Tips on getting as much rest as we can

[SoulfulRavioli]

Hi all, we're expecting our first child in the next few months, and I was just wondering if anyone has any good tips for what we can do or what we can take to try and maximise sleep.

Both me and my partner know as soon as we become parents our sleep will (obviously) take a hit, so in the few moments we'll get to have a rest we obviously want to get to sleep fast and have a more restorative sleep. We're asking this now just in case there's anything we can bring into our evening routine now in preparation of the new addition

Look into safe cosleeping.

You will be so exhausted you won’t have any problem going to sleep fast! 🤣

Enjoy these months when you can sleep when you want.

Co sleep I agree! Did it with my first and now with second and get a decent amount of sleep

I'd agree with the ideas so far (especially being so exhausted that you won't need help anyway!)

I'd say the two things that have helped me the most have been a bit of yoga (the meditative aspect as well as the gentle stretching really puts me in a good mindset for sleep) as well as some CBD. Both of those have really helped me get to a good deep sleep quite fast, and I tend to wake up nice and refreshed.

But everyone's different at the end of the day, you've just got to find what works for you!

I would say don’t co sleep. Have baby in a cot by the bed. Do a rota so that one of you can sleep somewhere else for a part of the night. Or do alternate nights on “duty” if you aren’t BFing. Getting baby to take mixed feeding early on ie breast or bottle means that the load is more evenly shared.

Different things work for different people, and all babies behave differently as well! A good night light is helpful which you can keep on low throughout the night to avoid putting lights on/off (we have the VAVA one). Avoid use of your phone when up doing feeds if it keeps you awake. Agree re getting your baby used to taking bottles early - we started feeding ours expressed milk in a bottle at 2 weeks with no issues. This can then allow you to alternate nights or turn take in some pattern if you want to (if BF). I wouldn't bother changing anything now but perhaps think of some of the above for when your baby arrives. General good sleep hygiene principles as well - good exposure to natural light in daytime to aid your circadian rhythm, day time clothes and night time clothes (avoid being in pyjamas all day), avoid blue light devices for an hour before bed, avoid caffeine completely if possible if you will be napping, don't eat too late in the evening).

Depends how you are planning to feed but we took it in shifts for the first few months. I slept from 9-2 and my husband from 2-7, in the spare room, with ear plugs and an eye mask. We had a horrible sleeper so it really saved my sanity to know I’d at least get a 5 hour chunk before whatever the rest of the night held. Congrats on your forthcoming baby and good luck! Hope you get a good sleeper x

Sleep in separate rooms. No point both of you being awake at the same time. The one who's breastfeeding will end up doing most of the night waking so the other one should be prepared to take the baby as and when, maybe evenings or early mornings. Also one important thing is to have low expectations - concentrate on feeding and resting for the first 6 weeks, don't feel you have to rush about or entertain visitors unless you want to.
Finally, if there is a problem and the baby isn't sleeping, seek help. Things like breastfeeding issues or reflux can be helped, making the baby more comfortable and sleep better.
Good luck!

Sleep whenever you can. Don’t allow visitors to just turn up.

Learn to power nap, really helped me when I had 2 under 2.
Best done during the day as soon as baby is settled.
Drink a coffee, set your alarm for 20 mins and get comfy. Close your eyes and try to sleep. Soon as alarm goes off, get up. Caffeine should be kicking in and it's just a quick rest before falling into a deep sleep (which can make you feel groggy when you wake)
Does take some practice but it helped me a lot

Power naps are what saved me. Even 10/15 mins on the sofa perked me up, often much more than an hour long nap which I would wake groggy from. I found lying on the sofa with tv in low helped me drift off. If I took myself off to bed if almost felt like too much pressure on myself to sleep!

If you can breastfeed, it does help getting back to sleep.

I really recommend listening guided meditations/relaxations on youtube either for getting to sleep or getting some rest while baby is napping. I hated advice about 'sleep when the baby sleeps', as in the daytime I need to know I'll not be disturbed for at least an hour in order to drop off, and both of mine could nap for anything between 15 minutes or 2 hours but I'd never know which. But 15-20 minute relaxation, even if I didn't drop off, could feel as good as a 40-60 minute nap, so they're great if your baby's naps are variable.

I would say take shifts, my oh did 7pm till 1am. I did rest of night. In early days I was asleep by 715pm.

If lo is asleep don't hold them put them down in same room as you and go sleep yourself.

Lots of one pot meals that can be reheated.

Cleaning - forget it or get a cleaner if it bothers you that much. As your likely be tempted to do when lo is sleeping - don't do specially if you have a csection, I did and pulled my right side of scar and still not right almost 8 months on.

Sleep when lo is sleeping.

Dummy swaddle all times.

Make sure visitors text before coming and like me if they didn't ask to come round I didn't answer door 🤣

Make sure lo is sleeping enough so they don't get overtired and monitor this through out there early life.

Research lots about sleep for your lo!

Enjoy it and good luck 🤗

I would say don’t co sleep. Have baby in a cot by the bed. Do a rota so that one of you can sleep somewhere else for a part of the night. Or do alternate nights on “duty”

^ yes to this. I'm breastfeeding and baby now goes a good while in between feeds so I can still be off duty in another room whilst my partner sleeps in the bed and baby is in the next to me. But I have also expressed milk for dad to give too.

Also I have never been able to just fall asleep even when exhausted so I started listening to adult bedtime stories and these help me drop off.

To be honest the quality of my sleep is better now at 12 weeks pp than in my third (and fourth trimester!) as my SPD was so bad it kept me up in agony. So I get less but it's deep good sleep when it happens.

The number 1 is a supportive partner! Other than that, probably not popular opinions, but what worked for us was bottle feeding (so DH could do an equal share of feeding) and the Gina Ford routine.