Approved by the What’s Up Moms Medical Advisory Board
If it’s not already long gone, your adrenaline is waning by now, and sleep deprivation may be catching up with you. Baby will be sleeping 16 or more hours per day (yay) but in small stretches (boo). Her days and nights are mixed up and she’s on no kind of schedule – so neither are you, which can be DEEPLY CRAZY-MAKING. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: this is not permanent. In the coming months a sleep structure will begin to take shape, but for now, fluidity is the name of the game.
You’ll hear it ad nauseum: “Sleep when baby sleeps.” Yeah. Easier said than done. Not everyone can spring into a restorative nap with the snap of a finger. Plus, your baby may refuse to lay in that supercute bassinet you so painstakingly researched – she’d rather sleep nestled up on you, which makes perfect sense considering how cozy and engulfing the womb was. Needless to say, it can be hard to get some restful time to yourself.
By the way, if you find yourself feeling super emotional these days, that’s normal. The Baby Blues are a real thing – your hormones are fluctuating wildly, and there’s that little sleep deprivation thing, which can make everything feel more intense. If your symptoms last more than 2-3 weeks, though, it’s a good idea to just check in with your doc.
Happily, one of the challenges of these early weeks can be turned into an asset, and that is VISITORS. Is your mom driving you nuts yet? (She will.) Put her to work as baby wrangler for two hours so you can get a big nap. Friends texting to ask when they can swing by and how they can help? They actually want you to be specific, so be specific. Ask them bring you takeout for dinner, a pint (or two) of ice cream, or some Us Weeklys for your breastfeeding pleasure. Why not?
It takes a village, and this is no time to be shy. Your people want to rally around you, so let them. Everyone wins.
Last updated: August 2018
