The Shift Sleeping System

In today's segment, I want to share with you a method on how you can get a full chunk of at least 5 to 8 hours of sleep.  Often times, when there is a newborn, sleep becomes an issue.  For Postpartum Depressed moms, getting a much needed rest is crucial in your recovery.  This is reduce your anxiety, guilt, and feeling of worthlessness.  In fact you will gain more energy just by getting a complete block of sleep.  One of the best ways on how to get some sleep is to hire a nurse/midwife or nanny. However, this isn’t usually available for everyone. There are essentially 3 methods that I will share with you on how you can incorporate the shift sleeping system in your lifestyle.

Method 1:  The Half Day Method

1.  Choose a time frame during the day where you divide each segment into two shifts.  For example: the first shift goes from 8am to 8pm, while the other starts at 8pm to 8am.
2. One partner sleeps in the morning shift while the other takes care of the baby.   Then the other partner takes over in the evening shift.

This method is useful for people that are used to working at night such as nurses and other people with a graveyard work shift.

Method 2: The Alternating Method

1.  Choose a particular day in each week where you will take care of the baby.
2.  The other partner chooses the alternate days on which the partner can't cover.  For example:  Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are meant for partner one to sleep through, while Tuesdays, Thursday, Saturdays are meant for partner two to sleep through.

Method 3: The 50-50 Night Rule

1. You will divide the evening into 2 shifts. Begin by allocating a time frame such as 8PM to 1 AM for you to get some sleep, while your partner takes care of the baby.
2. Your partner will then switch off with you between 1AM to 7AM

Each method works depending on your lifestyle. Choose your method and adapt it to your own needs. Remember to use only what works for you. The main idea as you can see here is to work as a team and help each other out. As a postpartum mom, there is no reason why you should go through the struggle alone. Talk to your partner, and make sure you go through this challenging time together.  To get started, simply choose one of the methods above and customize the shifts based on your lifestyle.