Baby Activities: 6 months old

Being home most of the day means a lot of free time, so I wanted to compile a list of activities that I like to accomplish during the day to make sure Hunter is getting enough stimulation in his little world! Here are a few things we do, hopefully your baby will enjoy them too!

1) Tummy time

Oh yes, tummy time still continues while Hunter is learning to crawl. I try to place toys almost within his reach so that he can stretch his body and scoot towards it. He pushes up and rolls across the entire room now which is fun. We practice this multiple times a day so that he can build the strength in his upper body. 

2) Upright time

I like for Hunter to spend about 20 minutes working on strengthening his leg muscles each day. He loves his standing activity center and jumps around the whole time. The pediatrician said to stick to 1 hour max in any of the activity centers so we set a timer and spread out his hour throughout the day in 15 minute increments. This is helpful since the activity center is in our kitchen it gives me time to cook and wash dishes!

3) Sitting time

Sitting unsupported is another milestone that happens around six or seven months. So I try to give Hunter all the opportunity to be able to sit on his own. He is pretty good but still needs some help not falling backwards. When he was just starting out being able to sit, I would use the Highchair or Bumbo so that he could get used to sitting up and playing with his toys, he loved that.

4) Fresh air

Getting outside is very important for baby! But it is hard to do in the summertime in Arizona. You may experience it's in the wintertime where you live! Regardless, if you can it is great to get out and get some fresh air for both you and baby. We recently joined stroller strides and get out every day for an hour, I get a workout he gets fresh air! Win win!

5) Independent play

I try to set aside 20 minutes a day so Hunter can have independent playtime. This is actually the hardest one for me to get in! I love watching him explore and learn. And since he is rolling I have to keep my eyes on him every second! But I know it's important for him to entertain himself... so he lays on the floor with his toys all around him and rolls around, plays, talks etc. 

6) Errands

Of course errands are a must so I try to work that in during the time that Hunter is awake so it does not mess with his naps. If I'm running a lot of errands I put him in the ergo baby carrier so he can get a change of scenery.

7) Baby to Baby interaction

I just recently learned the importance of baby to baby interaction. You think since they are so young they don't really understand but when Hunter was at swim class he was interacting with all the little babies, smiling, watching them. It was cute! I think it's good for him to have exposure to other kids! Free activity like Library story time are great for this!

8) Mental Stimulation

Take time for baby to exercise his brain too. I try to read a couple books a day (even though he mostly chews on them) or sing along to some music (he loves when I play the xylophone for him). Count, teach & let baby explore new shapes and textures!

9) Floor time with mommy & daddy

One of my favorite things to do with Hunter. Since he is rolling it's like a whole new game! So we roll around with him, cuddle, play, encourage crawling etc. 

10) Bath time

Can be fun, not just for scrubbing the day away! Add lots of bubbles and toys and sing a little tune! I sing the same song every time Hunter gets a bath, he actually smiles and gets excited when I start singing it now. "Let's take a bath, Let's take a bath! We play all day inside this place, and we don't stop to wipe your face, so let's take a bath!" What silly things we do for our babes right? ;)

Teething Troubles

Being a first time mom I could have sworn Hunter was teething for the past three months, (which is probably true to some extent) but still no tooth! Lately I am pretty positive that that tooth is coming through any day now. His gums are very bumpy and swollen, and my usually happy baby is irritable and having sleep troubles.

What we do to manage the teething blues!!

1) Chew chew chew !

 I give Hunter something to chew on at all times. It could be the Sophie giraffe (most popular and probably expensive teething toy), something cold like a wet washcloth or one of those mesh toys with an ice cube in them.

2) Gum massage

I wash my hands and take  my pinky finger and gently massage the gums where his teeth are coming in. I know he's in pain if he lets me do this longer than 2 minutes!

3) Distraction

Sometimes baby just needs a distraction from the pain. Go for a walk, try a new toy, play date, or nice warm bubble bath.

4) Amber teething necklace

I was interested in trying these because I know some people swear by them! Silly me at first I thought the baby was supposed to chew on the necklace, but they're actually just supposed to wear it! Make sure the necklace maintains contact with their skin at all times. I purchased the raw unpolished amber necklace for the most effectiveness. I really think it helps! Well, it couldn't hurt right?

5) Medication

I have given Hunter Tylenol once or twice only at night he's having a really hard time. Since he is such a good sleeper I can tell when there something bothering him and he needs a little relief. I only give him half dose since he doesn't have it that often and that seems to do the trick. I know some people really like the highlands teething tabs but I have yet to try them, some of the research I did made me a little uneasy, but they work for a lot of people so do what's best for your family!

Those little teeth are literally a pain but another part of your babies development. Hang in there! Xoxo-B

Sample schedules 5-22 weeks

Below are some sample schedules from 5-22 weeks of age! I hope they help you get an idea of a typical day for us! 

As always, email or comment with questions! Xoxo-B 

Hunter 5 weeks

FEED/WAKE TIME
7:09am
10:11am
12:45pm
3:15pm
6:00pm
8:48pm
12:40am
4:05am

SLEEPTIME
8:20am right to sleep until had to wake to feed @10:10
...1 hour 50 min
11:08am cried 5 min went to sleep then woke @12:40pm
.... 1 hour 30 min
Fell asleep car seat 1:40-2pm
.... 20 min
4:02pm woke up crying @440 cried 5 min until ergo carrier until 530

...1 hour 20 min
7:06 right to sleep had to wake to feed @8:45pm
.... 1 hour 40min
9:10 woke on own 12:37am
....3 hours
1:11am  woke on own @4:05
...3 hours
4:38am until had to wake to feed @7

...2 hours 20 min 

Hunter 10 weeks

FEED WAKE TIME
6:40am
9:05am
11:35am
2:00
4:45pm
7:15pm
10:55pm

SLEEP TIME
7:41am woke @ 8:30
...45 min
10:29 woke @11:10am
...40 min
12:37pm started fussing after 10 min for 5 min, fell back to sleep until 1:33 fell back to sleep another 15min
...1 hour?
3:00 car seat nap
...20minutes
5:58 woke @6:45
...45 min
8:30pm fell asleep @8:40
...2 hours
11:25pm until had to wake 630
...7 hours 

Hunter 15 weeks (cat naps take over :(... I think it was a hunger issue )

FEED WAKE TIME
6:30am
9:00am
11:45am
2:18pm
5:00pm
7:48
10:45

SLEEP TIME
7:41am up @8:35
...50 min
10:28am up @11:30
...50 min
1:06pm asleep @1:13 to 1:58
...45 min
3:53pm asleep @4:09 to 4:49
...40 min
6:53pm asleep@7 had to wake @7:45
...45 min
8:57pm asleep @ 9:05 To 10:40 dream feed
...1 hour 35 min
11:11 up @6:15am

...7 hours 

Hunter 18 weeks (supplementing)

FEED WAKE
6:40am 1 ounce BM
9:50am 2 ounce formula
1:00pm 2 ounces BM
4:00pm 3.5 ounces formula
7:05pm 3.7 ounces formula

SLEEP
8:16am...8:20-9 up fussy back to sleep on own 9:10-9:20
...50 min
11:16am...11:25-12:20pm fussed on and off 20 minutes then up for good
...55
2:53...3-3:35
...35 min
5:55pm...6-6:30
...30 min
8:38pm...8:50-6:50am
...10 hours 

Hunter 22 weeks

FEED WAKE up @6:45
6:49 breastfeeding & rice
9:42am breastfeeding + 4 oz
12:55pm  breastfeeding + 4 oz
3:52pm breastfeeding +5 oz
6:30 breastfeeding + 5.5 oz

SLEEP
8:26...8:32-9:07
...35 min
11:14am...11:19-12:09 fell back to sleep 12:20-12:50 then had to wake
...1 hour 20 min
3:10pm... 3:17-3:47
...30 min
***still trying to drop cat nap 20 minutes around 5:30pm ***

5:30...5:33-5:53 had to wake

...20 min
7:26pm...7:36-5:45
...10 hour 10 min 

Lovely Neighbor: Southern Curls & Pearls

Caitlin from Southern Curls & Pearls has the classiest blog I have seen! 

She is DARLING! 

She has been blogging for quite a while now and is so engaging with those who follow her! I really respect that about her! So, her blog and her style is so much more inspiring than just another cute outfit, she herself is sweet!(if you cant tell by all the !!!!'s I am super excited to share her cute style with you)

So go check out her simple and sweet outfits HERE! 

Here are some of my favorite looks for fall:

Getting Baby to sleep 10-12 hours

By the time baby is 12 weeks old, he/she should be able to sleep 10-12 hours at night without a feeding! WOW! What a gift to the tired parent!

I kept the dream feed for Hunter until he was 4 months old. He was going to bed at 8pm, dream feed at 10pm, and waking up at 6:30. I cut the dream feed out at 16 weeks because his night time sleep started to become affected. Once I cut the dream feed, he slept straight through the night without the need for that extra snack.

Here are some ways to ensure baby is set up for a LONG night sleep:

1) Set the mood.

Establish a bedtime routine and make the room comfortable for sleeping.  You wouldn't be able to have a good nights rest If you went straight from a party to your bed right?? What about if your room was bright and hot or loud and freezing cold?? Your baby needs to wind down too. And they need to have a cozy place to spend their night.

What we do:
7:30 pm rolls around and we head up or take a bath. Next we put on some baby powder and rub his tummy and legs a bit to relax him. He has an overnight diaper we use (LUVS, it's a game changer) and a sleeping gown. I also still swaddle the trunk of his body. He could sleep without it but his legs go crazy when he sleeps I wanted to make sure they don't get stuck through the crib slats. I turn on his humidifier and white noise sound machine. This is the BEST one I have found, we have one in our room as well! CLICK to get yours (you won't be sorry, they travel well too!) …Ok now back to it, I then pick him up and rock him for 2-3 minutes. This time will very from baby to baby, any longer for us and Hunter will start to fall asleep. Putting him down in his crib while he's awake ensures he can put himself to sleep. I place him in his crib, say a prayer, and kiss that cute forehead. Depending on how tired he is he may play for 10 minutes before he sleeps but usually within 5 minutes he's asleep for a good 10 -11 hours.

2) Make sure belly is full!

This is not just important right before baby goes to bed, but throughout the day. If baby is not getting the amount of food necessary in a 24 hour period, his sleep will be disrupted.

What we do:
It was crucial that Hunter had a full belly each night. Hunter started waking early (around 4:30am) hungry, so I knew he needed more food throughout the day. (this was when my milk supply was going low so we supplemented). He started waking early again around 5 months so we started him on some solids, and he's back to sleeping all night.

3) Be consistent
Theres a lot I can write here about being consistent in getting baby to sleep all night. Mainly it is to ensure baby can put himself BACK to sleep once he wakes. Since babies go through so many sleep transitions throughout the night, this is a crucial skill baby must develop to be able to sleep throughout the night without mommy or daddy helping them get back to sleep. I say be consistent here because this is not only for night time sleep, but naps as well. A baby that is rocked back to sleep at naps, will most likely not be able to sleep throughout the night because they will expect their favorite person (you) to come in and rock them every time they wake.

What we do:
If Hunter wakes crying, I always wait and assess. What time is it? What type of cry is it? Is this out of habit? (waking at same time) or is this a new thing? If it's new, or a different cry I always go in and check him. If its out of habit or seems like he is just fussy, I give him the magic 10 minutes. He usually goes back to sleep 90% of the time within 10 minutes. (When he's crying its the longest 10 minutes EVER but if he goes back to sleep within that time frame I know he was just transitioning in his sleep) If after 10 minutes he is still upset, I go in and check him, settle him down for a few minutes, then put him back down while he is still awake.

4) Be on Time

It is crucial for baby to have the same FIRST and LAST feeding of the day. This helps them establish their schedules, which in turn helps them sleep until the desired morning wake time. Pick a time that you want baby to wake in the morning, then schedule the last feeding 11-12 hours before that time. 

What we do:
Hunters last feeding of the day is at 6:45am, his first feed of the day is 6:30am. We make sure to stay within a 20 minute window of flexibility with the time of the first feeding and time of the last feeding.

5) Reevaluate when needed

If you are following the steps above and baby is still not sleeping through the night, or not sleeping at least 9/10 hours then its time to reevaluate what you're doing. Go through it with a fine-toothed comb! How are the feedings? Is baby getting enough sleep during the day? Is it time to start solids? Is baby getting enough stimulation throughout the day (daylight, playtime, not overstimulated by the TV)? Do you need to drop the dream feed? Is baby getting too much sleep during the day? 

What we do:
When Hunter began waking again in the night we had to cry it out. It was tough but I knew he wasn't hungry, sick just wanted to be held. He eventually would fall asleep and within a few days he only fussed a minute or so when he woke up. They are smart little ones and they learn quickly its time to sleep! We also had to drop the dream feed around 17 weeks old because it was affecting his sleep. 

Whatever it may be, I pray you find out and get the sleep you and your baby deserve! Hope this helps! Xoxo-B

Lovely Neighbor: Hello Copeland

Meet Natalie from Hello Copeland! I mean... how cute is this girl!! she's a momma to a sweet baby boy and a really crafty DIYer! check out her blog HERE!

Some if her looks that I LOVE!