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.
