Schedule:
Kins in on a loose eat, wake, sleep schedule. Her wake window is between 60-90 minutes right now. I’m trying to not let her get more than 4-5 hours of day sleep and she is going down around 7:30-8:00pm at night. I find the routine of bath, bottle, and book helps her get that last wake window when she’s real tired from the day.
Sleep:
We recently moved her into her room and it’s been a game changer for sleep. She wasn’t giving us long stretches in our room, wanting to be held a lot, and difficult going down at night. I was losing my mind. Since we’ve moved her into her own room and limited her day sleep- she’s been doing amazing. I hope it sticks! Her room is nice and dark, we use the Hatch for a sound machine, and the Ollie swaddle (sadly sold out).
I try to nap her at least 1 x day in her crib (or more if home) and if we are on the go she loves napping in her car seat or stroller. We plan to use Sleep Shop Consulting for sleep training if needed! They are amazing.
Eating:
It’s worked out that I am mostly pumping and giving her bottles now. She does nurse once in the middle of of the night. I pump about 5-6 times a day (woof!) and she takes a 4-5 oz bottle during her wake windows. I’ve learned the hard way that 4-5oz at a time is her max and she’s gaining weight and sleeping well which tells me she’s getting enough. My milk supply is slowing down, so I’m not sure how much longer she will stay exclusively breastfed, but I’m trying my best to keep it up for now. I’m also freezing milk so once we have to introduce formula she will still get some breastmilk for a while.
Favorite Products:
I wrote a post about our most used and loved products from month 1 and we still use and love all the same products. I would say we are also loving this bouncer seat (I have one upstairs and one downstairs + the activity bar). We use this activity mat daily and this tummy time pillow. I also discovered Kyte baby rompers and want to dress her in nothing else! They are adorable and the softest material. We’ve also been loving this line of baby wash and lotion.
BabyDocBox Review (months 2-4 box)
I explained what BabyDocBox is and reviewed the 0-2 month box in this post in case you missed it. These boxes are awesome to gift yourself or a new mama friend!
Product Reviews:
Wee Gallery Activity Pad My favorite product from this box! It’s adorable and great for tummy time entertainment as she gets older.
Sophie La Girafe I mean Kins can’t NOT have a Sophie for when she starts teething. Every baby LOVES Sophie!
Indestructibles Book These books are the best. I always packed them when traveling with Quinn.
Baby Teething Tube I’ve never seen this product before and love it! Such a great idea and I can’t wait to try it when she starts being able to grasp objects better and is teething.
Oventure Ossential Pouch I was introduced to this brand by Baby Doc Box and love their stuff. I have the key ring and now a cute pouch to hook it to. Love the neon colors and perfect to carry your stuff in the stroller or diaper bag.
Swaddle Designs Ultimate Swaddle Blanket Another great swaddle option I’m looking forward to trying. This also can be used as a blanket or cover hen breastfeeding.
Pediatrician Q&A
- When is a good age to start sleep training a baby and is there a method of sleep training you recommend?
Sleep is a huge topic for most families and there is a tremendous amount of opinion and judgement about what is the right way to help your baby develop healthy sleep habits.
At baby doc box we like to talk about healthy “sleep habit formation” rather than sleep training.
Check out our blog about sleep to learn more about it. https://www.babydocbox.com/blogs/news/sleep-sense.
There are many healthy and safe ways to get your baby to sleep and stay asleep. As a parent you are the only one who knows which approach is best for your baby and your family. Choose the style that works best for you, based on what you know about your baby’s nature and temperament. I encourage parents to look into different methods and choose one which resonates with your style. It is not selfish to prioritize sleep. Sleep is essential for physical and mental health for all family members.
Here are a few basics that I always recommend for healthy sleep habit formation. I usually suggest starting anywhere from 3-4 months old if you are struggling with nighttime sleep with your baby. First and foremost ensure your baby’s sleep environment is safe. https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/resources/caregivers/environment/look
- Commit to a nighttime routine. A consistent bedtime and pre-bed ritual signals your baby that it’s time for bed. I always suggest an early bedtime. In the end it is worth the extra effort and can afford you some much needed adult alone time eventually.
- All parents or caregivers involved in your baby’s sleep routine need to be in agreement on the chosen strategy. It’s no good if grandma or the nanny sabotages your sleep plans while you’re gone!
- Consistency is vital and it gives your baby a sense of security, and will help them get more consecutive hours of sleep. Inconsistency will confuse them and interfere with independent sleep.
2. What do you think of the Wonder Weeks app and leaps?
Full disclosure. Before you asked me this question I didn’t know anything about the Wonder Weeks app. After taking a look at their website it certainly looks like it’s full of info. But I have to admit if I were a new parent it might be overwhelming for me. And as a pediatrician I encourage parents to put down their devices and interact with their baby as much as possible.
- When do you think babies can be put on a routine or are ready for a routine?
As far as a sleep routine I think 4 months is a good place to start. The first 3 months of a new baby’s life can often pass by in a blur of doing the best we can to survive. By 4 months babies and parents are usually ready for a schedule. Like most things with parenting, I recommend a framework that provides structure but allows for flexibility. For example- do your best to honor your baby’s bedtime but it’s OK if you’re 20 minutes off here or there, or if you have a one off late night out. It’s perfectly fine to allow for normal variation and a reset will be no problem if your baseline routine is consistent. In general babies with a strong and consistent bedtime routine tend to handle the one offs better than those without one.
- Is a foamy consistency of baby poop normal and what causes it?
Ah poop. Baby poop is a big topic in the pediatrician’s office. Parents worry a lot about their baby’s poop (or stool as MDs like to call it). And in general there are very few types of baby poops we worry about. Those are: black poop, red poop, white poop. All those types of poop warrant a visit to your pediatrician to discuss. Most of the other types of poop are not concerning and can be normal. But if stool changes worry you as a parent, or are accompanied by changes in feeding, weight gain, or behavior, then those too should be talked about at your baby’s check up.
- Is there a limit for how long you should let a baby nap so it doesn’t interfere with night sleep?
There’s a mantra, never wake a sleeping baby…except sometimes. For newborns I recommend waking up a baby to feed every 2-3 hours until they have regained their birth weight. After that, in general, if they are gaining weight well it’s OK for them to sleep longer periods without eating, especially during the night.
In older infants, when you are working on feeding and sleep routines, it makes sense to limit naps to three hours at a time, especially if you are struggling with getting your baby to sleep and stay asleep at night. There are some sleep training methods that are incredibly rigid when it comes to nap times. Mine…not so much. Having a reliable, consistent routine with the ability to be flexible is important with naps too.
When talking to parents about healthy sleep habit formation I focus on nighttime sleep first and then work on naps. Usually if the nighttime sleep habits become healthy and consistent the daytime naps will follow. Nap times and frequency change with age as well so it’s often a moving target. A 2-4 month old can take a long nap and then still go down for the night 30-60 minutes later!
Another sleep mantra I use is the more they sleep the better they sleep. In general keeping your baby awake during the day does not help them sleep through the night.
If you have any more questions for the doc drop them in the comments section and I will have her answer them next time!
Thanks for following along.
xx, A
