Sharing the night with a newborn: how to protect one long stretch each

Broken sleep is exhausting; one longer stretch is far more restorative. The new parent night planner divides the night into two shifts and prints a plan for the fridge.

How it works

1. Pick when the night starts and ends (for example 9 PM to 7 AM).
2. Choose who sleeps first.
3. The parent on duty handles the baby; the other uses earplugs, an eye mask or white noise to stay properly off duty.
4. Swap who sleeps first each night to keep it fair.

Feeding

• Bottle feeding: either parent can feed.
• Breastfeeding: the nursing parent needs to feed in both shifts; the other can do changes, burping and settling, and bring baby to feed. A bottle of expressed milk can let the other parent cover one feed. Ask your midwife or pediatrician what suits you.

Safety first

If you feel you could fall asleep while holding your baby, place them in their own safe sleep space first: never on a sofa or armchair with you (AAP, Safe to Sleep). See safe sleep basics.

Be kind to yourselves

This phase is short-lived. Baby sleep changes, so re-plan every week or two (wake windows can help). If you feel very low, anxious or overwhelmed, speak to your doctor or midwife. You deserve support too.