The Fourth Trimester: What You Should Know about Life Postpartum

Sleep deprivation is a common form of torture used on prisoners of war. In fact, humans can only survive for about a week without any sleep. While new parents won't keel over from frequently interrupted slumber, they will certainly suffer from the physical effects of sleep loss which include confusion, irritability, lack of concentration, reduced decision-making skills, and loss of emotional control. Lack of sleep also impairs your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness and often leads to an increased appetite and weight gain. Does any of this sound familiar? The only solution is to get more sleep any way you can: hire sitters, go to bed earlier, sleep when the baby sleeps and let the housework wait another day ... or two ... or more.