Baby 3 Months Milestone
Our baby has reached 3 months, very exiting!
Now, we are kind of through with the newborn phase (which was sweet and so fragile), and a bit more experts on the baby’s care than when we left the hospital with him.
Now, we are kind of through with the newborn phase (which was sweet and so fragile), and a bit more experts on the baby’s care than when we left the hospital with him.
During this time we have mastered the “no-sleep” phase, it was not horrible, but yes totally exhausting while we adjust to it. Baby is or was a by-the-book-kid, for these first months. He basically, eat, diaper change, sleep, and everything all over again. Although, we have been told that we got a, what Germans call “Anfängerkind”, because the crying is really minimum, even at nights and we have not complain yet. In any case, he really is a great baby, although now he is in a crying phase and just wants to be in mommy’s arms for everything. Probably he’s going through another growth spurt or teething, as he’s constantly drooling.
Part of what, I now believe, helps us as well, is that we started a bed time routine at about 6 weeks, it has created a better environment for him to sleep and for us to be able to also do other things. He’s not a baby that sleeps 12 hours through the night though, but the routine has helped to get him to sleep 6 hours in a row. Most of the days it works, not always, but in general, we are in a good path.
Part of what, I now believe, helps us as well, is that we started a bed time routine at about 6 weeks, it has created a better environment for him to sleep and for us to be able to also do other things. He’s not a baby that sleeps 12 hours through the night though, but the routine has helped to get him to sleep 6 hours in a row. Most of the days it works, not always, but in general, we are in a good path.
The routine goes as follows:
We start at 7 (when bath is included) to 7.30 pm, at the beginning we used to change diapers, and put him into pajamas, while he had some alone time with daddy in his bedroom. After, daddy would take him to our bedroom and I would breastfeed him; once he finished and was almost asleep, I will lay him down in his bed, put him into his sleep sack and wait for him to fall asleep, put the baby monitor on, and then leave the room. Sometimes he would wake up and cry, so I would come back and give him the pacifier, and he would go back to sleep. Other times, I would have to hold him again and help him fall asleep. Some days are easier than others, but for the most part all the reading of “how to help your baby sleep” is working.
I am not pro “let the baby crying” method, I hardly let him cry to be honest. I believe is not necessary to teach the baby what he needs to learn. But all babies and parents are different, and what works for us now, may not work for everybody.
We are done at around 8pm that he is asleep, and he would continue for up to 6 hours in a row, after this, he will wake up for a night feed, and go back to sleep, but this time just for 3 hour-periods, no more. And by 7am we will have wake up and get out of bed time.
Normally our bedroom is complete dark, so to keep him calm in the morning, I open the shades for him to look around, and this gives me about 30min to shower, make breakfast or do something else before getting him out of bed and start the morning routine. Which this starts with a diaper and pajama change. After is breakfast time for mom and swing time for him, to go on with some play time with mommy. At around 10am is feeding and nap time. During the morning he naps for max. an hour, we are still working on a nap routine that helps him get better with nap time. He gets another hour at around noon. Then we have some exercise together and some more play time for him alone. At around 3pm I feed him again, and this time he has his long nap, for about 2 hours, sometimes 2 and a half. After this nap, is the time of the day when he is awake for more hours, before we start again with the bedtime routine.
We start at 7 (when bath is included) to 7.30 pm, at the beginning we used to change diapers, and put him into pajamas, while he had some alone time with daddy in his bedroom. After, daddy would take him to our bedroom and I would breastfeed him; once he finished and was almost asleep, I will lay him down in his bed, put him into his sleep sack and wait for him to fall asleep, put the baby monitor on, and then leave the room. Sometimes he would wake up and cry, so I would come back and give him the pacifier, and he would go back to sleep. Other times, I would have to hold him again and help him fall asleep. Some days are easier than others, but for the most part all the reading of “how to help your baby sleep” is working.
We are done at around 8pm that he is asleep, and he would continue for up to 6 hours in a row, after this, he will wake up for a night feed, and go back to sleep, but this time just for 3 hour-periods, no more. And by 7am we will have wake up and get out of bed time.
Normally our bedroom is complete dark, so to keep him calm in the morning, I open the shades for him to look around, and this gives me about 30min to shower, make breakfast or do something else before getting him out of bed and start the morning routine. Which this starts with a diaper and pajama change. After is breakfast time for mom and swing time for him, to go on with some play time with mommy. At around 10am is feeding and nap time. During the morning he naps for max. an hour, we are still working on a nap routine that helps him get better with nap time. He gets another hour at around noon. Then we have some exercise together and some more play time for him alone. At around 3pm I feed him again, and this time he has his long nap, for about 2 hours, sometimes 2 and a half. After this nap, is the time of the day when he is awake for more hours, before we start again with the bedtime routine.
Of course, in order to be able to do all this, I am staying at home for the moment. I have taken advantage of what the German social system offers, and have Elternzeit for about 18 months, and can be extended for up to 3 years. In this time I can focus on taking care of my son, until we (mainly me) are ready to take him daycare or kindergarten.
This time of staying at home is giving me the opportunity to learn everything about my son, to go through every stage and to see pretty much every "first time" of things.
Whether you are lucky, like me, and can stay at home with your little one, or you are a working mom, I just want to tell you, you are doing great! Things do not alway work out the way we want them to with the babies, specially when we are first time moms, but I believe with time we will get there. Most important at all times, is to give our babies love, even at the times where seems the most challenging, love will always help and will keep you calm and help your baby calm down as well.
We are enjoying these routine for now, we hope it lasts and improves our baby's and our own sleep.
Please feel free to leave any comments, questions, suggestions, complaints; I am no expert of any sort, just a first time mom doing her research and wanting to share with you her experiences. The good and the not so good of this new mommy stage.
This time of staying at home is giving me the opportunity to learn everything about my son, to go through every stage and to see pretty much every "first time" of things.
Whether you are lucky, like me, and can stay at home with your little one, or you are a working mom, I just want to tell you, you are doing great! Things do not alway work out the way we want them to with the babies, specially when we are first time moms, but I believe with time we will get there. Most important at all times, is to give our babies love, even at the times where seems the most challenging, love will always help and will keep you calm and help your baby calm down as well.
We are enjoying these routine for now, we hope it lasts and improves our baby's and our own sleep.
Thanks for stopping by!!!
Please feel free to leave any comments, questions, suggestions, complaints; I am no expert of any sort, just a first time mom doing her research and wanting to share with you her experiences. The good and the not so good of this new mommy stage.
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