How to Get Restorative Sleep When You Have a Newborn

You’ve no doubt seen lots of advice on how to get your baby to sleep. But the fact is, parents — particularly, new moms who are physically recovering after delivery and dealing with hormones and breastfeeding — could use some tips on how to get the sleep they need.

Sleep is important for everyone, but as a new mom, it’s vital as you face the demands of caring for a newborn, says Jenny Yang Mei, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Stanford Health Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic in Palo Alto, California. But, she says, it’s really hard to get. New moms often hear the advice to sleep when the baby sleeps, but it’s not really helpful, because it’s easier said than done. “Our bodies don’t really work like that,” says Dr. Mei. “We can’t sleep on demand.”

“Sleep is an essential part of health, helping with rest and recovery,” says Sivani Aluru, MD, a specialist in comprehensive obstetrics and gynecology at Endeavor Health in Naperville, Illinois. “Our bodies perform a lot of housekeeping tasks while we are sleeping.” Not getting enough sleep can cause long-term health issues and increase your risk of chronic diseases. It also slows your reaction time and can even be a safety concern, she says.

Despite how hard it is to catch some z’s with a newborn, don’t give up. Your body needs restorative sleep, even if it’s just for a few hours at a time. Studies show that combining four to five hours of uninterrupted sleep with shorter naps is beneficial for new moms at risk of postpartum depression (PPD).

• Healing “Sleep is especially important for your body as it recovers,” says Mei. Your body repairs tissue and builds muscle during sleep. Your uterus, pelvic floor muscles, and perineal tears all heal best when your body is relaxed and resting, she says.
• Bonding When you are well rested, you have more patience and can be more in tune with your baby’s needs. You also have the energy to hold and cuddle your baby. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, can make you easily stressed and irritable, making it harder to connect emotionally with your child.
• Hormones As you snore away, the body works to balance the hormones that affect mood and stress. When you don’t sleep enough, cortisol is elevated, making you more stressed.

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   At the same time, poor sleep depletes serotonin, the hormone linked to good feelings.

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• Immunity Poor sleep can weaken the immune system’s ability to fight bacterial and viral pathogens, says Aluru. During sleep, the body releases cytokines, which are proteins that help fight inflammation and infection.

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While it may not be as easy as counting sheep, there are some ways you can protect your sleep when your head hits the pillow. Some tips include:

• Set up shifts. You and your partner or a family member can split the nighttime feedings. For example, you could sleep from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., while they feed the baby at 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. This strategy requires using stored breast milk or formula. Some mothers might be worried about nipple confusion with the use of a bottle, but if you wait until week three or four to take shifts, you can establish breastfeeding first. Sharing feedings might not seem ideal to some mothers, but you have to weigh that against the benefits of good sleep.

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  Even if you can’t stick to this type of schedule every night, a few nights of uninterrupted sleep can be beneficial.
• Ask for help around the house. When you hear the regular breathing of your sleeping baby after hours of feeding and rocking, it may be tempting to turn your attention to the dishes and piles of laundry. But if you feel tired, lying down may be a better use of your time. Is there a friend or neighbor who can come for an hour or two to tidy up? Ask them to stop over while the baby is awake, so both you and your baby can have quiet in the house during nap time.
• Create an ideal sleeping environment. “Keep the bedroom cool and dark with blackout curtains,” says Aluru. Earplugs, eyeshades, and white noise machines can also help if you’re trying to rest during daytime hours. Limit stimulants, such as caffeine and screen time. And, if possible, have your partner or a family member keep an ear out for the baby monitor, so you can totally relax and sink into deep sleep.
• Consider a postpartum doula. If you have the resources, getting the help of a certified doula can be a game changer. Besides stepping in to give you some time to rest, they can help with breastfeeding, emotional support, infant care techniques, and nutrition.

• Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury, for new moms. But disrupted or insufficient sleep is common in the first few months of caring for a newborn.
• A good night’s sleep can speed healing, boost your mental health, and balance your hormones, among other things.
• Ask your partner, family members, or close friends to support you by helping around the house or pitching in with nighttime feedings, so you can get some sleep.