down next to the baby as she sleeps will benefit you greatly.
4. Don’t over-stress yourself with additional work: Taking care of the baby is a full-time job. During this time, say no to additional work that may come in the form of participation in social events or even inviting guests.
5. Sleep with the baby: A healthy strategy is one where you sleep as the baby sleeps. Do not allow calm that prevails as the baby sleeps to plan cleaning up the house, doing the laundry or washing the utensils. An average infant sleeps for 8-9 hours daily during the day. If you are able to sleep for even 4-5 hours of this time, you will be able to complete your daily sleep requirement by sleeping for another 2 hours at night.
6. Take help whenever you get it: Whenever a family member, friend or babysitter offers help in tending the baby, providing you time to take a nap, accept it with open arms. Don’t be hesitant or resistant to help.
7. Don’t allow electronics to take away your sleep: Whenever you get time to sleep, turn the mobile phone off. If you have the chance of watching TV and are feeling sleepy, choose sleep over that TV programme. The brightness of TV and computer screens can keep you awake and take away the sleepy sensation that precedes deep sleep.
8. Keep track of the future: Remember that in a few years down the line your child will grow up and will be able to sleep on her/his own. Keep a sight on that perspective but also remember, till that time you will have to take care of your sleep, which is an essential requirement of the body.

— Anshika Srivastava —