Get a full night's sleep

Today’s Tip – Don’t feel bad about taking a night off

I don’t think my wife and I realized how tired we were until we had a full night’s sleep and were actually well rested. My mother-in-law was down for the night, and in true

“I’ll go above and beyond to help even though you told me not to” fashion, she woke up and took care of the baby when he cried. Since I’m a deep sleeper, I had no idea, and my wife just thought the baby went back to sleep on his own. She was that quick.

We both woke up the next morning excited because our son had slept through the night for the first time. We were disappointed, but grateful when she told us he had been up a couple times.

You need sleep just as much as your baby does, so don’t feel like you’re not entitled to a full night’s shut eye now and again. If you and your wife alternate feedings, have one person take them all one night. Or if you’ve got a set of parents that love every second they get to spend with their little grandchild (I think everyone does), enlist their help.

Don’t feel like you have to run yourself ragged over treating yourself to a full night’s sleep. No one expects you to do it all while only getting four or five solid hours of shuteye.

See all the first time parenting tips