Kim Taylor, mother of a 7-month-old boy, blames lack of sleep for most of her recent memory lapses, from forgotten birthdays to missed meetings.

Though Taylor laughs at most of these gaffes, the Austin political consultant worries that fatigue could lead to more serious mistakes, such as forgetting how much medicine she has given her son for his acid reflux. Recently, Taylor and her husband have vowed to begin jotting down the times they give each dose of medicine.

Experts say such a plan can help parents cope better with the mental fog that accompanies middle-of-the-night feedings.

Without careful strategies - both for scheduling naps and preventing mistakes - doctors say parents can quickly feel overwhelmed.

Research by Cornell University's James Maas shows why: A baby's primary caregiver loses up to 700 hours of sleep in the first year. Sleep deprivation can wear down the entire family, he says, corroding health, straining marriages and contributing to depression.

People who don't get enough rest aren't able to regulate their moods, which makes them more likely to be cranky or irritable and to burst into tears, says Jodi Mindell, associate director of the Sleep Disorders Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. That's why Mindell encourages parents to hold off on important decisions until they're better rested.

"This is not the time for parents to decide if their marriage is going to make it," Mindell says.

BEFORE GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL

Doctors say they worry most about sleep-deprived parents who drive.

Lack of sleep impairs a driver's judgment and reaction time, Maas says. That's why he urges parents to plan their driving trips in advance. Parents should make sure they get enough rest - either at night or by daytime naps - before doing crucial errands. Parents also should consider carpooling, getting rides from neighbors, using public transportation - anything to keep themselves and their children safe.

To be at their best, parents should never be on baby duty more than three nights a week, Maas says. He advises parents to sleep whenever they can, even if for just 20 minutes.

Although a cup of coffee can help, the caffeine takes about half an hour to take effect, Maas says. After that, the coffee may give drivers an extra 30 minutes of alertness.

Mindell says sleepy moms and dads should try to schedule their most complex tasks - such as projects at work - for the times of day when they're naturally most alert. They should save more mundane chores, such as filing or reading e-mails, for times when they're drowsier.

HELP YOUR BODY GET ON A NEW SLEEP SCHEDULE

Like all new parents, Caroline Hill longed for the time when her baby would sleep through the night. But now, just as her 5-month-old daughter has stopped waking her up at night, the Austin mother of two has developed a new problem: insomnia. She's still waking up several times a night, even when her baby and preschooler are sound asleep. Although it can take several weeks or months for parents' internal clocks to adjust, experts say, parents can start with these steps:

• Wake up, eat and go to bed at the same time every day, says Jodi Mindell, associate director of the Sleep Disorders Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

• Eat breakfast near a sunny window or take a walk in the sun, Mindell says. Or look at a "light box" for about 20 minutes, says Cornell University's James Maas.

• If you aren't asleep after 10 minutes, get out of bed, do something relaxing and return when you can't keep your eyes open, Maas says.

• Breast-feed. Nursing mothers spend more time in deep sleep than other moms, Mindell says.

• Try to avoid daytime naps, which may keep you awake later, says Mary Susan Esther, president-elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Parents who are too groggy to function should sleep whenever they can, however, especially if they need to drive.

• Exercise in the late afternoon or early evening, but not within four hours of bed, Mindell says.

• Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. and sugar, salt and alcohol at night, Maas says.

• Develop a regular bedtime routine, such as dimming the lights as you prepare for bed, Mindell says. Take electronic equipment out of the bedroom and use your bed only for sleeping, not watching TV.

• Avoid sleep medications if you're nursing, because they can pass into breast milk, says Sharon Phelan, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico Health Science Center School of Medicine.