How to get sleep and rest with a new baby

When I first had my daughter, I thought I'd never get a full night's sleep again. That's probably true - she's 2 now and I am becoming less and less optimistic about ever getting a long stretch of uninterrupted sleep. Nonetheless, there are some remedies that all new parents can make to make the situation better.

Please understand that I am not a sleep or child expert, so my advice is just that.

1. Get dimmers - when you're mixing bottles at 2am or changing a diaper, you'll be more comfortable in dim lights than in full on brightness and you'll be able to get to sleep better after.

2. Designate your time and mine. My husband used to spend 8pm to 11pm with my daughter, doing everything to keep her sleeping or entertained. This allowed me a nice 3 hour uninterrupted stretch. Then I would take over for the rest of the night, but that 3 hours was a real life saver.

3. At around 7:30pm, dim the lights in your house and turn down the music. It seems ridiculous at first, but it will help your body get into sleep and rest better.

4. Repeat your routine every night consistently so that your body can get used to the shifted sleep schedule.

A side not to the night owls. For those of you who like to stay up late, swap with your husband. Let him take the 5am - 7am shift, so you can sleep in. It's amazing what an extra 2 hours can do for you in the morning.