By Shruti Malani,
Becoming a new parent introduces women to an entirely new world filled with excitement and surprising challenges. Entering into the phase of motherhood is an emotional journey where one feels blissful to have a little one growing and, at the same time, faces the challenges of feeding, diaper changing, and sleep deprivation. Maintaining a constant sleep pattern is one of the biggest challenges for mothers in the initial months after having a baby.
According to PubMed, to help you understand this better, the appropriate sleep duration for newborns is between 14-17 hours, for infants, between 12-15 hours, and for toddlers, between 11-14 hours. Adults should ideally sleep between 7 to 9 hours for optimum energy levels to help them perform their daily activities efficiently.
Having a good night’s sleep is crucial for the growth of the baby and the mother’s health. Beddy by Centuary Mattress conducted a survey which revealed that 94% of the new mothers are sleep deprived. The motive behind the survey was to learn about the sleep patterns of new mothers and the impact it has on their overall well being. Constantly keeping a watch on the baby, changing diapers to feeding at regular intervals requires a lot of time and attention, even at night.
New moms are a victim of stress and sleeping disorders
The survey also reveals that 9 out of 10 moms feel tired and cranky by the end of the day. Most mothers share the bed with their babies, which leads to disturbed sleep patterns. Besides managing the 24/7 demands of the baby, the moms have to take care of the daily chores. About 43% of new mothers claimed that they are overworked. Prolonged sleep deprivation and an unending workload of daily chores causes stress and leads to cranky behaviour in new moms.
The top three reasons quoted by new moms in the survey for poor quality sleep are the baby waking up frequently, sharing a bed with the baby, and taking care of the baby round the clock. Disruptive sleep patterns take a toll on the new mom’s health. They become irritable and emotionally vulnerable because of their broken sleep patterns. New mothers experience daytime sleepiness, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. And sometimes, the condition becomes worse because of the continued lack of sleep.
Consequences of sleep deprivation
Sometimes lack of sleep leads to postpartum depression, less responsiveness and affectionate towards babies.
How do new moms solve this, according to the survey?
More than 74% of mothers said they could sleep better when their babies sleep better. They also stressed the point of having a separate bed for the baby with a specially designed mattress to have a safe and peaceful night’s sleep for both baby and mom.
Does it boil down to the mattress?
About 67% of the mothers agreed that mattresses play a vital role in back support and development. They feel assured when their baby is well supported on a firm mattress specially designed for the babies and kids. Also, a separate and comfortable bed for the baby gives them more room to move around. When asked what essential things they want in a baby mattress, a massive 68% of new moms said it should be breathable, temperature regulating, natural materials, and waterproof.
Wrapping up
Women who get sufficient sleep, are healthy postpartum, bond with their newborns, and enjoy the initial days of motherhood tend to exhibit less crankiness. Get mattresses which provide a peaceful night’s sleep, specially designed for babies, keeping in mind their safety. A good mattress can provide parents and babies with a peaceful night’s sleep, allowing them to wake up rested and refreshed.
(The author is Co-founder of Beddy by Centuary Mattress. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com.)
