How I’m Surviving Nighttime with a Newborn
Who knew nights could be so dark, and so long?
New moms know. Those first weeks and months with a newborn introduce you to a time of day that most of us haven’t been awake for since our twenty-something club days.
And back then, when we happened to stay up until sunrise? We could sleep until it set again if we really wanted to.
Now we have jobs, other kids, and whole households to take care of.
Let’s face it—an overtired, on-duty mom is still better than no mom at all.
I have four kids at home, including my newborn, so sleeping all day just isn’t an option. I have to get the older kids up and out the door for school, and there are always things on my to-do list that just can’t wait. Laundry and housework don’t stop in a busy house like ours just because a new baby arrived.
So how am I surviving the newborn night shift?
There are a few things I’m doing as a veteran mom that have made all the difference for us.
I’m still up multiple times a night, but these tricks make those stretches just a little bit easier.
#1. I’m not enforcing a strict bedtime routine yet
Although I am terrified of setting up bad habits (my previous two babies didn’t sleep independently until they were six years old), this baby is still a newborn.
Some nights he’s ready for bed at 9 p.m. Other nights it’s 11. I let him tell me when he’s ready to go down for the night. Newborns don’t have routines yet, and they aren’t capable of forming bad habits at this stage. They also need a lot of help to fall asleep until at least eight weeks old.
So I’ve let go of worrying about him falling asleep at the breast or needing to be rocked to sleep. If that becomes an association later, we’ll deal with it. For now, it’s fine.
I can tell when he’s actually ready for bed because he’ll curl up on my chest and fall into a truly deep sleep—the kind where you can lift their arm and drop it and they don’t even flinch. That’s how you know it’s time.
Once he reaches that point, I carry him up to his very prepared bed and lay him down. Nine times out of ten, he’ll fuss for about a minute, then fall back asleep and stay that way for around three hours—sometimes longer if we’re having a particularly good night.
Speaking of his bed…
#2. His sleep space is always ready
As much as I don’t stress about bedtime routines, I do prepare his nighttime space with the things I want him to associate with sleep.
Little cues that tell his brain this is a place for rest. Over time, I hope they’ll become second nature.
His bassinet is beside my bed, and about an hour before he usually starts getting sleepy, I go upstairs and get everything set up. That way, when he does fall asleep, I just have to carry him up and lay him down.
We keep the bedroom very dim, with only a bedside nightlight. I make sure the overhead lights are off and the nightlight is on.
I use this nightlight because it has a remote, is rechargeable, and changes colors. I find a red light keeps him from waking too much during night feeds but still gives me enough light to see.
I make sure his bed is ready, and then I use a this heating pad to prewarm it. When I bring him up later, I remove the heating pad before laying him down. The warmth helps prevent that jarring wake-up when he goes from my arms to the mattress.
I also use this white noise machine. It hangs on the side of the bassinet and plays anytime he’s sleeping there, even during daytime naps. I intentionally chose a portable, rechargeable one so we can take it in the car or while traveling.
These small preparations make getting him down—and back to sleep after feeds—a lot easier.
#3. I make sure everything I need is within reach overnight
With my first two babies, I used to fully get out of bed for night feeds. I had a rocking chair, a change table, and a lamp.
Looking back… I cringe.
It’s no wonder they were such difficult sleepers. I was fully waking both them and myself every time.
Now, I keep everything next to the bed in a basket—diapers, wipes, clean clothes, burp cloths, and extra soothers.
I also keep water for myself and my Kindle nearby.
That way, when he wakes, I don’t even have to leave the bed. I pick him up, warm the bassinet again, feed and change him, then settle him back down.
We both barely wake, and he falls back asleep much faster.
#4. I breastfeed lying down
Side-lying nursing is a skill both you and your baby have to learn. And if you’re smaller-chested, I know it can be trickier.
But if you can manage it, I highly recommend trying.
When he wakes hungry, I often just pull him into bed and nurse without even sitting up.
If you’re larger-chested like me, you may even get to the point where you don’t have to fully switch sides—just reposition slightly.
I live in a nursing bra, and lately I’ve been loving these pajamas. They have a button front that I just leave open at night, which makes breastfeeding really easy.
He barely wakes, feeds, and then drifts right back to sleep. Once he’s done, I move him back to his bassinet and go back to sleep myself.
You can even burp them without sitting up by laying them across your chest and patting their back.
That said, it can be easy to fall asleep in this position. I sometimes doze off while he’s nursing. I’m personally comfortable with that, but if that feels stressful for you, it’s better to sit up during feeds.
If sitting up feels more comfortable for you, I find this pillow really supportive in bed. A nursing pillow can also be really helpful, especially in those early weeks.
#5. Have a supportive partner
This is the biggest one.
If I’m having a rough night, my partner will take the baby downstairs so I can sleep. If the baby won’t settle early, he’ll let me go to bed first and bring the baby up later.
He also wakes when I do and asks if I need anything.
Sometimes all I need is a hug and to know I’m not alone.
That support makes an enormous difference.
If you’re doing nights alone, I know how hard and isolating that can feel. If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. Reach out in the comments or through my contact page—I’ll help however I can.
The nights are dark, but they don’t have to be lonely.
We’re still deep in the newborn trenches. I’m averaging about six hours of broken sleep, which isn’t ideal—but it’s enough to function.
Managing your expectations is half the battle.
If you expect broken sleep, you can prepare for it.
Take whatever steps work for you and your baby to get even a few hours of rest.
With my first two, co-sleeping was a survival tool. If that’s what works for you, do your research and make sure you’re doing it safely.
In the end, this season will pass.
All babies eventually sleep.
I promise.
Products That Helped Me Survive the Newborn Night Shift
If you’re in the thick of those long nights right now, these are a few things that have genuinely made a difference for me:
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
- My go-to nightlight (soft red light = less wake-ups) → [link]
- Heating pad for warming the bassinet → [link]
- Portable white noise machine → [link]
- Comfy nursing pajamas for easy overnight feeds → [link]
- Supportive pillow for night feeds → [link]
These aren’t just “nice to have” — they’ve made those middle-of-the-night wakeups feel a little less overwhelming.
💬 Let’s Talk
Are you in the newborn stage right now?
Tell me in the comments:
- What’s been the hardest part of nights for you?
- Or what’s something that’s actually helping?
Whether you’re running on coffee and cuddles or just trying to survive until morning… you’re not alone here 🤍
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✨ You’re Doing Better Than You Think
The nights are long, the sleep is broken, and some days feel like a blur…
But this season won’t last forever.
You’re showing up. You’re learning your baby. You’re doing it.
And that counts for everything 🤍
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