Young babies wake up every few hours, which can be quite exhausting for mom. The days of getting 8 or even 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep are gone for a while. You’ve probably heard this before: sleep when the baby sleeps. Go ahead! Take a nap or two during the day while your baby sleeps. You may be tempted to catch up on laundry, do the dishes or pick up around the living room. Don’t do it. Your baby needs a mom who’s as rested and rejuvenated as possible.

Pass some of the household chores on to your spouse and accept some help from friends and family members. Lay down for that catnap and get some sleep whenever you can those first few weeks.