Did
you know that many newborn babies sleep as much as sixteen hours a day. Unfortunately,
this is often only in short bursts. This can leave exhausted parents on constant
alert and lead to severe sleep deprivation. This common parenting problem can
lead to resentment and sleep obsession, which in turn can lead to more parental
stress.
Understanding
that lack of sleep is normal, and something that almost every parent experiences
can go a long way in defusing negativity. Vicki Lansky, author of Getting
Your Child to Sleep...and Back to Sleep says "You're not going to
get a full night's sleep, so you can either be tired and angry or just tired”."
"Just tired is easier."
The
primary goal is to take care for your baby. Follow the age old advice “Sleep when your baby sleeps" and
take shifts with your spouse. On the weekend, or when both parents are home,
take naps, or go to bed early. They will go a long way to refresh and replenish
your energy.
Labels: adjusting, Adoption Support, adoption transition, Babies, bonding, Domestic Adoption, Mom's, Parenting, Semi-Open Adoption, Single Parent, While you Wait
