Nappig is a major help, but often difficult if one parent is working and the other parent is at home alone with the child, as is the case with me and my wife. What I’ve been experiencing personally is the inability to wind down when the baby finally does fall asleep at night and capitalize on a few hours of crying-free sleep time. My wife feels like she needs to get other things done so doesn’t always sleep when the baby does during the day.

I’ve been trying to take steps to better prepare myself for the time when the infant finally does conk off, because napping is out of the question for me during the day. I moderating my activities so that any vigorous tasks that might stress or wake me more are finished at least an hour and a half before bedtime.

Listening to classical music in place of television also helps calm me and relax me to the point where my mind is ready to sleep. Along the same lines as reducing TV watching is making sure I turn off the computer well in advance of my anticipated bed time.

I’ve been drinking plenty of water and makings sure I’m eating a healthy diet, which helps me feel better in general. An ounce or two of red wine with dinner helps put me out as well, but I’m so tired it feels like my baby is eating my brain.

Baby Center has a list of sleep aids for new parents, but I would LOVE to hear any suggestions that you may have for sleeping better with an infant.

Post from: Blisstree

Sleep deprivation and new parenthood

I came home for lunch today and decided to put on some music, at which point my wife’s belly began undulating as if the baby were trying to make his own escape through her belly button. People often claim that music in utero is good for child development, which I can’t necessarily comment on. I think that would be a very difficult thing to objectively prove, however our little sprout seems energized by classical music and almost always moves along to the tunes. His movements subside as the music quiets, and increases again as it picks up.

It’s such an amazing thing to watch and I’m really interested to see if he has any particular affinity to classical music or is affected by it as he grows. If so, my father-in-law will most likely giggle like a little school girl because, well, that’s just my father-in-law.

Post from: Blisstree

The alien in my wife’s tummy