This is a fact that may not surprise parents of young children: after the birth of the latter and during the first year of life, the parents (and often the mothers!) sleep much less. But what is the exact loss of sleep time?
Did you just have a baby? Prepare to not get enough sleep for the next twelve months! Apart from the few lucky parents who have a baby who sleeps right out of the maternity ward, the vast majority will have to deal with shorter nights and choppy hours of sleep.
Nearly a thousand raises to take care of their child, during the first year
To assess the exact loss of sleep time, a survey was conducted by the company Silentnight, a British mattress manufacturer, the results of which are reported by the Daily Mail.
Thus, the 500 parents questioned reveal that they lack about four and a half hours of sleep each night and get up on average 975 at night to take care of their child, an average of three times each night.
In general, it is therefore estimated that the parents of a one-year-old child will have lost two months of sleep during this first year of their toddler’s life.
Sleep: breastfeeding and maternity leave disadvantage women
However, this general observation is not correct when we look more closely. “Men, who get less time off after birth, have their sleep routines maintained more evenly than mums, who get extended time off for up to 12 months.” notes the study. Breastfeeding also plays against women’s sleep, who will in fact be more awake than their spouses to breastfeed.
How to promote your child’s sleep?
To limit these nocturnal risings, it is essential to help your child develop good sleep habits from an early age. Here are some tips to follow, to set your child’s pace as soon as possible:
- To help baby sleep through the night, help him distinguish between day and night: to do this, think about putting him to bed in daylight for a nap and making the bedroom completely dark for the night;
- Establish a bedtime ritual: babies love routines, which reassure them. So opt for a scheme that will be the same every night, for example: a short evening story or a lullaby, a hug and in bed;
- Organize the baby’s room so that it is clean and peaceful for him: baby’s sleep can be disturbed by a room that does not breathe serenity, so care must be taken;
- Finally, once your child is in bed, do not constantly enter his room, so as not to disturb his sleep.
