Combating New Parent Fatigue

As a new parent (mom or dad), you likely aren't getting much sleep. If you are a breastfeeding mother, drinking coffee or taking energy supplements isn't possible. Plus, if you have other children (in my case, I have a newborn and two toddlers), you can't always sleep when the infant is sleeping. Despite all of the challenges, it is possible to get enough rest to feel human and enjoy life.

Control Technology

When your children are sleeping, you may want to check your email or jump on Facebook or Twitter for a few minutes. If you don't pay attention to the clock, your quick email check or social media session can easily turn into hours in front of the computer. Use an alarm to remind you when it is time to get off the computer or only check these things if you wake up before the baby, which isn't likely to happen often.

You must remember, especially during the time when your newborn sleeps only two to three hours at a time, that your friends and family will understand if you don't get online daily. If anything important happens, your family and friends can always call you to let you know.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Eating junk food and foods without any nutrients won't provide your body with the energy you need to make it through the day. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low fat dairy products are all foods you need every day. In addition, you need to eat a limited amount of fat each day-even if you are trying to lose weight.

Exercise Through the Tiredness

Head outside with your baby and take a walk. The combination of the fresh air and getting up and getting moving will help you to feel more alert and more awake. If it is raining outside, open the windows to let some natural light into the house and workout inside.

Even if you don't have time for a full workout, stretch when you get out of bed in the morning to help get your blood flowing.

Check for Health Conditions

Anemia, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disease, fibromyalgia, infections and numerous other health conditions can cause fatigue. If you add that fatigue in with the common new parent fatigue, you aren't going to be able to function very well. If your fatigue is constant and doesn't go away even with a night of sleep when someone else watches the children, you should head to the doctor to check out any underlying medical causes for the fatigue.