Newborn Sleep: Skip Sleep Deprivation
Does the arrival of a Newborn really mean, you’ll have to live a few weeks… months in lulu land?
Does it really mean that you have entered the newborn bliss that quickly turns into sleep deprivation that then, creates anxiety and depression because 1) you are not sleeping and 2) you think you’ll never sleep again.
Iv’e been there and I’ve lived that. I remember week two hit with my first kid, and I cried every day for months! WAS I EVER GOING TO SLEEP AGAIN!
The newborn days. It truly does NOT need to be filled with any more added stress than it already brings.
Keeping someone, other than yourself, happy and healthy is hard work…. especially when that new someone can’t communicate other than crying, and that is what I am here to tell you….The cries you hear do NOT have to be due to a lack of sleep. I want you to feel as if, you have grasped the tools to truly support your little one in becoming a happy & healthy sleeper, from the beginning of their little days, just by reading this blog, or diving into my social media.
Stop waiting for the FOUR Month Regression to state that you no longer need to be sleep deprived. YOU can find sleep within the newborn days and enjoy the contact naps even more!
So, does sleep deprivation need to be a part of your life?
What I want to say here, to not raise expectations, is that… newborns do NOT come with a manual… and every newborn will be different. IS there reflux, tummy sensitivities, calmer personality, more high needs… every child will differ. What will not differ, is that newborns absolutely can sleep. There can be routine and there can be enjoyable days & nights.
I thought, with my first child, that up every two hours, unsafe sleep and lots of crying was a right of passage for becoming a mom. Let me just say, it is NOT!
With my second kiddo… I did THREE main things that created a healthy and FLEXIBLE sleeper. The anxiety of sleep deprivation never creeped into my mind. I KNEW there were steps to take to see that my little one could sleep at night without me nursing her all night and putting her in unsafe sleeping options.
If I can make one thing clear it is…. NEWBORN LIFE DOES NOT MEAN SLEEP DEPRIVATION!
The Three Habits We Followed:
Following Wake Windows Over Sleepy Cues:
30-45 Minutes is all your 0-6 week old needs. Sleep Cues are useless. If your little one has hit the screaming mark, they have been awake way PAST their Wake Window.
Putting them down for a nap as soon as they yawn could result in even shorter naps, due to not enough awake time.
ALSO BABIES DO NOT KNOW HOW TO JUST FALL ASLEEP ESPECIALLY THE EVENING TIMES. YOU HAVE TO SET THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM!
Dark Rooms OVER Brightly Lit Rooms:
The number of naps my youngest practiced in her dark sleeping space corresponded to the months she was of age. 1 nap a day in the one-month mark…. three naps a day in the three- month mark.
If they were napping in a brightly lit room, we always encouraged the sound machine to be on, too!
Naps- on-the go meant we provided sound machines and dark rooms, when safe option was available.
Routine’s from DAY 1:
Every night looked the same before bed. This routine was 15-30 minutes and included cuddles, feedings, changes and books.
Nap routines were in place before every nap (even car naps) and we always ensured clean diapers and full babies were ready for a nap.
I am here to reiterate.
Follow Wake Windows, Provide Safe Sleeping Environments, and Create a Routine that works for your family! Stop thinking that you need to wait until your little one is 4-months or older. NEWBORNS CAN SLEEP!
Do NOT let others persuade you that sleep deprivation has to be a part of your life. It IS not True.
Want more information? Check out the NEWBORN GUIDE, that I have available for purchase!
