Let’s face it, a new baby in the home can be tough. The initial adjustment to the cries, diaper changes and quick development paired with restless nights can make raising a newborn a challenge. A good way to take control of the situation and get more sleep than you did during the first few weeks is to create a night shift system with your significant other.
What is a Newborn Sleep Schedule?
A newborn sleep schedule is a night shift system for parents. Alternating the nightly care duties like burping, rocking and bottle feeding can help you feel more rested and encourage a healthy relationship of working together. Some nights maybe be more stressful than others, but it’s recommended to take a 2-3 hour night shift on rotation with the second parent to help smooth things out. You might even be lucky enough to have an older child who offers to help with the rotation a few nights a week.
If mom is breastfeeding this can still be done. After breastfeeding the other parent can help with the burping and rocking baby to sleep and breastmilk can also be already prepared in bottles that simply need to be warmed up for a few seconds. If your newborn only sleeps when held, this is a great way to bond with your baby.
Night shifts won’t work for every parenting couple but splitting the nighttime duties is also a great way for mom to heal and avoid being at risk for a postpartum depression. A newborn sleeps all day but it’s not possible for the parents, therefore it’s important to be able to get some rest during the night to be ready for the days to come. If you are a single parent or your significant other works during the night you might want to consider asking a friend or family member if they can come over to help with the night shift when days are hard. The nights you need to recharge. If it’s financially feasible, a night nurse could also be a great option.
Starting a night shift sleep schedule will be trial and error. After a few nights you will get to know your baby more and each other. One shift might be more suitable for either parent. There’s no right way to do this and some nights your baby will be much hungrier and will want to breast feed longer or will only want to be held by daddy. This is all part of the adjustment it takes to create the perfect night shift. Flexibility is key while thinking of each other’s needs for self-care. Below, you will find 3 sample schedules to help you get started with your own newborn sleep schedule.
Night Shift Sleep Schedule Example
Breastfeeding Schedule:
A breastfeeding mom is the hardest challenge when it comes to a night shift system for parents but it can be done. After breastfeeding the non-birthing parent can take charge of other duties. This type of night shift can be inconsistent depending on how much milk mom is producing, how hungry your baby. Sometimes, when a newborn is not sleeping it will just want to be held by mom close against her breast while falling asleep. This kind of schedule will look similar to the one below but remember, it can have a lot of variations. For example, a breastfed baby usually drinks every few hours but should be fed on demand. Each session takes about an hour more or less.
7:00 PM – Breastfeeding
8:00 PM – Mom gets some rest and tries to recharge while baby sleeps
10:00 PM – Baby is hungry again
11:00 PM – The night shift starts, the other parent helps with burping, a diaper change and getting baby back to bed
12:00 AM – Significant other goes to bed
2:00 AM – Mom breastfeeds again
3:00 AM – The other parent helps with burping, a diaper change and getting baby back to bed
4:00 AM – Significant other goes to bed
6:00 AM – Mom breastfeeds baby with a morning feeding and starts her day
Formula Feeding Schedule:
A formula feeding night shift is easy to follow and can work with friends and family members too. Prepare bottles in advance that only need to be warmed to save extra time. This type of schedule can be done 2 ways. A schedule like breastfeeding with one feeding and one handling the other duties or splitting the shifts into longer periods so the other parent can rest longer. This will require the first parent to feed, burp, change the diaper and put the newborn to sleep before going back to bed.
7:00 PM – Parent 1 handles the bottle, burp, diaper and getting baby back to bed
9:00 PM – Parent 1 goes to sleep
12:00 AM – Parent 2 handles the bottle, burp, diaper and getting baby back to bed
2:00 AM – Parent 2 goes to sleep
4:00 AM – Parent 1 handles the bottle, burp, diaper and getting baby back to bed
6:00 AM – Parent 1 goes to sleep
8:00 AM – Parent 2 gets up for the day with the newborn
Combo Feeding Schedule:
A combo sleep schedule can also be a great way to get some sleep without having to start co-sleeping with your newborn. This method allows to split the night in half. However, a breastfeeding mom might start to feel engorged so you will need to consider pumping if you have a flowing milk supply. A combo feeding night shift schedule goes a little like this.
7:00 PM – Breastfeeding
8:00 PM – Mom gets some rest and tries to recharge while baby sleeps
10:00 PM – Baby is hungry again
11:00 PM – Mom goes back to bed
2:00 AM – Parent 2 handles the bottle, burp, diaper and getting baby back to bed
4:00 AM – Parent 2 goes to sleep
7:00 AM – It’s breastfeeding time again and mom gets up for the day
As mentioned above, a newborn sleep schedule can take some getting used to but don’t give up, it will be worth it for an extra hour of precious sleep. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Be Flexible: You might want to plan a strict schedule, but it doesn’t mean that your baby will obey. If your baby is extra hungry or extra tired it will make its own rules. On these kinds of nights, you will need to adjust.
Go to Sleep Right Away: When shifts switch, don’t fiddle-faddle and start to clean the kitchen or settle down to catch up on your favorite tv shows. To manage the sleep schedule, it’s important to get to bed right away. Trust us, you will be tired enough to fall asleep.
Set the Schedule Up a Week in Advance: Try to plan the schedule ahead of time like on a quiet day. Sundays work best and remember to add variables like one parent who needs to rest more because of a business meeting or the other one has an upcoming day of doctor appointments and grocery shopping.
You got this! By working together you will reinforce your marriage and learn to tackle a newborn night sleep schedule like pros.
