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Good newborn sleep habits start early

We know sleep is vital for our physical and mental wellbeing. And we know how difficult sleeping can be with a new baby. But while it may be difficult, it needn’t be impossible. With a little help from the experts at KUB, you and your newborn could sleep well from the start.

The first night in hospital

You’ve just given birth to the most gorgeous baby ever – and if everything works out, you could even be going home later that day. But if you do have to spend the night in hospital, here are some tips to help you get the best night’s rest possible:

• Avoid the temptation to do nothing but gaze at your little miracle. Instead, grab some shut-eye when baby drops off – it might be the only chance you get!
• It can be noisy on a baby ward so plan ahead and book one of the hospital’s private rooms. If this isn’t an option, take a ‘sleep kit’ including earplugs, eye mask and some lavender oil for your pillow to help you snooze.

The first night at home

When you bring baby home, expect to feel totally overwhelmed – this is completely natural (I blame those hormones!). But as with most things, being prepared is the key to coping, and good habits start early, so:

• Before you go into hospital, set out the baby’s Moses basket and have all the necessary paraphernalia to hand so you don’t waste time and energy searching for things.
• Plan your routine. As a breastfeeding mum, you need all the sleep you can get so make sure your partner is on standby for when baby cries other than at feeding times. If you’re not breastfeeding, aim to share the feeds and the tiredness.
• If this isn’t your first baby, involve your other children as much as possible. Life coach Alison Raphael says, ‘Inclusion is so much healthier than rejection and this will help them accept the new baby quickly and will ease any feelings of guilt you might have about not having enough time for them.'
• Remember you’re not a superhero! As Alison Raphael says: ‘Ask for help if you need it. Be assertive – make requests and refuse requests. If you’re not feeling up to visitors, say so. They’ll understand.’

And finally…

Give yourself a break. Don’t be hard on yourself if everything’s not perfect immediately. And, trust us, it really does get better with time. Sleep well.

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