It is okay to not rush in to check on your baby every time she utters a peep. It is okay to turn the baby monitor off if it is interfering in your sleep – if you can hear crying without the monitor, there is no reason to listen to every other breath, burp, and grunt your loud little one makes throughout the night. And, it is okay to push aside other tasks for the time being, like cleaning every closet in your house (yes, this is on my to-do list right now!). Whenever you put your own sleep first (and feel guilty about it), remind yourself that a more well-rested mom is a calmer mom and a calmer mom is a better mom!

When you have very little kids, it is probably not a good idea to stay up for Letterman or Leno anymore. Go to bed earlier and catch your favorite shows on demand when you get up later too feed the baby! 

Although it is tempting to drink a ton of coffee to battle sleep deprivation, it might result in you not being able to sleep when you have the rare opportunity to do so. It can also add to the nervousness that many new moms are already trying to cope with.