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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Trying to support my sister who's about to become a single mom - looking for advice and experiences

1 reply

Curious435 · 04/09/2024 10:58

Hey everyone,

I've got something on my mind and could use some friendly conversation and advice. My sister (she's 31) is about to become a single mom, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to support her, especially since we live in different countries.

I remember when my cousin had her baby a few years back, she was constantly talking about how exhausted she was from the lack of sleep. And she had a partner to help out! I can only imagine how challenging it must be for single parents.

So, I've been thinking about putting together some kind of digital care package for my sister - you know, with advice, tips, maybe some guides on dealing with sleep issues and just generally surviving those first few months. I want it to be something she can easily access on her phone during those late-night feeding sessions or whenever she needs a bit of support.

For those of you who are parents, especially single parents, I'd love to hear about your experiences:

  • What was the toughest part about those first few months, especially regarding sleep (both yours and the baby's)?
  • Did you find any particularly helpful resources or strategies for dealing with sleep deprivation?
  • If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice about managing sleep with a newborn, what would it be?
  • For the single parents out there, how did you cope with not having someone to tag team with during the night?
I'm really just trying to understand what it's like so I can be as supportive as possible. Any stories, advice, or even just words of encouragement for my sister would be so appreciated.

Thanks for letting me ramble, and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

OP posts:
TheOneWithUnagi · 05/09/2024 10:57

Not a single parent but I did all the wake ups as I was EBF and to be honest just coped with it better. With my second my husband slept in the spare room so he could look after the big one.

The best advice I would give is cosleeping. It happens a lot more than people admit as it is frowned upon by some but it's very safe if done within guidelines. Even if parents don't want to it can happen accidentally so it's best to know how to do it safely.
I put my first back in her crib every night and remember nights feeling desperate with lack of sleep (and other times I feel asleep holding her in bed(, but found her brother an absolute breeze in comparison from cosleeping and lie down feeding.

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