6 women lose sleep after giving birth
'20.03.2019'
Source: TipHero
A new study, published in the journal Sleep, reports that women and some men can suffer from sleep deprivation (reduction or deprivation) up to six years after the birth of their first child.
If you have no children, just try to present it in perspective: you give birth to a child and until he goes to the first class, you cannot sleep properly, writes TipHero.
And although most mothers say something like, “well, it is,” the authors of the study were puzzled. Basically, because they assumed: poor sleep can be a problem for young parents except in the first months of a child’s life, but not six years afterwards.
“We didn’t expect these results, but we can definitely say that there will be many changes in your daily responsibilities,” says Sakari Lemola, Ph.D., co-author of the study at the University of Warwick.
He explained that although his night crying may cease after the baby leaves the neonatal period, there are other factors that can affect maternal sleep. For example, a child has nightmares, children get sick and wake up at night. The parents themselves are also worried, getting up to the child in the middle of the night.
The study also found that during the first three months of a baby's life, mothers on average lacked one hour of sleep per night. The fathers were deprived of only 15 minutes of sleep - most likely due to the fact that their partners breastfeed their babies and wake up the men.
The study involved about 5000 parents of all ages, different family incomes, single and married couples, and so on. The conclusion was the same for all.
Does this mean that you can no longer fully sleep until the child goes to school? Not at all. There are some actions that can improve the situation.
“Sleep deprivation can be physically and emotionally draining. Try not to do housework that can wait and accept help from family and friends when offered, ”says Katie Finley, prenatal course leader.
She also suggests taking a nap while your child is asleep, or sharing tasks with a partner — when one is busy with the child in the evening, and the other has time to rest and takes over the "night shift."
“Sleep disturbance can be difficult and exhausting, but keep in mind that it won't last forever,” she adds.
And how long could you not sleep properly after giving birth?
