Newborns and Sunshine
Introducing Your Newborn to Sunshine
Having a newborn can be overwhelming. You are learning what their cries communicate, you are healing from growing a tiny human and birthing it, and more often than not life isn’t accommodating towards being a new mom. The last thing you need is something else added to your plate.
But…
I am so glad I implemented this trick after I gave birth to my second daughter.
The Importance of Natural Light
Turning the lights on when we wake up is a great signal for our brains to get out of rest mode and slide into an actionable state. And while I definitely recommend getting the lights on to trigger the start of the day, opening the windows is even better.
Natural light communicates with the brain in a more streamlined nature. There isn’t the cross contamination of eye strain or the confusion of light at night. Pure sunlight is a way for the brain to understand it is time to be awake.
This is a trick I started while in the hospital. During the day I made sure the window blinds were open and at night, I asked my partner to close them and kept the lights super low. I brought an egg light to the hospital if we needed a quick night light and communicated with the nursing staff to have all health checks done together when possible and to have minimal light pollution. Advocating for myself and my child did the trick. (My midwife would have jumped in if I needed her to.)
When we left the hospital, I kept the same rhythm. Now though, I also had another kiddo to worry about. I made sure my patio was set up properly and every single day I would start the day with having the blinds open to the sun and then migrating onto the patio during one of my newborn’s naps. She would sleep in the pram and my older kiddo (4) would play in the backyard while I sat and read a book.
I am telling my story because sunlight was a key ingredient I didn’t add the first time around. Natural light is the linchpin that influences how our hormones and vitamin levels work together.
Newborns don’t have an established circadian rhythm and more often than not go through day/night confusion. Making sure they are introduced to natural light from day one, when possible, can change the game as a parent.
Not only will sunlight, sunsets, and moonlight influence sleep but the light and fresh air are also great for the postpartum brain.
Rather than being trapped in a dark room and being dragged down by the exhaustion experienced after giving birth and taking care of a newborn, get outside. You don’t need to do anything besides sit in your favorite chair with a bottle of water and snuggle your newborn. Or put them in a pram to nap. Either way, get outside. The change in scenery will do you both good!
I’ll go into more detail on sleep hormones next, but for the purposes of why it's good for you? Vitamin D! Vitamin D helps fight off depression. That alone is enough to get you outside.
Sleep Hormones
What is serotonin?: Serotonin regulates our daily activities. It is a hormone that works in our body to help with mood, memory, behavior, and even gastrointestinal activity. Often, serotonin is referred to as the happy hormone because of its relation to mental health and psychiatric care.
What is melatonin?: Best known for its sleep cycle regulation, melatonin is the major player when it comes to our sleep hormones. The body naturally produces it at night, but the importance of this hormone is widely known and over-the-counter supplements have been developed. (Unless your doctor has recommended melatonin for your bigger kids, I don’t.)
Melatonin is also known as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, as well as a regulator for blood pressure and reproductive function in adults.
Melatonin is important, not because it makes us fall asleep, but it triggers the brain to start falling asleep when it starts to get dark. Sunsets are a beautiful way to trigger the production of melatonin. However, that also means that artificial light, especially blue light, dampens the production of melatonin and makes it harder for us to fall asleep. Not impossible, but harder.
What is cortisol?: Known as the stress hormone, cortisol influences our rise time. Cortisol levels are at their lowest at night and rise naturally in the morning to help us wake up. This works because cortisol has a cyclical nature. However, when our stress levels rise and stay peaked, falling and staying asleep can become more difficult.
This is why so many sleep and development experts warn about extinction sleep training methods. The brief rise in cortisol can have a lasting impact on how our little ones sleep. Not to mention we don’t know about the lasting impact on attachment and development. But that is for a different post.
Why does it matter?: That was a quick breakdown of each hormone, but why does it matter to your newborn? Well, it doesn’t…yet. Your newborn doesn’t have regulated hormones, but now is a prime time to start introducing positive sleep habits.
Serotonin converts to melatonin as the light disappears via the pineal gland. This means getting your newborn around natural light will have a positive influence on how their hormones are produced, when they are produced, and whether natural light or synthetic light are major players in your little one’s processing. Which means that when their day/night confusion can be changed, it will be.
Fresh air, calm breezes, and the sounds of nature are associated with regulating sensory processing and inducing relaxed states, which can have a positive impact on cortisol production.
Together these factors can be weaved together to create positive influences on your little one that fit into the rhythm of your life.
Naps Outside
In Denmark and other Nordic countries it is very common for babies to take naps outside. Alone. Personally, I can’t leave my baby outside alone. However, the benefits to an outdoor nap are great enough that I highly recommend outdoor time to the majority of new moms.
Why?
Outdoor naps help baby with day/night confusion. Sunlight helps establish a regularity to hormone production. Vitamin D helps mom fight off depression. Cooler temperatures can help baby sleep deeper. Not to mention, the time spent next to your sleeping newborn can be turned into you time (reading, journaling, listening to an audiobook, etc.)
Naps outside are also really handy when you are cleared to move postpartum. Stroller naps! I love taking my little one on a walk knowing that the trees and birds are lulling her to sleep, rather than a white ceiling and the motion of a rocking chair. I know which one I would prefer, so the least I can do is give that to my infant that can’t advocate for herself.
Activity Ideas
Do you have an older kiddo that wants to be outside and your little one won’t sleep? Here are some ideas on what you can do:
Go on a walk and let baby experience the world from their stroller
Put on your baby carrier and explore with your older kiddo
Put your favorite chair in the shade and watch your older kiddo play while you hold the baby
Lay out a picnic blanket in the shade and invite your older kiddo to have lunch with you and the baby
The key here is to make sure your little one is dressed for the outside temperatures and to make sure they aren’t left in direct sunlight exposure.
Wishing you sleep,
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