Being a parent is very similar to being an academic researcher. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the best way to raise a child, and we need to separate the signal from all the noise. There are many contradicting opinions!
Certified Sleep Specialist, Breastfeeding Educator and Mom of 3 Rachel, @heysleepybabyrecently launched a TikTok video series. she shares “I’m not popular” Advice for first-time moms. Many parents found her tips very helpful (though some are on the fence about some of them). Scroll down to see what Rachel said.
bored panda I reached out to Rachael via email. We will update the article as soon as we receive a reply.
More information: tick tock | | Instagram | | HeySleepyBaby.com
Sleep is essential for both babies and parents
Image credit: Olinka (not actual photo)
Sleep specialist and mother of three, Rachel, recently shared some “unpopular” advice for first-time moms.
Image credit: little sleepy baby
She suggested that parents shouldn’t do housework while their baby is napping.
“It’s hard at first. No chores while the baby is napping. I know that a lot of the time you don’t have a choice. But if you can, use your baby’s nap as a rest time or a show to binge on.” When your baby is happy to be awake, put it on the floor, put it in a bouncer, wear it, or run it around the house. You can clean it up, do whatever you need to do, etc. Don’t save everything for a nap, because when nap time comes and it doesn’t work, you’ll go nuts. is.”
Image credit: valeriygoncharukphoto (not actual photo)
Rachel also suggested mothers should let their partners sleep at night
“If you are breastfeeding, your partner should sleep at night. I know this makes many people very unhappy. They will take care of you, take care of your baby, take you to a nap, and even help each other when you are exhausted. , will only add to the quarrels.”
Image credit: IrynaKhabliuk (not actual photo)
Plus, introducing your baby to bottles early might be something to keep in mind.
“This might get you in trouble with a lactation consultant. But if you can introduce bottle feeding before six weeks… I did it with my third baby. Like once a week or something.” ”
Image credit: vladans (not actual photo)
Mother of 3 is also a big fan of Bouncer
“Get the Baby Bjorn Bouncer. No further comments.”
Image credit: Nestea06 (not actual photo)
Rachel suggested moms not scroll on TikTok while breastfeeding
“Avoid scrolling through your phone while breastfeeding at night. Especially on TikTok, it makes it very hard to get back to sleep. You can encounter so many traumatic sh*t in this app. and you don’t have to watch it when you’re trying to go back to sleep.Get a great audiobook and just plug in your earbuds while breastfeeding.When your last baby was born, listen to Jessica Simpson’s autobiography. I asked, and to be honest, it was a 10 out of 10.”
Image credit: Soren Feysa (not actual photo)
And you don’t need a schedule
“You don’t have to have a schedule, but you can have a little routine so you don’t go insane. But you don’t have to have a schedule, especially in the newborn stage. Having a baby changes your life. I know a lot of people are saying, ‘Oh, bring me a baby, a baby fits right into your life. No, your life will change in every way. Please roll with me.
Image credit: Kelly Sikkema (not actual photo)
Self-care is also very important
“Let’s talk about self-care because there is so much pressure on mothers to achieve self-care, even postpartum. You don’t want or can’t leave your baby for whatever reason. Do some self-care with your baby, go for a great walk, eat some really good food, do your skin care routine while nursing your baby at night. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and when self-care is like adding one more thing to the plate, don’t overthink it.”
Image credit: Jared Rice (not actual photo)
A contact nap is also essential
“The last one is my favorite. Let your baby take a contact nap. That’s probably what they want to do and what comes easiest. So if it’s feasible, take a nap.” I napped until my second child was 2 and I loved it.From 7 to 7, She sleeps in her bed all night in her room. We didn’t need to sleep to train her. Hurry up.”
Image credit: Kelly Sikkema (not actual photo)
Rachel’s goal is to help parents take the stress and pressure out of baby sleep. She wants everyone in the family to get “as much sleep as possible” and everyone to be healthy. It offers a holistic and nurturing approach to reaching out to other parents.
The mother of three has a huge following online: over 371,000 people follow her on InstagramMeanwhile, she also has 15.1k followers on TikTokNo wonder she is so popular! Many parents turn to her for advice.
The mother, who lives in San Francisco, California, founded the “Hey, Sleepy Baby” project because she was frustrated with the state of baby sleep advice.
You can watch mom’s full video about unpopular advice here
@heysleepybaby tell me about you!!! #mom’s advice # first time mom #postpartum advice #momsoftiktokover30 ♬ Original Sound – Rachael | Good night
“I have always loved working with children and families. When my first baby was born in 2017, I was completely obsessed with his (lack of) sleep. Combined with the external pressure, I was suffering from undiagnosed postpartum anxiety. on her website.
In 2020, she decided to quit teaching to pursue her new passion. To become a sleep and health expert. She has various certifications and now has a rich background in topics such as baby sleep, feeding, attachment and how they are all interconnected.
It is no exaggeration to say that sleep is important for babies. The amount of sleep your child needs depends on many factors, including their age. according to According to the NHS, newborns can sleep between 8 and 16 hours a day, and in some cases as much as 18 hours. They wake up in the middle of the night because they are hungry. On the other hand, being too hot or too cold will wake you up from sleep.
As your baby grows, you’ll need more sleep at night and fewer feedings at night. By the time your baby is 6-12 months old, she may sleep 8 hours or more at night. However, this is not an exact science and the exact details and times will vary from child to child. Babies can wake up in the middle of the night when they are teething or hungry.
After their first birthday, babies sleep between 12 and 15 hours a day, according to the NHS. A 2-year-old, on the other hand, sleeps 11 to 12 hours at night, and she takes one nap or he takes two naps a day. By the time your child is 3 to her 4, she will need 8 to 14 hours of sleep each day, including naps. Resting while your child sleeps can be a way for parents to catch up on sleep and combat fatigue.
Here’s how some parents reacted after watching Rachel’s popular video
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