How can I fall back asleep after my wifes night feedings?

MidnightSky7

🥱😴💤

Sleep... sleep... sleep...

Something we all experience once we become parents—is new sleep routines... I’ve got a pretty tough issue where I always struggle to fall asleep after my wife has nursed and changed our daughter’s diaper during the night... she’s 33 months old.

For example, I wake up around 2:30 AM, right after the feeding—and stay awake until 6:00 AM... It’s tough to work the next day... and evening activities the following day suffer as a result.

Any tips...? I’ve started sleeping in my own room one night a week, and it helps—but it’s sad to sleep alone... 😞

Thinking about trying sleep aids... Anyone have experience...? Not looking for anything strong—but maybe a lighter option from the pharmacy, etc.

Take care...!

// Best, Night Owl

Zeropine

Keep going a bit longer like this, and you'll probably be able to fall back asleep soon. 😉

Joking aside, it seems like most people find some kind of solution to these issues. For us, it was about sharing the night shifts. If you're waking up at 3 a.m. and can't fall back asleep, you might as well get up and sit with the baby in another room to make sure the mom gets some sleep until you leave for work. In exchange, you can go to bed earlier to get your own rest. We did something similar when our daughter would cry at 4 a.m. and just wanted closeness, not food. So, I'd get up and stay with her until it was time to go to work.

VelcroViking

Hi. I have a three week old daughter. My wife and I share the nighttime duties. I usually give formula at night so she can get her sleep, and I get mine. We keep the baby close, just like during breastfeeding. It often becomes a calm and cozy moment for me as a dad, and for her as a mom too. Breastfeeding and everything related to babies can be stressful, but we make it work. Here, it’s working perfectly, and both mom and dad get to sleep. We also take turns giving each other a sleep in morning like one of us gives a bottle temporarily and takes a long walk. My wife got to sleep in until 10 today! Don’t be afraid to try what works for you.

Zepticree

With our first kid, my partner and I split the nights into parts where we could easily be awake or asleep.
It worked smoothly because our daughter slept like she was on a schedule. 🙂
Her little brother, on the other hand, slept more like an unpredictable lottery, so we made sure whoever needed it could sleep alone one night a week to recharge. 🙂

I usually fall asleep in a minute, but my partner struggles with falling asleep at night. For her, it’s mostly about embracing that she’s more awake in the evenings and adjusting her bedtime later, which helps. 🙂
It’s all about accepting your circadian rhythm. 🙂

NerfHamster900

If it's noise that's waking you up, I recommend using earplugs. If it's movement, try sleeping in another bed.

AshyBeasto69

We’ve been sleeping in separate rooms ever since our first son was born almost three years ago. I think it’s been good for our health and relationship overall. You lose some closeness, which is a shame, but we try to make up for it during the day. Honestly, life would have been so much harder if neither of us were getting decent sleep at night. We would have argued so much more. It’s easily worth sleeping separately for a while to protect our mental health and relationship, I think.