Tzeadim › The first month

For the parent · Practice

Protect the parents' sleep

What it is

Split the night into shifts so each parent gets one unbroken block of 4–5 hours.

every day · from birth · until 12m

One unbroken 4–5 hour block each

Start preparing

1. Agree the shifts in advance, in daylight — not at 03:00.
2. The off-duty parent sleeps in another room with earplugs; being 'available' is not rest.
3. If breastfeeding, one pumped or formula bottle covers a single night feed and buys a whole block of sleep.
4. Accept offers of help as daytime sleep, not as visits.

Why it matters

Broken sleep is the single biggest driver of parental low mood in the first months, and low mood in a parent affects the baby. Sleep is a safety measure, not a luxury.

Related

• Postpartum check for the birthing parent (6 weeks)

Sources

• Sleep duration recommendations — National Sleep Foundation · checked 30-08-2026
• Bright Futures periodicity schedule — American Academy of Pediatrics · checked 30-08-2026

Last reviewed 30-08-2026 · Confidence: medium

Compiled with AI assistance from the public sources listed above. Not yet reviewed by a clinician — check anything important against the source, with Tipat Halav or with your doctor.