Schedule:
We’ve settled into a pretty good routine now that she is 4 months old and a little more predictable. She wakes between 6:30-7:30am and has about 90-120 min wake windows. In the morning we do a lot of floor time while I drink my coffee and hang. Then after her first nap I try to get us out of the house for either a walk, errands, or her baby music/dance class. In the afternoon we are usually picking Quinn up from school and either taking her to an after school activity or hanging at the house or park. I try and prep dinner while she’s taking her last nap or cat nap if possible. During her last wake window of the day we do our night routine of bath, jammies (I give her a little massage to relax her before getting her dressed and she loves it), book if she’s not too donzo, bottle, and she goes down between 6:30-7:30pm just depending on her last nap situation.
Sleep:
Knock on wood, but I think we are through the dreaded 4 month sleep regression. I would say her sleep was off for about 2-3 weeks between month 3 and 4. She goes down between 6:30-7:30pm and is up about 12 hours later. She is waking once during the night for a snack which I’m OK with right now because she will usually sleep until 7:30am if she gets this. If she sleeps through the night she is up closer to 6:30am. I’ve been letting her fuss if she’s up after that one feed and she’s learned to put herself back to sleep which is amazing.
In the next month or so I will likely try and cut out of the night feed if she does not drop it on her own because I sometimes have a hard time falling back asleep once I’m up.
She is still using the Magic Merlin sleep suit which is working great for us and we are addicted to our Hatch Sleep sound machine!
Last week I also had a sleep consult with Ashley from the Sleep Shop and it was so informative as I was stressing out a bit with this sleep regression.
Eating:
I’m still basically exclusively pumping and giving her breastmilk bottles during the day. She will nurse at night and early mornings well, but during the day she just wants the bottle. I’ve recently started to wean my pumping in preparation to stop next month as I’m getting a knee surgery in December. I plan to start to introduce some formula here soon to see how she tolerates it while I’m weaning. I have some frozen milk stashed and my goal is for her to get some breastmilk until at least 6 months. We used Earth’s Best formula with Quinn and it worked well, so we will try that again. It that doesn’t work I’m interested in trying the Bobbi formula.
Favorite Products:
Here are some of our most used toys and products right now:
BabyDocBox Review Month 4-6 Product Review
In case you missed my review on the 0-2 month box (Kins is SOO little here) and the 2-4 month box I’ve linked them.
I loved the 4-6 month Babydoc Box. There were so many great and high quality products included in this box. I think that’s what I appreciate most about these boxes…every product included is carefully selected for quality and the specific needs of a baby within this age range. There is never any filler products in the boxes. Here’s what this box included:
Crazy that I’m already having to think about introducing solids to Kins. I don’t even have a high chair yet (btw share your high chair recs in the comments section please!) I love this set so much and the bowl suctions to the surface so hopefully less mess. Sorry Daisy!
This lovey is so sweet and made by a luxury brand. Kins is already loving on it and sucking on the moon.
This swaddle has the arms-up design so many babies love. We used a similar style with Kins before trying the Magic Merlin which is working for her now or I would definitely be trying this sleep sack!
I love this product for tummy time! The book folds out and one side is colorfully illustrated while the other side has high contrast black and white patterns which is so good for baby’s developing eyes.
Doctor Rogers Restore Healing Balm
This product can be used to treat dry skin or eczema in babies or a barrier on their face to protect against rashes caused by drool, new food, or paci irritation. Personally, I’ve been using it for myself so far on my nipples and lips 😉 Oh the joys of breastfeeding and pumping!
I love these books, especially for travel because baby can chew, crumble, drool on, etc and they will not get ruined. These books are so cute and great for travel because they do not take up a lot of space.
Patchology Flashpatch Rejuvenating Eye Gels
Babydoc Box always includes a mom gift which I of course love! This box has much needed eye gels because #4monthsleepregression. Enough said!
Pediatrician Q&A
- How do you know when to start solids? What foods are best to start with and what are early allergy signs to look for?
Three questions in one! First off, I like to remind parents that starting solids is a developmental process that occurs over time, usually it takes up to 6 months to transition from a full liquid to mostly solid diet. Also we use the word introduction on purpose. Have realistic expectations about your baby’s intake which may be minimal at first and that’s OK. Remember to offer a variety of foods in a PRESSURE FREE environment. And I always recommend parents take an infant CPR class before starting solids and familiarize themselves with the difference between gagging and choking.
When to start:
In general there are several signs to look for to see if your baby is ready to start an INTRODUCTION to solid foods.
- Your baby can sit well on their own or with minimal support, they should be able to sit and reach out with their arms to grab something.
- Your baby has excellent head control.
- Your baby is able to grasp objects.
- Your baby demonstrates an interest in food. This is not just your baby watching you put food into your mouth, as most 4 m old infants will do, but they are excited and impatient and vocally or physically show that they want to participate in a meal time.
First Foods: I recommend starting with iron rich vegetables or proteins first like broccoli, stewed/ground meats. Babies around this age need iron as their stores from pregnancy will now start to decline. Other great options include avocado, scrambled egg, potatoes (all types). In general I encourage parents to incorporate a variety of foods and particularly foods that your family will continue to enjoy together. Avoid choking hazards: raw or hard fruits and vegetables, popcorn, whole berries/tomatoes, nuts/seeds, chips/hard crackers, sausage.
Pediatricians now recommend early introduction of allergens. We also recommend the continued frequent use of those foods to help prevent allergies. If you have a strong family history of allergies, your baby has eczema or a documented food allergy consult your doctor or an allergist before introducing solids.
Common allergens include: milk (dairy), eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat.
Signs of allergy include: hives/welts/rash, face/tongue/lip swelling, vomiting and/or diarrhea, coughing/wheezing, difficulty breathing, or loss of consciousness
- Should you start to introduce water via sippy cups when you start solids? I recommend introducing water at 6 months which is usually around the same time as solids.
- Do you like/approve of using the bumbo seat when starting solids or should baby be in a proper high chair?
I personally don’t recommend using a bumbo seat for feeding your baby. I recommend having your baby in a high chair seated with you at the table. - How do you recommend cutting out night time feeds with my 4 month old?
Tough one! Depending on your parenting style and what you are up for…if you are convinced your baby can go longer stretches and is nursing for comfort and it is disrupting everyone’s sleep it may be time for reinforcing some good sleep hygiene/habits. I’m a cold turkey type. You could also set a number of hours after putting your baby to bed before which you will use other methods for soothing rather than feeding. The most important thing is that your baby is able to fall asleep on their own at bedtime. If not they will struggle with nighttime awakenings. - At what age do babies typically get their first teeth, what are signs of teething, and are there any products you recommend to help soothe baby’s gums or help with the pain?
Teething can occur anytime between 4 and 15 months. If you think your baby is suffering from pain that needs to be treated use tylenol. I do not recommend any topical teething ointments.
If you have more questions for the doc drop them in the comments below and she will answer them for you!
Thank you for following along!
xx, A
