11 Things To Help You Sleep When Your Baby Isn't

I know some moms don't want to leave a crying baby, well, crying. However, there are pros to letting your baby cry it out, or the Ferber Method, named after sleep expert, Dr. Richard Ferber, director of The Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children's Hospital Boston. Ferber told Parents that his method involves a gradual process "where you delay your response time to your baby's wakings."

In other words, you're teaching your baby to self-soothe by not getting up at the first murmur, or if your baby wakes during the night. Ferber said there are always exceptions to his method, but the idea that you don't have to be glued to your baby monitor 24/7 might help you get some rest during the hours when your baby isn't wailing, especially if you research the Ferber Method.

Naps are for everyone. So, take advantage of the time when your baby naps, and drop everything (leave those dirty dishes in the sink; step away from your email) and take a nap yourself.

Prevention cited a study published in the Journal For Holistic Nursing that suggested women who received a slow stroke massage slept more. And this slow stroke massage only has to last three minutes, according to the study. Prevention went on to explain that even three minutes of relaxation can help the body produce feelings of calm, which can lead to better sleep.

So if your little one isn't sleeping, put on some headphones and ask your partner, friend, or you can even pay someone to come to your house and give you a massage. Reap the benefits of relaxation, so when you finally get to hit the hey, you can enjoy restful sleep.

It's not always easy to ask for help, especially when you're an independent woman. But you can hand off your crying baby to your BFF because you were there for her, so she's got you now. Even if it's just for an hour, Baby Center noted that it's important to take care of yourself as a new mom, and one way to do that is to enlist a good support network.

If you breastfeed, you might want to consider horizontal breastfeeding to help you get a couple moments of rest, suggested Today's Parent. According to the article, you can rest while you lie down and your baby might actually drift off too. (Note: If your baby suffers from reflux, this method is not recommended, because he or she will need to burp after eating.)

Researchers from Wayne State University in the United States and Sweden's Karolinska Institute indicated that people who slept with their phones next to them slept less deeply. Huffington Post, which cited the study, explained that people exposed to 884 MHz wireless signals during sleep had inhibited sleep, compared to people who didn't sleep with their phones.

Also, when you sleep with your phone, you're more likely to feel "plugged in," the article mentioned. And from experience, that induces stress and provides tons of external distractions. When your baby isn't sleeping, you may want to go online to see how other moms are dealing, but eventually, you should unplug to get some rest.

Leat's be real, you don't have to unplug all the time. In your downtime, which, as a new mom you might not have a ton of, try a sleep app to help you rest, even when your baby isn't. Many new apps let you sleep for a limited time or guide you through yoga and meditation. Even if you're not sleeping per se, these apps can help you relax.

Coming from a woman who doesn't have problems with coffee, but problems without it, I know how difficult it can be to say "no" to that afternoon latte. But according to Psychology Today, caffeine late in the day can inhibit sleep, so try to set boundaries about when you get your fix, especially if your baby isn't sleeping.

Oh, the sweet grape of Dionysus. Seductive? Totally, especially when you're stressed out over your baby who refuses to sleep. But according to Healthline, alcohol is a depressant, so it might not be the wisest choice for dealing with your problems.

If you're a working mom and sleep deprived, chances are you're struggling at your job. Although every parent handles sleep deprivation differently, and can't fully understand your experience (because it's yours) explained Parents, if you have a good relationship with your boss, be honest and tell her what's going on in your life. It's been my experience that bosses are more understanding when they know what's going on with you. You don't want them to think you're lazy, right?

Psychologist and researcher at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, Bjorn Rasch told WebMD that hypnosis can improve restorative sleep. So, even if you're not sleeping as many hours as you'd like because your baby isn't sleeping, if you try hypnotherapy, there's a chance the quality of your sleep will improve. It's worth a shot, right?