What Should I Do With My Baby All Day?
So… your partner goes back to work after being home with you for a week or two after baby… and you’re left wondering:
+ What, exactly, do we do all day?
+ How do we go about our day?
+ What’s the “new normal”?
I have 2 words for you….
flexible routine
Implement a flexible routine! Not only does this help guide your day, it also helps guide your baby’s day.
Both adults and babies THRIVE on routine! But you see, I’m not saying “schedule”. Schedules can become demanding and stressful. Babies aren’t cookie-cutter, each one is different and they can be unpredictable! It’s important as the parent to realize that babies don’t know clocks, so we can’t expect them to abide by one.
Okay, so what does this look like? Breaking your (very flexible) day into moments of feedings (eat), moments of sleeping (naps), and moments of play/floor time (wake time).
But— let me tell you something about this. It doesn’t have to go in a specific order. I like to use more of a “modified SEW” (sleep, eat wake) routine, so parents can remain flexible in meeting their individual baby’s needs! I think this is so important so we don’t feel like we are doing something “wrong” if baby is not following their day in a specific order, or following specific “wake windows”— again, we can’t program them! I think wake windows can absolutely be helpful when they’re looked at in a generalized sense (still remaining a bit flexible with it as needed). Here’s what this can look like:
>>Sleep - Your baby sleeps/naps (sometimes, it’s hard to know how long this will be— short naps are normal for newborns!)
>>Feedings - Change their diaper, change their clothes, and feed your baby (breast or bottle!)
>>Playtime - Play with your baby! Follow their general age-based “wake windows” and keep them awake so that they can expend energy to fill their “tired bucket” and nap/sleep more effectively. With newborn babies, the wake window is not long. (These routines are discussed further and laid out by age brackets in my Karing for Baby cheat sheets).
Repeat.
Though every day is different with a new baby, following a form of this flexible routine can give both you and your baby more stability in your day. Remember, sometimes naps will be 20 minutes, and sometimes they will be 1.5 hours— adjust your routine to fit your needs in that moment! If baby only slept 20 minutes, they may not be ready to eat again when they wake up— so, maybe this time you’ll want to do more of a sleep, wake time, eat, then back to sleep. It’s okay to adjust as you go!
Here are a few wake ideas to keep baby awake and engaged during their “wake time” (we go though these and more ideas in the Karing for Baby Course):
+ Dance/sing to your baby
+ Playmat (get down on the ground with them and engage!)
+ Reading a book
+ Talking a walk outside/fresh air in a baby wrap or stroller
+ File their nails and talk to them
+ Tummy time— this can look many different ways! Wearing your baby in a wrap, or having them lay on your chest and lift their head while you talk to them counts as tummy time!
+ Snuggle and talk
+ Look in a mirror together
+ Show your baby high contrast images (these can be purchased, drawn, or printed off Google free!)
Find things you enjoy doing with your baby— whatever that may be! This may change day to day too, and that’s great! You are doing an amazing job, mamas!
