Sleep and Kept Promises
Sleep is overrated when in college. Who needs it when you can stay up late with friends and get up early then do it all over again the next day without so much as a yawn. We know sleep is vital to our body’s recovery and an alert brain but it is usually ignored for the sake of fun or packing more into a single 24 hours. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is known by pretty much everyone.
It’s all good until that sweet new baby arrives. The baby is adorable and smells amazing and you could just stare at her all day. That is until she is up all night. Then the staring gets old and you get tired. Then a few days in you start thinking “how on earth did I do this in the past and not kill over?” You start feeling desperate for sleep and living off mini naps. Well I am here to tell you, six one hour naps in a 24 hour period does not equal six hours of real sleep!
Sleep deprivation is used as a war times tactic with Prisoners of War to get them to spill secrets. Clearly that shows how scary no sleep can be. We know it can really mess with the mind and cause irrational thoughts and feelings of desperation. Many parents find they are begging the sweet new baby to sleep, making promises about getting the baby a pony if only she will sleep or promises of fun the next day that she will miss out on if she does not catch some shut eye. When really, the baby has no idea what any of that means nor is she trying to torture you as a POW.
Times like this are when an overnight postpartum doula can be helpful. A postpartum doula can arrive in the late evening and stay with the baby until morning allowing the parents to get some sleep. A postpartum doula can work with the baby to sleep in her crib or designated area. A postpartum doula likely knows tricks and tactics to get the baby to sleep longer and better. A postpartum doula can quietly fold laundry so you wake up feeling like a visit was had from the laundry fairy! And finally a postpartum doula can allow the parents a full night’s sleep (with the possibility of a short awakening for breastfeeding or pumping if applicable) to help the parents mentally and physically recover.
When your mind and body are rested you will be more alert. You will feel better and enjoy the baby more. It can also keep you from making promises such as a pony when in reality you will never buy that pony, where on earth would it live anyway?
Let us help you keep your promises! To book an overnight shift with one of our postpartum doulas please email info@bosombuddynashville.com. We look forward to helping you feel happy, alert, and human again!
