"Tired but wired" - First-time parents lived experiences of sleep loss, tiredness and wellbeing during the first six months postpartum

Objectives

Sleep loss is a common experience amongst first-time parents and can result in postpartum fatigue. There is a lack of research on first-time parents' lived experiences of sleep and sleep loss, and its associated effects on mental health, parental relationships, and overall wellbeing as new parents. We examined first-time parents' perceptions, experiences and attitudes to sleep loss, tiredness and wellbeing during the first six months postpartum in Ireland.

Methods

One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen first-time parents (female n = 10, male n = 4) from October to December 2025. The interviews took place online. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Findings