Demystifying postpartum sleep

Newborns need 24/7 care. And yet parents of newborns need to squeeze in a meaningful amount of shut-eye to properly care for them (and themselves). Getting adequate postpartum sleep is a universal parenting challenge, and yet it is different—and temporary—for each parent. "Don't expect sleep to be perfect,” advises Dr. Shelby Harris, a behavioral sleep medicine psychologist. “Even if you have all the help you can get, your body is going through a firestorm." We spoke with Dr. Harris to demystify what it means to be sleep-deprived with a newborn—and how to cope.