Many new moms don't notice the effects of sleep deprivation right away. But after a while, the debt you incur from missing out on sleep begins to add up, until it begins to affect your productivity, alertness, and even your moods. Your memory can become less sharp; you can be more prone to accidents or injuries; and your may feel irritable, sad, or depressed.

Even if you aren't significantly sleep deprived, it can be frustrating to go from the relative luxury of a full, straight night's sleep at night to waking every two hours or so. Often, mothers begin to worry that their babies aren't sleeping enough or that they aren't putting them to bed correctly, which just causes more anxiety and stress. It helps to have a realistic idea of how much you can expect your newborn to sleep in any one stretch.

With a baby that wakes every couple of hours to eat, how can you avoid dangerous and debilitating sleep deprivation? You probably won't be able to count on eight hours of uninterrupted sleep at night for the foreseeable future, so you'll have to get creative.

Flexible Routines Can Help

Instead of trying to stick to a strict schedule, try establishing a flexible routine. If you follow the same basic pattern every day — for instance, dinner, then reading, then a bath, then bedtime — your baby will soon begin to associate bedtime with sleep. It can also help you feel sleepy at around the same time every day, which can be helpful if you have trouble falling asleep due to anxiety or restlessness.

Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps

Staying up late watching Letterman may be a thing of the past, unless your baby is a night owl. When you've got a newborn, your opportunity for nighttime sleep is limited, and it makes sense to take advantage of every second. Later, when he's sleeping longer at a stretch and his routine starts to even out, you can plan for some “you” time after he goes to bed at night. But for the time being, unless your baby is a spectacular snoozer, you'll probably be better off turning in when he does.

When the Sandman Doesn't Come

Even if you're exhausted, you may have trouble going to sleep on command, especially if your baby falls asleep a lot earlier than your usual bedtime or you're feeling anxious. Here are some tips for helping you relax and catch some z's:

• If you're too anxious to sleep, try a meditation, visualization, or hypnosis CD. These can help you turn off the chatter in your brain and relax enough to fall asleep.

• If your mind is racing and full of thoughts, try getting those thoughts out on paper right before bed. Writing in a journal can be a great way to clear your mind and ready yourself for a good night's sleep.

• Make sure your room isn't too hot or too cold, and that it's dark and quiet enough.

• Watching TV right before bed may make it more difficult for you to go to sleep, particularly if you watch a disturbing, scary, or exciting program.

• Avoid caffeine. This includes chocolate, coffee, and many kinds of teas and sodas.

• If you absolutely can't sleep, it may be better to get out of bed or read for a while than to lie there tossing and turning.

• That old standby, warm milk, can really help put you to sleep. Try adding some honey or brown sugar and vanilla for a tasty way to wind down before bed.

• Take a warm bath with your baby, tuck yourselves into bed, and nurse yourselves to sleep.