Surviving the Newborn Stage

                            

We just welcomed our sweet second son, Haines Carter Sewell! What a blessing to have two boys so close in age, I can't wait for the season where they can play together and be the best of friends! That being said, we are in major transition right now in our house! It's amazing how much you forget from the newborn stage!

Here are some things that have helped us survive this crazy (but precious) newborn stage:

1) Take notes

So much of the newborn stage is completely out of your control. When will they sleep? When will they want to eat? Will mom ever sleep or eat again!? One thing that brought a little order to the crazy was taking notes. Each day I set up a new note in my phone and track my newborns day. This way I can recognize patterns and try to start to get the little one on a schedule. Here's what my notes would look like: 

MON FEB 29

SLEEP:

Up @7:30 

Put down for nap @8:35...8:55 fell asleep until 10:05

Put down for nap @11:10-12:15 in rock n play 

Put down for nap @12:50-2:40  

Put down for nap @4:10-5:15 

Put down for nap @7-7:45

Put down for the night @8:55-12:20

Woke, ate, back down 12:50-3:50

Woke, ate, back down 4:15-6:50

FEEDINGS:

7:35am

10:10

12:30

3:00

5:20 

7:15

8:50

12:25

3:50am

7:00am

2) Recognize the Season

With all the details and notes you are focusing on it can be really overwhelming. You can get completely stuck in the chaos of the day and forget that this is just ONE short season of your little ones life. It really does go by fast even though the days are long and the nights are exhausting! But each day brings new growth and change in your newborn, and soon enough you will be at your sweeties 2 month check up and have forgotten all about the umbilical cord you had to carefully care for the first week, or the feeding frenzy your baby went through on his second day of life, or those pesky contractions and stretch marks! Have you forgotten about that already? I have and it's only been 3 weeks! Wow! I know it's hard, the bags under my eyes will speak for themselves, but it's just a season, this will pass, and then we will all wish we could have this precious time back.

3) Make the most of your minute

Every minute counts when you have a newborn. Especially if you have any other children at home. I was having a really hard time feeling like I was getting anything accomplished in my day, even though I felt busy nonstop. My husband suggested making a daily list of things I'd like to accomplish. Sounds old school right? But man it was a game changer! I have my yellow legal pad and every morning I sip some coffee and make a list of todo's for my day... And you know what? I WAS getting a lot accomplished! Even if the house still looked like a cyclone hit it, I was still making progress! 

4) "ME" time is necessary

It looks a little different when you have a newborn, and possibly another child (children) to care for. But it is still important to take care of YOU mom! The way I see it, if the caretaker isn't cared for, how can she care for others?? My me time is a quick 30 minute workout in the morning (where I catch up on my trashy TV shows :)) and getting myself ready for the day so I don't feel gross in my Pjs all day! (Although there are times this has happened). Also, a quick nap while my boys naps was KEY since baby boy is waking through the night still. So, figure out what refreshes you and make it a priority! 

5) Lean on your people 

This may be the most important tip for surviving the newborn stage. When I had my first I was so overwhelmed that I shut everyone out, even my mom! I was disappointed that I couldn't do it all myself, and felt like I didn't want anyone witnessing me "failing". Ugh! What a lie! It's more than ok to ask for help! And it's ok to not have it all together! It's so crucial to have your friends surround you too. Other moms that are in the same life stage as you will make you feel less alone, especially when you are super sleep deprived and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there and lean on your people! 

Enjoy this time, even through the difficulties, remember you are AMAZING and God has entrusted this sweet baby to you to care for and I know God will equip you with all you need to survive this newborn stage ❤️

Activities for Toddlers: Structured Playtime

I'll be honest, this has been a weak spot for me, as I am a firm believer in encouraging your baby/toddler/child to have free playtime where they can learn to entertain themselves, instilling independence and creativity. But I believe I have pushed this and not structured playtime well enough. You may be doing this already and not even realize it! Perhaps you always have arts and crafts time with you toddler in the afternoon after his/her nap. This is a wonderful way to encourage a structured activity time. 

What is structured playtime??

    This is defined as playtime where the parent chooses the time/location of the playtime as well as what the playtime will consist of…(preferably in some way stimulating the mind, which just means interacting with your kiddo!). Preferably you can structure the time, and location of the activity to help establish a routine. 

Here are some structured Playtime activities:

1) Puzzels and/or Blocks.

Some of our favorites:
Farm Animal Wooden Puzzle
Pets Jigsaw Wooden Puzzle
Wooden Block Set

2) Reading Books

I try to make this time interactive, not only just reading, but reading with a call to respond: "Can you turn the page?" or "What does the doggy say?" We also make it a habit to read just before bedtime
My childhood favorite book!
"My First Books" set of 4!
We read this before bed!

3) Music Time

Purchase some fun bells or drums, and put on some music to dance and sing to!
Music & Rhythm Toys
Children's Singalong CD
50 Silly Songs!

4) Arts and Crafts Time

Play doh, painting, coloring or other art projects are fun and a great activity for your toddler to do while you are getting dinner ready or cleaning the kitchen!
Play Doh Multi-color
Mess Free Coloring kit
Bathtub Crayons!!

5) Outside play 

Sandbox, sprinklers, swings, or simply collecting rocks!
Classic Sandbox with Cover
---Don't forget the sand toys!---
Outdoor Swing, attach anywhere!

The BEST baby gear for your baby's FIRST year

Looking back here are some things we couldn't live without during Hunter's first year of life!

1  Ergo baby carrier: Get this new updated 360 version--|CLICK HERE|
Hunter LOVED being held close, it was so soothing for that fussy 5-7pm time at home, and I was able to have 2 hands free to prepare dinner, score! Throw this baby in your diaper bag for easy grocery shopping too…no more pushing baby in the cart and running out of room for food!

2  Exercise ball. YEP! this was a LIFESAVER! Use this size to save your back-- |CLICK HERE|
The Bouncing motion is so soothing for baby, just like in the womb! This was hands down better than a rocking chair…and it's a great workout for your bum while you bounce.

3  Quality Stroller like the Bob (or another GREAT quality stroller). This is my favorite version-- |CLICK HERE|
I have used other strollers and the ease of these tires makes getting around so convenient!

4  Video Monitor. It is SO worth it to pay the extra to be able to SEE what baby is doing--|CLICK HERE|
We had quite the scare around Hunters first birthday, he had a febrile seizure. (more about that in a different post). The noise alerted me, but the fact that I was able to see what was happening in the video made me rush in there, rather than waiting to see if I could here him stop fussing. This monitor was truly a lifesaver.

5  Baby Activity Seat. I highly recommend this Baby Einstein version-- |CLICK HERE|
Hunter LOVED this! The great thing is he was getting exercise while staying stationary.

6  Infant gas drops, save by buying online-- |CLICK HERE|
My little guy had such terrible gas, and even though he was exclusively breastfed, and I changed my diet as much as possible, the gas persisted! So the doctor advised he received gas drops before each feeding. They work only in babies GI track, so there is no neurolgical side effects from using this too often. These work wonders!

7  Baby Bath Sling, the easiest way to clean baby in the sink-- |CLICK HERE|
This compact light little number works well in my kitchen sink, and supports baby's head! I used this until Hunter was almost 6 months!

8  Breast pump--|CLICK HERE|
You should be able to contact your health insurance provider to cover some, if not ALL the cost of your breast pump! There are MANY options out there, but I highly suggest that you get a pump if you are nursing, even if you don't "plan" on pumping, pumping is a great way to check your milk supply output!

9  White Noise Sound Machine...you NEED this! --|CLICK HERE|
My entire family uses this machine! Baby loves it because it reminds them of the soothing sound from being in the womb. It also blocks out any noise that could cause sleep disruptions (dog, alarm, other siblings)

10  Car Seat Mirror…see baby while you drive--|CLICK HERE|
This pivot mirror works well, at all different angels for a clear view of your little one.

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 

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

Starting Baby on Solids (4-6months)

Solids can be added to baby's diet anywhere from 4-6 months of age. Each baby is different, and their little bodies will decide when they are needing to start. Hunter was showing me signs he was ready at 5 months. He was so curious every time I was eating something! But he also started waking in the night, and that could be a sign that they are ready for something more.

MOMMY TIP: This BUMBO is amazing, we didn't even need a highchair until Hunter was 6 months, we just used the Bumbo! CLICK to find it! …and don't forget the snack tray :)

This is how we started.

Weeks 1-2

1 Teaspoon rice cereal mixed with formula or breast milk at morning feeding.

Increase to as much as baby wants up to 4-5 tablespoons in the coming weeks

The amount of liquid you add will depend on how soupy you want the rice cereal. The soupier the better for these beginners! Hunter loved the rice cereal. We are now doing 1 Tablespoon every morning.

Increase the frequency to 2-3 times a day AFTER bottle/breast feeding. To jump start the solids you can nurse one side (or offer half a bottle) then do solids, then finish nursing/the bottle after.

Weeks 2-4

Add in Yellow Vegetables (Squash and Carrots) ***try one vegi for 3 days before adding in another***

Start with Yellow vegetables, preferably at the noon/lunchtime feeding (this give you the rest of the day to look for allergic reaction signs: rash, vomiting, diarrhea)

Vegetables should be introduced before fruits, because fruits are so sweet, babies usually have a hard time taking vegetables if they try the sweet stuff first! Wouldn't you?

I started with one tablespoon of homemade, purred butternut squash and Hunter LOVED it! I also do purred carrots. (Steam squash (remove seeds & skin) and carrots in steam basket until soft, then puree with added purified water for consistency, freeze leftovers)

Increased to 2-3 tablespoons at two separate feedings for a week. Let baby determine the amount. At this point (between 4-6 months) it's more for fun  then nutritive.

Weeks 4-6

Add in Green Vegetables (Peas, and green beans)  ***try one vegi for 3 days before adding in another***

Weeks 6-8

Add in fruits, start by mixing purred fruit with cereal.  ***try one fruit for 3 days before adding in another***

Eventually baby's menu will look like this:

Breakfast: Cereal and Fruits

Lunch: Vegetables and fruits

Dinner: Cereal, vegetables and fruits. 

MOMMY TIP! We stopped spending nearly $2 a pouch on those already made pureed pouches. I bought THESE amazing reusable pouches and let me tell you, they are AMAZING! Ill have recipes coming soon :)

ALSO some must haves: 
These suction bowls, so your new eater won't throw the bowl ;) CLICK to view
& these are wonderful spoons for new eaters: CLICK HERE

Baby's day out!

Last week we decided to venture out of our house! We usually go out almost every day but that is mostly to run errands, grocery shop, swim class, etc. not just for fun so this was a real treat for me. We went to lunch at Pita jungle (YUM) and did a little shopping at Nordstrom Rack (YESSSS). 

Hunter had his lunch on the go. (He for some reason hates to be held when getting his bottle, I think he is so used to nursing that if he's being held he thinks it's to nurse, since we supplement at each feeding this is how he gets his bottle now a days). The restaurant was a lot for Hunter he's not used to all the loud noise.  One great thing about sleep training is they can sleep so well at home but he has a hard time sleeping public. 

Enter first public meltdown. 

The poor guy got so overwhelmed and overtired that he began to melt to down in the middle of the restaurant. Worse mom of the year! 

I took him outside and rocked him for about five minutes where he fell asleep. I was able to go inside and place him in his car seat where he finished out the remainder of his nap and I got to enjoy some lunch, so that was a nice gift.

He woke up 30 minutes later as usual and we headed up to Nordstrom rack. I got a killer leather skirt that's darling and got a cute long sleeve shirt for the little guy! We were only at Nordstrom rack for about half an hour and then decided to head home. He did well the rest of the trip and we made it home for his 4:00pm feeding. 

Lessons learned? Wait until after the baby has napped to go put in public so he does not have a meltdown and become overtired since he has such a hard time sleeping in public.

I was cracking up the other day when my husband saw a small baby sleeping in his mother's arms in public, he looked at me and said "what's wrong with that baby?" I said "what do you mean?" ..."why's that baby sleeping?" I laughed and explain to him that that's what most babies do when they are tired they close your eyes go to sleep! They usually don't have bad FOMO like our little guy! :) xoxo-B

Short Naps

Short naps, Oh my nemesis. Also referred to as catnaps: a nap shorter than one hour.

Hunter has been living in this cat nap world since he was about 10 weeks old. Now he is 20 weeks old and still cat napping.

Per babywise, he is put down 3-4 times a day after his awake playtime for what babywise recommends as a full nap of 1.5-2 hours long (psh I wish!) his morning nap's used to be this long and then got progressively shorter as the day went on. But over the last month this morning naps have shortened as well.

He would sleep about 45 minutes and then wake up usually crying. Now he's has been sleeping around 30 minutes waking up usually crying.

  WHY!?

Troubleshooting: what could cause that short naps?

1.) Feeding issue. Well I originally thought this was a feeding issue since Hunter had issues with my milk supply. So we started supplementing with formula. This helped him to get back to sleeping through the night but did not improve his naps.  Babywise Suggests that if that baby continually wakes up 30 to 45 minutes into his nap and to feed him right away because he must be hungry. I tried to feed him right away and put him back down but he was wide-awake and did not nurse very well so I obviously knew it was not a feeding issue  (also rule out a growth spurt)

2.) Room environment. Since he slept so well at night, I thought there might be something happening in his room during the day. So I put up an extra sheet over his blackout blinds to make it practically pitch black during the day. I made sure the temperature was the same as at night as well as the noise machine. Unfortunately this did not make a difference for Hunter.

3.) adjusting the time he goes down for nap. An easy fix is to put the baby down 15 minutes before you normally would for his nap. The thought is that this would prevent baby from getting overtired and that they would sleep longer. I adjusted his awake time back-and-forth a few times within a week span and it made no difference for Hunter.

4.) tummy troubles. Babies often times wake up in the middle of their naps crying because they have gas or possibly a delayed form of reflux. When Hunter wakes up at 30 minutes crying I go in there right away pick him up, and burp him. This has worked once or twice within the last couple weeks. He lets out a burp and then I rock him for a 1 to 2 minutes and put him back down.

5.)  baby's first feeding of the day has too much flexibility. I try to stay within a 30 minute window for Hunters first feeding of the day. Anything more than that in their schedule can be off causing their naps to be affected.

6.) sleep hours.  Each baby needs a certain amount of sleep hours a day to grow and be healthy. According to my pediatrician that's anywhere between 11 and 14 hours in a  24 hour period for his age. Hunter just began extending his sleep (when we cut out his dream feed) to 10 1/2 hours a night. which explains why his naps turned from 45 minutes to 30 minutes. He is very consistent about needing only about 12 to 12 1/2 hours of sleep a day.

So what conclusion did I come to? Since he is alert and happy when he is awake, that he is getting to sleep he needs even with the short catnaps. In a perfect world he would sleep longer maybe two naps an hour and a half each. BUT this is what is best for him right now since he cannot stay up for longer than two and half hours of time without getting tired.

I hope these factors help you in discovering what is causing your baby's short naps. Hang in there!! It's just a season and they grow soooo fast! Xoxo-B

Beach Babe!

We spent the last week in California to escape the AZ heat! I love California. Beach = amazing. Traffic...not so much. Especially with a 4 month old. But it was nice to get away. We visited with my in laws for a few days at Chads childhood home. It was wonderful. The home is filled with sweet memories for Chad, and is wonderfully overflowing with lush gardens, and fresh baked goods. It truly is reviving staying there. Then we scooted off to San Diego where we rented a beach house for a couple of days. We were only 100 steps to the sand which made it so easy to take baby.

Of course reality hits, we are home now and kicked into high gear playing catchup BUT it's almost the end of August which means...FALL is almost here!!! Xoxo-B

...And Baby makes 3! Marriage tips after baby!

Before we had Hunter I was very aware that things were going to change  in our lives. My husband was the biggest priority to me and I was  worried about having him become neglected once baby came.

Here are some things I try to focus on the keep my marriage as a priority!

1) Check in

This is a very important concept for a marriage. The art of checking in takes some time to get used to, and we have yet to perfect it. What does it mean? Communicate!  If this is a particularly hard concept for you, you may need to have scheduled check ins with your spouse every week. Just put it on your calendar, every Sunday at 6 PM we will check in with one another. Asking questions like "how are you?" "Am I meeting your needs?" " how can I better serve you?" "Love you?"  Etc. every couple is different some may not need as direct of questions and just need to have 15-20 minutes of visiting time uninterrupted. That's great too! Do whatever works for you and your spouse! Just remember to check in!

2)  Take Care

Hubby-Home-Self

As a stay at home mom, my priority is my husband, baby and home. So I try to do things to make sure that all of these aspects are taken care of. Little things like making sure Chad has dinner ready when he comes home from a long day at work. And doing things that he loves to come home to like he loves the vacuum lines on the carpet! So I try to do that for him everyday. It only takes a few minutes and it makes him smile. My goal is to make the home a comfortable sanctuary where he can feel relaxed and loved, because the world is so crazy, and being at work all day everyday can really take a toll on a person.

My home is so important to me. It represents my family, and my heart! So I make sure to keep it clean and comfortable. It's hard work but so worth it! It's not perfect, I'm definitely seeing new spit up stains on the carpet everyday and the laundry seems to never be all done! But for the most part I try to keep and nice and tidy home.

Don't forget to take care of your self too! I know you're probably thinking this is the last thing that you have time to do! But, if you don't take care of yourself everything else can fall apart! Something that may be a little vain of me is that I like to get ready every day. Even if I'm just going to the grocery store I like to put an outfit together, throw on some makeup and do my hair. Believe it or not I feel more productive when I actually get ready for the day. It lifts my mood too!

3) Discuss Sexpectations

It may seem a little unromantic to discuss "sexpectations" ( expectations of sex) but if you never discuss it how will you know if you are meeting each other's needs?  This doesn't have to be as frequently as a check in,, but should happen often as times and seasons change quickly! Sex is so crucial to a marriage, it separates your relationship from every other relationship on earth. It is a natural, God glorifying act that unites a married couple in the greatest way possible! Not to mention thats how you created such a wonderful thing in first place, your baby!!!  Maybe you and your hubby need to do it everyday? Or once a week? There's no rule! Just do what's best for the both of you! Maybe in this season of life you have to schedule sex dates! Who cares! Be like Nike and Just do it! It will life your spirits and reconnect you to the love of your life.

4) Take a break

You're probably saying..."a break? Ya right!" But you NEED it! Just like sex and communication you, momma, need a break! No I'm not saying a weekend getaway (although that's nice) i'm talking about daily, little moments you can steal away and take a break from everything. What's my break? Every morning from 5-6am with my loud music and workouts! It centers me! Maybe you aren't able to do that (or it sounds like torture to you) ...no problem!  Do what works for you! 15 minutes of reading, 30 minutes in the sun, a walk, manicure, etc! Oh hey how about a break WITH your hubby? Great idea! Date night!? Yes please!

5) Have Grace!

Have grace for yourself, and for your spouse. Especially being a first time parent! I need to remember this because I have made mistakes, and every time I beat myself up over it! Ugh! That's not helpful! Your spouse will also make mistakes, lose his cool, or not meet your "expectations". Have grace! This is a HUGE adjustment to the both of you. Probably the biggest change in your life next to marriage so be forgiving, expect nothing & appreciate everything from one another, know the hard seasons will naturally merge into the good times. Enjoy the moments of the day loving your baby and your hubs!

I'm not perfect at this but I'm learning everyday and blessed to have friends who hold me accountable to be the best wife I can,  so that Hunter can grow up with loving parents with a strong marriage! Xoxo-B