WOMEN & SLEEP || Forget about sleeping like a baby... 25 tips for ways to return to sleeping like an adult after the baby is born

Here are 25 of other ways culled from "tip sheets" on the internet that may help you reclaim good sleep if you are a postpartum mama in need of recovering your winks. SleepyHeadCENTRAL does not necessarily endorse all of these recommendations but they are very popular and commonly found on parenting websites where the issue of sleep deprivation emerges. Use your best judgment, ask for advice from your doctor and don't be afraid to ask for help.

1. Nap when the baby naps 
2. Enlist help with dishes and laundry
3. Have Daddy or another member of the household or family help with overnight feedings by pumping breastmilk or preparing bottles ahead of time
4. Co-sleep with your baby to make night-time nursing easier (or) sleep apart from your baby so their nightly noises don't awaken you
5. Use a rocking cradle at beds' side; ones with batteries can help baby fall asleep 
6. Midnight snacks of protein to recharge during nursing overnight
7. Sleep separately from the baby and any other bed partners a couple nights every week
8. Sleep in on weekends
9. Go to bed at night when the baby goes to bed
10. Check in with yourself daily; if you need extra sleep, plan for it the next night
11. Don't be afraid to let the nurses watch your baby while you are still in the hospital in recovery
12. Say no to outside nonmotherhood activities that cut into your energy level and bedtime until you can catch up on your own sleep
13. Don't binge watch TV at this time; use that downtime for sleep
14. Hire a babysitter
15. Deal with your new motherhood anxiety whenever it pops up
16. Try to remember that this phase of parenthood is finite and temporary
17. Make note of unusual mood swings that might indicate baby blues, and get help for them ASAP
18. If you struggle with sleep even in the presence of opportunity, consider the possibility that you might have a sleep disorder postpartum that you might not have had prenatally, and get checked out
19. Turn your phone off when you lie down for a nap
20. Prepare for the time when it might be better to let junior cry it out
21. Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed
22. Practice good relaxation tips before bed
23. Lie down even if you can't sleep; your body can use the break
24. Drink you water, especially if you are nursing, as dehydration can lead to fatigue
25. Allow guests only if they are willing to do the cooking, cleaning and babysitting