Dealing with Sleep Deprivation and Stress

Having a baby is great experience but it can also be very stressful. I have found that it is very important for new parents to understand their stress triggers.

Common triggers include the basics such as work, finances and relationships but with a new baby you find you have a whole new world of challenges to overcome; learning your babies cries - is that a feed, nappy, wind? Learning new equipment such as bottle sterilisers, how to fit a nappy even. After all to many it's all completely new.

One aspect that can complicate matters further is sleep deprivation. This is simply a lack of sufficient sleep. The effects of sleep deprivation can include irritability, poor concentration, and nausea to name a few. In short, sleep deprivation hampers your ability to cope with situations that you would normally take in your stride. Some strategies to combat stress and sleep deprivation include, training yourself to sleep when the baby sleeps, exercising and reducing outside commitments. This sounds simple but in reality it takes some commitment and ingenuity to cover all your bases and find time to sleep. If you have a parent who can help get them to come and look after your babu for an afternoon and let you get some sleep - even three or four hours will make a world of difference. They can stay in the house if you can't bear to be separated from your newborn.

Positive Reinforcement

Having a baby is a very challenging time for new Mums and Dads. One area in which a new Dad can be a huge help to his partner is by using consistent positive reinforcement. The majority of new mums will experience baby blues, which are characterised by tears, feeling down and uncertainty. These feelings are usually temporary but they highlight the emotional changes and vulnerability that many new mums experience. 

Consistent words of encouragement, reinforcing the great job that she is doing and how much you appreciate her is a great way to support a new mum. This is especially important as she is learning new skills such as breastfeeding and settling the baby. This can be a really difficult experience for some new mums as there are huge expectations that it should work perfectly first time, not to mention huge pressure from midwifes on breast-feeding (but thats another story we will get to later). By focusing on positive reinforcement it reassures your partner that you understand what she is going through and care enough to support her.

Your relationship with your partner can change when your firstborn comes along. Your partner will have enough affection to accommodate another person, but she won't have the time or energy. Men are usually adept at supporting their partners, but need to find a place of their own in their child's life.