Sleep after childbirth. Tips and suggestions to get through this stage
Our baby is finally born. So many months of waiting and we already have it with us. It is time to leave the hospital and start a new life at home, all of us adapting together to this new situation in which our schedules and routines are going to change, and mainly in relation to hours of sleep. Now the rest of the mother and father will depend on the hours of sleep of the little one in the house, which can become a great inconvenience since sometimes it is impossible to sleep after childbirth even at the times when you have the opportunity to do so. . And although it may seem that babies sleep little, the truth is that they sleep in fits and starts. Adapting to his schedule to feed him when necessary means a total break in your sleep cycle.
The postpartum stage or quarantine as it is commonly known, is a period of readjustments in which the woman's body will undergo physical and emotional changes in order to return to the state before pregnancy. All of this will cause a feeling of fatigue or tiredness that will make the appearance of insomnia inevitable. However, the biggest impediment to sleeping after childbirth and resting will, without a doubt, be the baby. Their diet will prevent parents from sleeping for the seven hours in a row recommended for adults.
We are facing a tough period that will often test the patience of parents precisely due to lack of sleep. Below we summarize the main causes of insomnia, and later we will provide you with some guidelines that you can follow to make this stage more bearable.
- Exhaustion : Although it is true that fatigue is felt from the last trimester of pregnancy, the moment of giving birth involves significant physical wear and tear that will further accentuate this feeling during the first weeks of postpartum.
- First-time births : If you have just had your first baby, it is normal for a great feeling of responsibility to appear that makes you afraid of falling asleep. It is something totally normal and insomnia is caused by the insecurity you feel about the fact that something could happen to your baby.
- Hormonal change : Hormones are out of control and this causes great tiredness or lack of spirit, which, together with the feeling of guilt for not feeling as happy as you should, means that you cannot fall asleep. Hormonal balance will take time to reach while estrogen levels gradually regulate.
- Postpartum contractions : Childbirth is a great effort for the mother due to the annoying contractions. And these will continue to appear periodically during a time in which the uterus, which previously increased its size to accommodate your baby, recovers its original size, preventing you from getting the rest you need.
Tips for sleeping after childbirth
- Use a baby monitor : These devices are highly recommended for the peace of mind they represent for parents. With them, you will be able to fall asleep without having to be aware of him at all times, since your monitor will reproduce any noise that the little one emits so that you can attend to him if he needs anything. If you want to consult all the functionalities of our baby monitors , click here .
- Breathing exercises : Sleeping is very important to rest, although you can also get some rest through certain activities that you find rewarding. To do this, you can try maintaining slow breathing for a few minutes to replenish energy and relax.
- Proper nutrition : Avoid heavy meals as well as caffeinated drinks that can make you nervous.
- Sunbathing : It is highly recommended to take walks in the sun with your baby, if your pediatrician allows it and the weather is favorable. Walking and exercising makes you feel more energetic, and your breaks are deeper afterwards.
