THE SLEEP Issue
Hello,
Welcome to the Winter Issue, which is all about sleep. With two children under three, it is a topic close to my heart as I have been sleep deprived since November 2014.
Getting the baby to sleep through is the dream but most would settle for just getting the baby to sleep in the first place. SIDS risks and breastfeeding challenges complicate matters further.
When you are pregnant people warn you about the sleepless nights but nothing really prepares you for the continued lack of sleep. I found it the hardest thing about becoming a parent, because it pervades so many other aspects. Things that seem simple are made a million times more difficult because you are exhausted. Sleep deprivation can lead to lower immune system, weight gain, depression and anxiety. The NHS recommends 8 hours of good quality sleep. If you are a new parent who is fortunate enough to have achieved this level of sleep nightly, I suggest you a) keep quiet about it with your other new parent friends, no one likes a show off and b) please write an article for our next edition immediately. As for the rest of us, being tired is something we just have to get on with.
This issue pulls together the best sleep related advice from our local NCT experts into one useful guide. Check out The Secrets to A Goodnight's Sleep While Breastfeeding, Reducing The Risk of SIDS, Helping a Baby to Settle at Night and Sleeping Through, Sleep Patterns and Approaches to Sleep. Psychologist Dr. Sam Akbar shares her top tips for surviving sleep deprivation without causing long term damage to you or those closest to you.
If you have any spare 2 minutes today, please help Mums For Lungs make a difference to the quality of the air our families breathe in London by signing their petition.
SLEEP WELL THIS WINTER
Lucianne Lewis
SPECIAL DELIVERY EDITOR
& PARENT BLOGGER