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As all new parents know, a new baby can make postpartum sleep hard to come by. But too little sleep can trigger seizures in people with epilepsy. That’s why new parents with epilepsy need to take extra steps to protect their sleep.

These include creating a support plan for newborn care and making lifestyle changes that promote sleep. Parents with epilepsy may also need to take extra precautions to keep their baby safe in case of a seizure.

Sleeping with Epilepsy in the Postpartum Period

Even as a newborn’s parent, you should aim to get at least four hours of uninterrupted sleep at night and two hours of sleep during naps during the day. That’s according to Dr. Rahiwa Gebre, a neurologist at UPMC who cares for people with epilepsy during pregnancy and postpartum.

Getting enough sleep isn’t easy if you’re breastfeeding. Newborns wake up every two to three hours for milk — even overnight. But there are ways to get that extra uninterrupted sleep, even if you’re breastfeeding.

First, experts at the Epilepsy & Pregnancy Medical Consortium recommend making a postpartum sleep plan with your partner, friends, or family.

Ideally, you should do this while you’re pregnant. A sleep plan may involve setting times for your support people to care for the baby, deliver meals, or help with chores.

One option to get more sleep at night is to pump breastmilk after your baby’s evening feed (within an hour) and then go to sleep. When your baby wakes up for their next meal, another caregiver can feed the pumped milk in a bottle. Hopefully, having someone else do one night feed will allow you to sleep for four hours straight.

Another option is to supplement one nighttime feed with formula, which your partner or another caregiver can mix and feed. Experts suggest waiting until you’ve established a good milk supply and breastfeeding routine before adding formula. This usually takes at least three weeks after birth.

Keeping the lights dim during nighttime feedings can also help. Your partner can burp, change, and soothe your baby after you feed them at night. This way, you can go right back to sleep after breastfeeding.

How to Deal with Postpartum Insomnia

The saying “sleep when the baby sleeps” is easier said than done. When you feel pressure to sleep, you may find it harder to calm down enough to fall asleep. If you’re finding sleeping with epilepsy and new parent anxiety tough, you’re not alone.

Here are some ways you can combat insomnia:

• Get outside during the day, ideally in the morning. Sunlight will help your (and your baby’s) biological clock know when to become alert and when to sleep.
• Remember, it’s common for new parents, including new parents with epilepsy, not to sleep well. Tell yourself it’s OK if you’re having trouble falling asleep because you can catch up during naps or the next night. Stressing about not sleeping can make insomnia worse.
• Avoid caffeine after noon or earlier than that if you find it affects your sleep.
• If you can’t sleep after 30 minutes, get out of bed and try reading or doing another calming activity. This may calm you down and help you to feel sleepy.
• Avoid screens before bed and if you can’t sleep. Blue light, which is similar to daylight, can interfere with your biological clock.
• Keep the bedroom cool. This can help you fall asleep.
• Avoid eating a large meal three hours before bed.

Keeping Your Baby Safe

People with epilepsy can have healthy babies and raise children just as well as people who don’t have epilepsy. Having epilepsy may mean you parent your baby a little differently, however.

If you’re at risk of having a seizure, the following precautions can keep you and your baby safe. Some of these safety tips, like not sleeping with your baby and putting your baby to sleep on their back, apply to all parents.

Tips and tricks for keeping your baby safe:

• Never sleep in the same bed as your baby. Your baby should sleep by themselves, in their crib or bassinet, to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

• Don’t put blankets, pillows, or stuffies in the baby’s crib or bassinet. Instead, layer a onesie with pajamas or a sleep sack, if necessary, to keep your baby warm.
• Put your baby to sleep on their back. When they can roll back and forth on their own, it’s OK if they roll over onto their tummy during the night. When babies can do this, their risk of SIDS is extremely low.
• If you usually have an “aura” before a generalized seizure, such as visual changes or hallucinations, have a plan. You can put your baby in a crib or playpen or — if they’re not yet rolling — on a safe spot on the floor.
• Install baby gates at the bottom and top of stairs when your baby can move.
• Use a stroller to move your baby around the house if you’re at risk of falling from a seizure.
• Keep all the items you need for your baby, such as clothes, soothers, blankets, diapers, and wipes, on each floor of the house. This way, you don’t need to go up and down stairs as often, reducing the risk of a serious fall.
• Consider setting up the baby’s bassinet or crib and a bed for yourself on the main floor. This way, you can take naps and put the baby to sleep without having to carry the baby upstairs.
• Don’t bathe the baby unless another adult is in the home. Use an infant bath or sink so the baby can’t roll over and put their face in the water if you can’t get to them.
• If you’re at risk of falling from a seizure, sit down when changing the baby. Put the changing mat on the floor to keep you and your baby safe.

Contact the UPMC Comprehensive Epilepsy Center if you are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant and have epilepsy or another seizure disorder.