Thank you to Nature’s Sleep for providing me with memory foam products to try out and share my honest opinion with you ladies.
“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.” – Leo J. Burke… This quote is so darn true, right? I remember when Abby was born – I had never experienced such extreme exhaustion in my entire life. She hated going to sleep, and I’d rock her for hours sometimes. Then she’d wake up repeatedly all night long – waking me up too. I wish I’d know what I know now back in those bleary-eyed days – so I’m sharing some tips to help you sleep better once you bring a new baby home too. Keep reading to learn what worked for us.
There is no snooze button on a baby who wants to be fed
We were lucky – at about 3 months, Abby started {mostly} sleeping through the night. And now as a toddler, that kid will sleep until noon sometimes if I let her! But those early days – very unsuccessful attempts at breastfeeding, the nervousness of being a first-time mom with NO baby experience, and Abby’s insistence in resisting sleep for as long as possible each night – well, those were some LONG days and nights. To help you avoid some of the stress we went through, here are some tips to help you sleep all sleep soundly once your bundle of joy arrives home:
- Help baby learn day and night: It’s important to help babies learn the difference between daytime and night right from the start. During the daytime open up the curtains, allow normal household noises and conversation, and enjoy playtime and games. Then at night time, be sure to keep the lights dimmed, noises hushed, and any interaction restricted to quieter, gentler actions.
- Have a routine: At first, this won’t work. Babies will sleep on and off, all day and night, on their own schedule for awhile. But it doesn’t hurt to start a routine from the get-go – feeding, bathtime, songs and rocking, then bedtime. It’ll take awhile for your new baby to adjust to this routine, but the earlier you start the easier it will be for all of you once they get used to it. And, a soothing bedtime routine like this can help YOU wind down before bed easier too – leading to a better night’s sleep for you too.
- Where to sleep: This is a tough one, and totally depends on you, your family, and what is comfortable to you. Some women find it SO much easier to have baby sleep in the bed with them, so night time feedings are easier. But, there are some risks to having a newborn in bed with you. {Learn more about co-sleeping risks and benefits.} You can also get a sleeper that hooks right onto your bed, to keep baby close by – but reduce some of those risks. But one thing to keep in mind – When Abby was a baby, Mike worked until late in the evening. When he’d get home, he’d scoop up Abby to sleep on his belly while he watched a bit of TV. As she got bigger, she’d fall asleep in the crook of his arm, snuggled against him. It was super sweet, and they both loved it. But – now at 3 years old, she has a super hard time falling asleep anywhere except cuddled right up next to daddy. So – if you’re ok with sharing a bed with a toddler, not so bad, lol. But habits they make as a baby can be hard to break later.
- Don’t rush to help: Infants obviously need to know that you’re there when they need you – so it’s definitely appropriate to go them right away when they cry. But as they grow older – giving them a little bit of time before you rush to them can help them learn to sooth themselves back to sleep. I was skeptical until I tried this with Abby – I’d let her cry a little longer each time before coming in to comfort her. I wouldn’t pick her up like I used to do unless she was really upset. After a couple of weeks she would cry for just a minute or so, then snuggle back down to sleep like magic. Amazing. And it really helped me to get a lot more quality sleep at night too.
- Invest in the best: Just like you want to make sure that you buy a safe crib, quality bedsheets, safe sleepers, and the coolest crib toys and mobiles – you definitely want to invest in the best for your own bed too. I am a BIG fan of the memory foam products at Nature’s Sleep – you can read more about how their memory foam pillows totally changed our nights. And if you’re ready to invest in better night’s sleep for your family too, check out the cool products and promotions they have going on right now…
Nature’s Sleep Memory Foam Mattress and Pillow Promotions
You’ll find new deals all of the time on the Nature’s Sleep website – and be sure to follow them on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for updates on new products and promotions – and watch for the #NSAmbassadors tag on social media to see what other real moms think of their products.You can also enter to win a new King Size Memory Foam Mattress right here on my site. And be sure to sign up at Groupon.com – they often run uh-MAY-zing deals on Nature’s Sleep products and gift certificates.
Let’s Chat: Have you ever slept on memory foam before? Did you love it? What’s your favorite Nature’s Sleep product? Leave some comments below – I love hearing from you guys!
{Disclaimer: Nature’s Sleep provided me with a memory foam pillow to try out and give me honest opinion. Photo credit: peasap via photopin cc. All opinions shared are 100% mine – as always.}
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