First night home with baby

Your first night on your own with your baby is an exciting and sometimes daunting experience for new and seasoned parents alike! If you birthed at a hospital you had 24/7 access to nurses, doctors, and/or midwives who can answer all your questions and guide you through your first few hours or days with your newborn. Navigating your first night at home is always better with a plan - which is why we gathered our top tips for setting yourself up for success!

Tip #1: Make a plan with your partner/support person on how to navigate the night. 

Will you both be getting up with baby and tag teaming diapers, feeding, changing soiled PJ’s, helping with latch, etc. or will you try more of a “shift” approach so you each can get longer stretches of sleep between feeds? Make a plan with your person and try it out! Know that each night will look different and what worked one night may not work the next, try different approaches and remain open and flexible. Communication and outlining needs is everything! 

Bonus tip: ask your partner or a family member to take over babycare (or caring for an older sibling) for a few hours in the early morning (7am works well) so you can get one more stretch of sleep during those early hours. This is a great strategy to ensure you’re collecting enough hours of shut eye. 

Tip #2: Get comfortable.

Is your bedroom set up for newborn care during the night? Have you considered setting up a diaper changing area in your room so you can minimize your movement during the night? Is your nightstand stocked with water and snacks? Do you have enough support pillows to prop you up in bed comfortably for baby feedings? What temperature is the home, most babies need a slightly warmer temperature than we are used to as adults. Setting up your space to minimize overstimulating yourself and your baby during the night is a great strategy for keeping cortisol levels low and hopefully falling back asleep easily after a feed. You are still recovering from birth and keeping yourself rested and minimizing physical activity is recommended.

Tip #3: Save the phone number for the labor and delivery advice nurse hotline in your phone.

Programming the phone number just in case you need it can feel very comforting. If there is something you are worried about you can easily give them a call - they are there to help!

The first few nights on your own are usually the hardest because your baby is still adjusting to life earthside and you’re navigating birth recovery and adjusting to your new normal. It absolutely gets easier over time. If you ever feel you may benefit from support or additional rest, we have incredible overnight postpartum doulas and newborn care specialists available to help.