SLEEP - THE IMPORTANCE OF REST
As a mama, the quality of our sleep rests heavily on the amount of sleep that our babies are getting (or not!). I am all too familiar with the sleep struggles that we can face when our little darlings come into the world!
Before I go on I must be clear that I back you, mama. I back all mamas to use any parenting approach that resonates with them whether that’s a family bed, co-sleeping, separate rooms - however you want to do it! In the early days from newborn to 12 months, our sleep is naturally (beautifully and necessarily) interrupted in order to feed and nourish our babies and that’s how it should be.
I found with my three, I used very different techniques. With my first, I woke up to every noise he made and had him right next to me at arms reach for a good 10 months. Then one day, I really tuned in and had a feeling that he needed some more space from me. So I put him in his own room and that night he slept through. Now knowing him, I realise he's an independent boy, he loves me and we are insanely connected but he thrives better when he has big chunks of alone time. With my second baby, we were living in the Blue Mountains. It was winter and it was deathly cold in the middle of the night so we slept together for the first 10 months. I demand fed him all night, he went from boob to boob all night. It was the best way for everyone to get sleep! With my third he slept in a cot next to my bed for the first 6 months, he fed quickly and then I popped him straight back into his own bed, next to mine. That felt right. Now they are all sleeping in a room together, they just love it! Anyhow, I digress.
In practice, I do find that when treating mothers, they selflessly give off their sleep to nourish their babes until it reaches a tipping point when the mother is in desperate need of sleep. This is when new strategies need to be implemented to support more consistent sleep in the children if they aren't already sleeping through.
Sleep support for the children
When discussing sleep with my mamas, we usually get onto a treatment plan for the babies or toddlers because if the children are sleeping then so are the mamas. The sleep of the mother needs to be of utmost priority in the household, so however the mother gets more sleep, is the first step. Either the partner does more settling, mum sleeps with earplugs whilst the partner attends, mama sleeps in the spare room, whatever works best for you. There are a few areas I explore when supporting the mother’s sleep, after discussing ways we can encourage the children to sleep through the night.
Naturopathic support for mothers
My treatment approach is to identify the cause of the interrupted sleep and support with good nutrition, herbs, zinc magnesium, exercise, herbal teas.
IRON - first and foremost, breastfeeding mothers are giving away their iron left right and centre to help their babies grow. Iron deficiency leads to fatigue during the day, breathlessness on exertion and starves the brain of adequate oxygen which prevents you from dropping into your deep sleep so you will only have light, interrupted dream-state sleep. So I ALWAYS check iron levels in new mothers regularly for this reason
NERVOUS SYSTEM SUPPORT - let’s face it, motherhood is the most beautiful gift but it doesn't come without a whole bunch of stress, overthinking, financial pressure, relationship pressure AND sleep deprivation. Not to mention the spiritual journey you are on, the growth and learning curve is huge. So often your sleep is affected by the level of cortisol (stress hormone) you are releasing. For this reason, I find herbal medicines, zinc and magnesium absolutely magic in telling your body 'it’s ok, you are safe'. Birth trauma can also contribute to a deep-fried nervous system, often this will result in waking extremely tired, craving coffee and a strong craving for wine at the end of the day (your nervous system is looking for sedation). You will have difficulty falling asleep when your cortisol is high, you often get a second wind at night time.
MELATONIN LEVELS - with all the blue light and screen exposure our bodies are getting super confused about what time of day it really is. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland which helps to tell our bodies what time of the day it is. It is triggered by the sun. You will have difficulty falling asleep if your melatonin levels are the issue. You can address this by reducing screen time 1 hour before bed and read a book instead. Spend time outside early morning between 7 and 8am which helps to reset melatonin levels.
SLEEP HYGIENE - make sure your room is tidy, clear of clutter and dark for bedtime! Make sure there are no electronic devices in the room that could emit EMF. Let your body wind-down - I always recommend a sleep meditation for this (try Insight Timer). Avoid sugar as it dysregulates blood-sugar levels which interrupt sleep patterns. Alcohol and caffeine avoidance is also KEY to good sleep patterns. If you can tolerate coffee then make sure you have it before 10am so the caffeine is metabolised before bedtime. Exercise also regulates excessive cortisol and will help you drop into a deep rest state.
The importance of sleep is fundamental to repair tissues, reduction of inflammation, regulation of the immune system, good nervous system function and gut health. Sleep really is fundamental to our health.
Emily x
“Never under-estimate the power of deep rest”