<p><strong><em>Try these tricks to catch some ZZZs while caring for a newborn solo</em></strong></p><p>“Say goodbye to sleep!” </p><p>You’ve probably heard it dozens of times since sharing the news of your <a href="https://esme.com/resources/c/pregnancy" target="_blank" class="wordlink">pregnancy</a>. It’s true enough that all mothers—not just the solo ones—have to grapple with some sleep deprivation; that just comes with the territory. But if you’re proactive and strategic, there’s plenty you can do to sneak in sleep while caring for your newborn on your own. </p><p><strong>Drop everything and nap</strong></p><p>Napping when you have a newborn is not a luxury, it’s an absolute necessity. You’d be amazed at what even a short nap can do to restore your feeling of well-being (and sanity). Newborns sleep all the time, so you’ll have plenty of chances to sneak in a nap yourself—as long as you are sure to drop everything else. That means laundry, dishes, emails, even guests. They came for the baby, anyway, so put them to good use and have them keep an eye on the little one when you spend some time with the Sandman. </p><p><strong>Find some sleepover buddies </strong></p><p>Getting a family member or a close friend to take over a nighttime shift not only wins you extra sleep, it affords you the adult company that you’ll probably be craving. Just pump and have them bottle-feed the baby for one feeding so you can rack up five or six straight hours. Some folks will be happy to stay for a few days at a time and some can only handle one night every so often, but chances are, friends and family will be happy to help at night—after all, they can go home and catch up on sleep the next night. </p><p><strong>Experiment with sleeping surfaces for baby </strong></p><p>Babies can be finicky and each one has unique preferences, which means you need a lot of tricks up your sleeve. Some newborns love sleeping in rocking cradles, some in the bouncy seat, some only want to be in the bassinet. Don’t get discouraged if the first option doesn’t work, just move on to the next one. (Use hand-me-downs or used goods to keep costs low!) </p><p><strong>Use all the soothing aids you can </strong></p><p>Pacifiers, swaddling, vibrating seats, infant swings—stay open to all of it, because you never know what will be the key that unlocks the amazing chamber of slumber. Make a commitment to yourself right from the get-go to stay flexible and guilt-free; the newborn months are a time when we all have to make it by hook or by crook.</p><p><strong>Wait before you respond to your baby </strong></p><p>When baby calls, you come; that’s just instinct. But sometimes, your newborn isn’t hungry or hurting, and he or she will settle right back to sleep after a little moaning. So be optimistic and give your newborn a minute before you rush to the rescue in the middle of the night.</p><p><strong>Remind yourself this, too, shall pass</strong></p><p>All babies learn how to sleep through the night eventually—and the truly tough part of the sleeplessness only last a few weeks. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not very long. Before you know it, you’ll be looking back at this crazy, wonderful, exhausting time and smiling about it.</p><hr><p><span style="font-size: 11px;">Image via Shutterstock.com</span></p>
<p><em><strong>Advice from a new <a href="https://esme.com/voices/perspectives/whats-a-solo-mom" target="_blank" class="wordlink">Solo Mom</a>, Sidney Cavaricci-White</strong></em></p><p><strong></strong><strong>Q: What’s the hardest part about <a href="https://esme.com/resources/c/parenting" target="_blank" class="wordlink">parenting</a> on your own?</strong></p><p>A: The hardest part about parenting on my own is that I have to cover all the parent roles. I have to make all the decisions by myself. I do try to include my daughter’s father in as much as I can, but mostly I end up doing it by myself. The late nights and the total lack of time for myself are more practical hardships.</p><p><strong><strong>Q: </strong>What advice would you give to pregnant women who are solo?</strong> </p><p>A: Get a rocking sleeper or bassinet. (Anything that will make that baby want to sleep more is a blessing.) Keep an eye on your stock of diapers and wipes. (You won’t be able to send anyone out to get more if you run out unexpectedly.) Most importantly, pamper yourself! You’ll be dedicating all your time and energy to someone who can’t show you how appreciated you are, so you have to appreciate yourself as much as you can.</p><p><strong><strong>Q: </strong>When you get demoralized, what picks you back up again?</strong> </p><p>A: It may sound cheesy, but I think about my daughter—this wild and incredible little person who is just so perfect. I think about how she is who she is because of me, and that she needs me to be strong and do what I have to do. </p><p>Sometimes if we’re having a really rough night, I throw our schedule out the window and I put her in her high chair with a snack and paint, or we dance around the house like crazy people until we feel better. </p><p><strong><strong>Q: </strong>What’s one of your guilty pleasures?</strong></p><p>A: My guiltiest pleasure as a mother is probably that I nurse her in the middle of the night. My daughter is 100% sleep-trained for her naps and at bedtime, but around 1:00 a.m., I wake up to find her laughing or crying, watching me, waiting for me to pick her up and put her in bed next to me at my breast. She’s old enough to sleep with me, so I get extra hours of sleep (which I love), but really having her so close and cuddled is just my favorite thing ever. </p><p><strong><strong>Q: </strong>Tell us about a moment from the past week where you felt like a great mom, where you thought, “Yes! Nailed it!”</strong></p><p>A: This week she started giving kisses—real, actual, not-slobbering-all-over-you kisses—with puckered lips and everything. She thinks it’s so funny. How happy and affectionate she is makes me feel like I’m doing something right. </p><hr><p><span style="font-size: 11px;">Photo credit Sidney Cavaricci-White</span><br></p>
