What is Baby Doc Box?
Baby Doc Box is a pediatrician curated subscription box for baby and parent’s first year. Every 2 months you receive a box that provides 5-8 well researched, practical, safe, and developmentally on-point toys and tips for you baby’s age.
I wish I had this subscription box with Quinn 5 years ago, but thankful I have it now because that first year was such a blur I need a refresher 😉 I think these boxes make a great addition to a baby registry. I recently went in with a few friends and gifted this to our friend for her baby shower. Also, who doesn’t love getting a box of goodies in the mail every few months!
Why I Love it
I had the opportunity to “meet” the founder, Alison Scott, MD, FAAP via Zoom (COVID times) and learn all about her company and mission. She is a local Seattle pediatrician and mama of two kids (10, 14 yo). She went to Dartmouth undergrad, and UW med school where she met her husband. She had a full time practice on Eastside for 14 years before taking a break and now going back part time. She started Baby Doc Box during the pandemic break. She is very passionate about empowering families with the necessary tools to conquer that first year with baby.
All of the baby products and information available these days can be SO overwhelming, even for a second or third time mom, and I love how these boxes break the first year into manageable chunks.
The box is full of high quality products you will 100% use in the first year of baby’s life. There are no filler items which I appreciate.
Here’s what came in my 0-2 month box:
- Fridababy Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
- Carlson Baby’s Super Daily D3 Drops (see question #2 if you should be supplementing your newborn)
- DRINCO 30-ounce tumbler with metal straw
- Dr. Brown’s HappyPaci (2)
- Omni Swaddle Sack with Wrap
- Doctor Rogers Restore Healing Balm (use for diaper rash and/or nipple balm)
- Fridababy NoseFrida SnotSucker
- Indestructibles baby book (chew proof, rip proof, drool proof, etc. baby books)
Q&A Alison Scott, MD, FAAP
- When do babies usually roll over and when should you be concerned if they aren’t?
Rolling over is one of those developmental milestones people talk a lot about. When it happens it’s super exciting and occasionally surprising. When it happens it’s also a great reminder to never leave baby unattended on an elevated surface. Safety first! Rolling typically occurs between the ages of 4 to 6 months. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. Rolling from tummy/front to back is usually first and easiest. This is one of the reasons we encourage tummy time from the get go! Since babies spend most of their time in the early days sleeping and positioned on their back, tummy time is their practice for lots of movement to come. If I see a baby at 6 months old and they are not rolling it doesn’t always set off alarm bells. What really matters is the whole picture. Are there other developmental concerns? is their physical exam normal? If everything else looks great I often talk to parents about increasing floor time and tummy time, trying to encourage and motivate their baby to move. It’s like baby PT! When in doubt, or if you are worried it’s always a good idea to check with your pediatrician. - Should I be supplementing my breastfed newborn with iron, vitamin d, probiotics, or anything else?
If you are exclusively breast feeding I always recommend supplementing with 400 IU of vitamin D daily. Start right after birth or shortly after breastfeeding is well established (usually by week 2-3). Do not worry if you forget a dose or two, just give it the next time you remember! I do not recommend iron supplementation for newborns (unless they are premature, which is another convo). There is very little iron in breast milk but the amount that is there is transferred very efficiently to the baby. Babies have excellent iron stores from pregnancy usually lasting until 4-6 months old. If your baby is exclusively breast fed and not getting any other solid foods by 4-6 months it is recommended to supplement with 1 mg/kg of iron daily. That’s a great conversation to have with your pediatrician at the 4 month visit. I do not recommend probiotics for newborn supplementation. Happy to chat more about that later if people are interested! - Is there a brand of formula you recommend?
No there’s not…The only requirement is that the formula be iron fortified. Formula unfortunately is a big area where parents can spend lots of money but most pediatricians consider various formula brands as equivalent.
There are some specialized infant formulas but I only recommend them if medically necessary. - Do you recommend swaddling your newborn for naps or just night time sleep?
Luckily most newborns sleep easily and often during the day. If you have a fussy newborn and swaddling helps settle them then absolutely feel free to use it for naps and night time. - At what age do you think baby is ready to sleep train?
The short answer is by 4 months. Sleep is a large topic with lots of personal variation. At baby doc box we talk a lot about sleep because I think it is so important for whole family health and wellness. I use the term “healthy sleep habit formation” because I think it describes the idea of meeting your baby’s neuro developmental sleep abilities with your family’s sleep needs better than “sleep training”-which has garnered so much negative attention. I’d love to talk more about infant sleep if readers are interested!
If you have any questions about Baby Doc Box or a question for Alison please leave in the comments section!
xx, A
