Inside: Learn a simple, tear-free baby bath routine to help you easily clean your little one while encouraging parent/baby bonding so you and your little one enjoy bath time!

It’s time to get your little bundle of joy all squeaky clean!

Bathing your baby can seem a little intimidating at first, especially for new parents. Your little one seems so fragile and helpless and the last thing you want to do is disrupt or hurt her.

Trust me I’ve been there!

Even for my second babies I was a wreck trying to bathe her because I thought I would somehow hurt her tinnee, tiny little body.

Once you get the all-clear from your doctor to start bathing your baby, bath time can be a really fun bonding time between you and your sweet little one.

I’ll teach you a super simple, tear-free baby bath routine to help you easily make sure your baby is being cleaned properly and encourages parent/baby bonding. So both you and your baby will enjoy bath time!

No time to read this now? That’s okay! Download the FREE Baby Bath Routine Cheatsheet to get this step by step routine (+ awesome baby bath tips & tricks) sent straight to your email!

There’s nothing sweeter than seeing your sweet little baby look up at you with those big Disney-like cartoon eyes. This precious baby is dependent on you for everything, and you have the most important job in the world– being a parent.

But caring for your little one doesn’t have to be overwhelming…Let’s dive into baby bath time!

When Can Baby Take a Bath Every Day?

A baby can take their first bath after his/her umbilical cord falls off (usually 10-14 days after birth). Before then, just wipe down your baby with a warm washcloth and keep the umbilical cord dry.

After the umbilical cord falls off, feel free to give your baby his/her first bath!

You can just use water for those newborn days (or a mild soap if needed).

For the first few months of life, your baby only needs a bath about 3 times a week, or when needed.

After about 4 months if your baby enjoys a taking baths you can start adding more baths to your week.

There is no concrete answer to know “when” your baby can start taking baths every day, but between 5-6 months I found that my babies enjoyed baths every day the most.

It also became a part of our bedtime routine which helped them sleep longer and better, so that was a major plus!

Talk to your child’s pediatrician about bathing before making significant changes to your bathing schedule.

But you do NOT have to give your baby a bath every day to enjoy the benefits of a baby bath routine.

(This is a great article all abut how often you can bathe your baby.)

When Can I Start a Baby Bath Routine?

You can start a baby bath routine as soon as you begin giving your baby baths. The routine will change a bit as your child grows and develops (a newborn bath routine will be slightly different from a one-year-old bath routine).

But not matter what your baby’s age is, each part of the baby bath routine will remain the same! You just slightly alter the details based upon your baby’s age. And I’ll show you exactly how to do this too.

Why is a Bath Routine Important?

You may have heard it before but- babies thrive on routines. The more consistency and predictably a baby has in their day, the better.

Adding a bath routine to your day doesn’t HAVE to be make or break but it does add a bit of reinforcement to the structure of your evening before baby’s bedtime.

Establishing a simple and quick bath routine also helps your baby wind down and prepare for nighttime sleep.

Side Note: Differentiating between daytime and nighttime sleep is a huge part of your baby learning to sleep through the night. With daytime sleep, you wake up within 1-2 hours. However, with nighttime sleep, you stay asleep until feedings are needed or until baby is developmentally ready to sleep until morning.

Also, the routine doesn’t have to be long or strenuous 20 step plan. It can be as simple and to the point as you wish.

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Use Bath Time to Connect

Don’t forget, you can use your baby’s bath time as a way to further connect with your little one.

Bath time is private- intimate. Only you (and other caregivers you allow) are allowed to give your baby a bath because you are entrusted to clean and care for this sweet baby so they can continue to healthy grow and thrive.

Your baby’s hygiene is such a crucial part of maintaining your child’s health and your baby’s bath is a special time to connect with him/her! You can sing songs, play different bath games, and so much more.

If you can, try to unplug from your phone or from the other daily responsibility of your household and give your baby undivided attentions to further make those special bonds.

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Baby Bath Essentials

The simple “let’s throw the baby in the sink for a quick wash” days are longgg gone.

If you’ve walked into a Target or Buy Buy Baby recently you’d see there are hundreds of different baby products- just to give your baby a bath!

It’s quite insane.

The good news is, you don’t need the latest, trendiest, expensive baby bath product to give your baby a good ol’ bath.

All you need to do is first figure out where you’re going to bathe your baby and then you’ll know what baby bath essentials you need. (sink, tub, bottom of the shower, etc.)

Here’s a list of minimal things I use that are the bare necessities:

• For bathing your baby in the sink- Flower bath insert (I’ve used this one before and it’s so soft, fits multiple sinks, cleans & dries well, and is easy to store)

• For bathing your baby in a traditional tub- Infant to Toddler Convertible Baby Tub (I’ve used this one for both of my babies and I love it because it grows with your little one, is lightweight, and easy to clean)

• Thin washcloths- I use these washcloths because they are super gentle on your baby’s skin and don’t get that yucky “mildewy” smell.

After each bath, I clean the washcloths in the sink and let them air dry until the next day. Every 3 baths, I’ll throw them in the washer/dryer and rotate them. That way you don’t need to buy 25 washcloths.

Mom Tip: After each bath, I clean the washcloths in the sink and let them air dry until the next day. Every 3 baths, I’ll throw them in the washer/dryer and rotate them. That way you don’t need to buy 25 washcloths.

• Mild, natural soap- I personally use the Baby Dove Sensitive Wash and Aveeno Baby Oat Extract Hypoallergenic Soap. Every few weeks I switch between soaps.

• Bath toys (usually for babies older than 8 months)- I’m not a fan of the squirt toys for younger babies because of the mold that can sometimes grow within the toy. But some squirt toys open so you can properly clean them!

6 Step Easy Baby Bath Time Routine

1. Setting the water

The water temperature is one of the most important parts of preparing your baby’s bath. Too hot and your baby’s skin could minorly burn. Too cold and your baby could catch a chill.

But don’t let the water temperature stress you out too much! (As a new mom it took me like 10 minutes to find “the perfect” bath temperature and I was freaking out)

Use this as a simple rule of thumb- if you place your elbow in the bath water and it feel comfortable to touch, then it will be okay for your baby.

If it feels a tad hot after the initial touch, remove some water and replace it with cold water.

If it feels too cool, remove some water and replace it with hot water.

Then retest it.

After a couple of baths, you will also begin to notice what temperature your baby likes. Watch his/her cues to see if they are uncomfortable.

If your little one if splashing around and all smiles, then you’re good!

If you are still a bit anxious about the water temperature, you can purchase a baby bath water thermometer that you drop in the water and will tell you when the temperature is suitable for a baby.

2. Cleaning the cracks & crevices

Now that the temperature is good and the baby is acclimated to the bath, it’s time to scrub a dub dub!

You’ll want to take the washcloth and soak it then wring it out so it’s not excessively dripping. (Use your discretion whether you want to use a mild soap)

Next, clean your baby’s ears, neck, legs rolls and tushy.

You’ll basically want to wipe down all areas that have rolls. Sometimes dried milk can get caked and dried in the rolls under your baby’s neck. If left uncleaned, her neck can become red and irritated.

If your baby happens to be rolly under the neck (like my babies!), be sure to clean and dry their neck every evening.

You don’t have to “deep clean” your baby every night, but a quick wipe down will help keep your little one nice and fresh.

If your baby recently had a diaper mishap (aka – a poop blow out), be sure to wipe down their private parts gently but well to remove any residue.

Mom Tip: Use this time to also inspect your little one and make a note of any other things you have to take care of for their proper hygiene such as trimming their nails, applying special lotion for dry skin, cleaning their ears, etc

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3. Cleaning hair

Now we’re on to the hair…

Take the wash cloth and gently scrub your baby’s hair in circle. This will also help if your baby is experiencing cradle cap. Use your discretion whether to use soap or not based on how many baths your baby was given that week so far.

Some parents use a baby visor to keep the water out of the baby’s eyes when cleaning their hair.

But I simply tilt my baby’s head back a tiny bit and put one hand on her forehead (like a dam) to keep the water from dripping down her face.

Mom Tip: At any point, if your baby starts crying or pretesting the bath, you can stick a toy or something fun to the shower wall so when your baby looks up, they are entertained.

Works every time!

4. Adding fun to the baby bath routine

Now that the cleaning portion of the bath is over, it’s time for the fun!

Sing bath songs, show your baby some colorful toys- if your baby is old enough, you can use this time as an educational opportunity. Count toes, name body parts, play peek a boo.

You can begin to make bath time fun as early as 3 months!

5. Getting dried

Take the towel and place it face up on your chest. Pick baby up from the bath and place baby’s back on your chest, then wrap your baby in the towel.

Bring your baby to a safe, flat surface (such as a changing table or a bed) and dry baby off.

Remember to never leave your baby unattended on any surface!

Dry off your baby’s hair, legs, arms, and be sure to get all the cracks and crevice’s. Let your baby dry off a but and get some air before putting on their diaper and clothes

You can use this time to use a soft, natural, mild lotion or oil and gently massage your baby.

This is a great way to help your baby wind down and prepare for bedtime.

A word about sensitivities: at any point if you notice your baby’s skin becoming irritated, red, slightly inflamed, or bumpy, immediately stop any use of soaps or lotions and contact your pediatrician.

Sometimes one ingredient can be the culprit to your baby’s discomfort. But your pediatrician will be able to better advise you.

6. Getting dressed

It’s pajama time! For nighttime, dress your baby in comfortable, breathable clothing. If you are still swaddling, a simple onesie under the swaddle is fine. If your baby sleeps with their arms and legs out, a footie or 2-piece pj set is great.

Be sure your baby is staying cool and comfortable throughout the night.

Extra- 7. Preparing for bed

Your baby is now bathed, dried, dressed and ready for your bedtime routine.

This is a great time to offer a feeding before bed, sit & cuddle, read a book, etc.

Complete your bedtime routine and your little one is now ready for sleep!

Download the Baby Bath Routine Cheatsheet!

Want to keep this routine to refer back to later? I got you!

Get the instant download of this step-by-step routine (+ awesome baby bath tips & tricks) sent straight to your email! A 5-page printable download you can save to your phone or you can print 🙂

Recap:

By using these 6 simple steps you can create your own baby bath routine that promotes baby and parent bonding while also getting your baby nice and clean.

Keeping up with your child’s hygiene is an important part of their healthy growth. But as you’ve seen, it doesn’t have to be stressful!

Now when your baby looks up at you with those big Disney doe-eyes, know that you are the best parent for this baby and you are doing an amazing job.

You got this mama!

Check out these other posts with baby tips & tricks!

Please know that I am not a doctor or physician and I am not medically trained. All tips and advice given is based on my own experience and given to me by my own pediatrician. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your doctor. This post is solely to offer encouragement from my experience and not designed to offer medical advice or treatment.

Inside: Learn how to create a flexible, easy 3 month baby schedule that will encourage healthy growth and development by following your baby’s cues.

You’ve officially hit the 3 month milestone- congratulations!

Your little one is leaving the “squishy, wrinkly newborn” phase and quickly entering the “chubby cheek, I want to smile all the time” baby phase—my favorite one 🙂

The 3 month milestone is a big one, as your baby is beginning to learn different routines and becoming acquainted with the stead patterns of feedings and naps.

Your little “I want to sleep all day newborn” is learning the world more and more each day and going through developmental spurts- which means their habits will start to shift.

Some 3 month old changes include:

• Longer wake times
• Increased feedings
• Different nap lengths
• Playtime alertness
• Routine awareness

But don’t let these changes overwhelm you!

By following your baby’s cues I’ll teach you how to create a flexible 3 month baby schedule that will healthily encourage your baby’s growth & development AND that will help you feel confident caring for your little one.

FREE Instant Download: Easy 3-4 Month Baby Schedule Guide

No time to read this now? That’s okay!

Instantly download the FREE 3 Month Baby Schedule Guide to get these sample schedules and golden nuggets of baby schedule tips sent straight to your inbox!

How to Create an Easy 3 Month Baby Schedule

As a new mom, I was super intimidated by the term “baby schedule”.

Did that mean if my baby ate 20 minute after her “schedule time” it would ruin the day?

Did I have to follow a schedule down to the very minute?

The thought of a schedule seemed super stressful and I wanted a more laid back, go with the flow approach to parenting… (while still keeping some sort of structure).

Here’s the good news- you can create your own baby schedule that is flexible and that works for YOU and your baby.

Some families have other siblings that need to be dropped off at school at 7am, so a 8am baby wake time won’t work for them. Some parents need to work at night so a 9pm baby bedtime won’t work.

By creating a schedule that is flexible to your family’s needs but that is also meeting your baby where he/she is developmentally will help you care for your little one in the best and easiest easy possible.

Here are the 3 components of a baby schedule you absolutely need:

• Feedings
• Sleep
• Wake time

3 Steps to Create Your Own Baby Schedule

1. Track your baby’s daily actions and mood for 3 days.

Set aside 3 days to track your baby’s actions. When does he eat? When does she start getting tired? How long does he sleep? How long does she play?

By tracking these actions for 3 days you’ll be able to see an overall routine that your baby is doing.

2. Use that pattern to create a schedule

Babies naturally fall into a routine (just like adults!). We eat, sleep, and live our daily life within the same structure from day to day.

By seeing their sleep, wake, and eat patterns, you can create a schedule that will help them limit their fussy times.

By using this method, you’re not forcing your child on a schedule that doesn’t work for them. You’re leaning into the turn of their natural body clock.

Use this FREE Baby Daily Tracker to help you complete these steps stress-free. Track your child’s naps, feedings, moods, and activities all in one place. Then you can easily start to see their routine so you can know without a doubt their golden wake window 🙂

Get the FREE Tracker in the 3 Month Baby Schedule Guide now!

Sample Easy 3 Month Baby Schedule: Overall Daily Schedule

Example 1
7:00am Wake & Feeding
7:00am – 8:30 Wake Time
8:30 – 10:00am Nap #1
10:00am Feeding
10:00am-12:30pm Wake Time
12:30pm-1:30pm Nap #2
1:00pm Feeding
1:00-3:00 Wake Time
12:30pm-1:30pm Nap #2
3:00-4:00pm Nap #3
4:00-5:45 Wake Time
4:00pm Feeding
5:00-5:45 Nap #4
6:30 Bath
7:00pm Feeding
7:30 Bedtime

Example 2
6:15am Wake & Feeding
6:15am – 7:20 Wake Time
7:20 – 9:20am Nap #1
9:30am Feeding
9:20am-10:45am Wake Time
10:45pm-11:45pm Nap #2
12:00pm Feeding
11:45-1:45pm Wake Time
1:45-2:20pm Nap #3
2:20-4:00 Wake Time
2:30pm Feeding
4:00-5:00 Nap #4
5:00-6:30pm Wake Time
5:00 Feeding
6:00 Bath
6:30pm Feeding
7:00 Bedtime

(Notice how each schedule is flexible – feeding times relatively stay around 2.5 to 3 hours but some naps are shorter than others and the rest of the day is slightly altered. This is OKAY!)

Based on the time your baby wakes up, use my personal sample schedules (the ones above!) as an outline for the day.

You can create your own easy 3 month baby schedule by using these sample schedule as a framework and plugging in your own times for feedings and naps.

Download the FREE Easy 3-4 Month Baby Schedule Guide to:

• instantly download these sample schedules
• AND receive a blank schedule template for you to create your own baby schedule

How to understand a 3 month baby schedule

Beginning at the 3-4 month mark, your baby will begin to understand patterns and habits- in a nutshell, they’ll begin to anticipate routines.

Routines help let your baby know what’s next AND helps you understand what your baby needs next.

When you follow your baby’s cues you’ll begin to see when he/she is tired, hungry, playful, etc. Then you use these cues to establish an overall routine.

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Here are the 4 main factors to understand in your 3 month old baby schedule:

1. Longer Wake Times

Wake time consists of a feeding and activity time. Keeping your baby stimulated during this time can help ensure they have a restful sleep the next time they nap.

As your baby grows, her/his wake time will start to get longer. As each wake time gets longer, naps will eventually be dropped because your baby is staying awake for a longer period between each nap.

During the 3-4 month phase, your baby will be in between the 3-4 naps, where the 4^th nap gets dropped around 5-6 months.

2. Increased Feedings

Around this time is where babies usually begin to increase the amount they are eating each feeding. Accomplishing a full feeding is not only important for your baby’s growth but can also help your baby achieve better sleep.

Read this article here all about how to accomplish full feeding and create an easy full feeding schedule that follows your baby’s hunger cues!

3. Different Nap Lengths

It’s important to offer your baby a nap 60-90 minutes from the last time they woke from their prior nap.

Between 3-4 months, some babies can even begin to reach 90-120 minute wake windows.

That’s why it’s important to know your baby’s sleep cues. By catching your baby before they reach the “full-on baby down” tired stage, you can prevent your little one from getting overtired and disoriented, which hinders naps.

Some tired baby cues are:

• Staring off into space
• Rubbing eyes
• Yawning
• Red eyebrows

4. Playtime Alertness

At this stage, your baby is becoming more aware of his surroundings. Your baby isn’t too small to play!

Use wake time to play:

• In front of the mirror
• With finger puppets
• Splash toes in water

If you’re struggling with what to do when your baby is awake, check out my Tiny One’s Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit.

It’s filled with activity guides for babies 3 months to 3 years old- so this guide can GROW with your little one!

I created it to help parents plan easy, cheap, educational activities that promote developmental growth and independent play as well as parent bonding.

Learn more about the Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit HERE!

FAQ’s

What is a sample 3 Month Old Bottle Schedule?

At this age, your baby should be eating every 2.5 to 3 hours.

If you are struggling with feedings, be sure to talk to your child’s pediatrician about any concerns that you have (such as the baby not going longer than 2 hours between feedings)

Sometimes feedings can take longer than others so don’t worry too much about how long it takes for your baby to eat at this age. Your baby is still learning!

My first child drank her bottle within 30 minutes. My second took about an hour nursing every feeding.

Just be sure to watch your child’s wake window and offer a nap every 60-90 minutes to prevent your baby from getting overtired and cranky.

(The key is to make sure your baby is accomplishing full feedings. Read all about how to make sure your baby is feeding to get full here!)

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Here is a sample 3 month old feeding schedule:

7:00am- 4-5 oz

10:00am- 4 oz

12:30pm-4-5 oz

3:00pm- 4 oz

6:00pm- 4 oz

8:30- 5 oz

(dream feed if needed at 10:00)

*Then you feed your baby as needed if they wake for night feedings

(Notice how some feedings were 3 hours between and some were 2.5 hours between. Count the next 3 hour window from when your child begins eating the last feeding)

At this age my children were beginning to go from 9:00pm to 5:00am without a feeding but every child is different so be sure to meet your baby where he/she is!

Should I Follow “Eat, Wake, Sleep”?

In my personal experience of parenthood, my children never truly followed an eat, wake, sleep schedule.

As long as you are following your own daily routine of feedings, naps and wake time your child should be falling into their own groove of a natural “eat, wake, sleep” cycle.

Let me explain…

Let’s say you fed your child at 10:00am and then put him down for a nap at 11:00am. He slept for 50 minutes. Now it’s 11:50am and you know your baby won’t start to show hunger cues until about 12:45ish. You have a whole hour of wake time with your baby BEFORE they are eating. Which mean that when they eat, they’re wake window will be ending and they will go to sleep right after eating.

In this scenario, you followed a “sleep, *wake*, eat” cycle.

For the rest of the day your schedule might look like a “eat, sleep, wake” cycle.

And that’s okay!

As your baby continues to grow there won’t be a strict schedule that you need to follow. So don’t worry yourself too much about following schedules like this just yet.

For a 3 month old, as long as you are following an overall healthy routine of feedings every 3 hours and naps every 60-90 minutes, your child will fall into a schedule naturally.

Don’t Forget- Download the FREE 3-4 Month Baby Schedule Guide!

Get instant access to the FREE Easy 3-4 Month Baby Schedule Guide.

Instantly download this 6 page guide that includes:

• these sample 3 month schedules
• a baby tracker to help you track your baby’s activtyes and cues
• a schedule template to help you create your own flexible baby schdudle

Get the FREE GUIDE HERE!

Recap:

As you enter the 3-4 month stage of your little one’s sweet life, don’t fret about all of the changes going on.

By using these simple foundations in your baby’s schedule, you will be more prepared for all of the developmental milestones your baby is reaching.

Remember, by following your baby’s cues you can create a flexible 3 month baby schedule that will healthily encourage your baby’s growth & development AND that will help you feel confident caring for your little one.

Be sure to take one day at a time and know that you’re doing a great job!

…Excuse me while I run and hide away from the 4 month sleep regression….

You got this mama!

Check Out These Other Posts About Baby Schedules!

Inside: Learn the 4 simple steps you can take to create an easy baby schedule that is flexible and encourages developmental growth!

Let’s talk about the dreaded S word

— Schedules.

Specifically, baby schedules.

A baby schedule doesn’t have to be a harsh, rigid schedule dictated by the ticking hands of the clock.

It can be as simple and as flexible as you like while meeting your baby right where they are developmentally.

Here are the 4 key principles for every baby schedule foundation we’ll be diving into:

1. Wake windows
2. Full feedings
3. Restful sleep
4. Stimulating activities

By using these 4 key pillars you’ll be able to create your own easy, flexible baby schedule that fits YOUR family!

From sleep training to baby-led weaning to toddler discipline, there IS a way to confidently communicate with your child and have your child communicate with you in a way that is positive, encouraging, and simple.

It all begins with a baby schedule!

Not a restricting schedule- but a flexible, positive routine that helps your baby reach new milestones and thrive.

To create your own flexible baby schedule, you’ll want to make sure you follow these 4 key principles throughout the day.

Get this FREE 15 page Mommy & Me Planner/Baby Tracker to help you create an easy baby schedule, stay organized AND save your sanity! (Plus receive weekly emails with more baby & mom life freebies!)

Why is a baby schedule important?

Having a schedule for your baby comforts them by giving them something they can expect daily- this in turn will benefit both you and your baby greatly!

When a baby is fed, bathed, plays, and sleeps around the same time every day it gives them a pattern. This pattern will then help you teach them fundamentals- such as eating, sitting up, self-soothing, etc.

When your baby knows what’s going to happen next it becomes a part of them and then begins to flow naturally as they grow.

In short, babies thrive on schedules.

You can read all about the 7 key benefits of having a baby schedule here!

How to create a baby schedule?

If you’re having trouble knowing what your child’s existing schedule is, then follow these simple steps to help you!

1. Track your baby’s daily actions and mood for 3 days.

Set aside 3 days to track your baby’s actions. When does he eat? When does she start getting tired? How long does he sleep? How long does she play?

By tracking these actions for 3 days you’ll be able to see an overall routine that your baby is doing.

2. Use that pattern to create a schedule

Babies naturally fall into a routine (just like adults!). We eat, sleep, and live our daily life within the same structure from day to day.

By seeing their sleep, wake, and eat patterns, you can create a schedule that will help them limit their fussy times.

By using this method, you’re not forcing your child on a schedule that doesn’t work for them. You’re leaning into the turn of their natural body clock.

Use the FREE Baby Daily Tracker to help you complete these steps stress-free. Track your child’s naps, feedings, moods, and activities all in one place. Then you can easily start to see their routine so you can know without a doubt their golden wake window 😊

Get the FREE Tracker by clicking the button below!

You simply want to reiterate a “structure” to your baby’s day that will help your little one understand what is going to happen next- this brings your baby great comfort when they have a stable routine for their day.

Learning your baby’s cues

By creating a flexible schedule you’ll also begin to understand your baby’s cues better.

Have you ever asked yourself is my crying because something is bothering her or is it hunger?

When you have an overall routine for your day you’ll start to know your baby’s cues and this will help you understand your baby better.

Your baby’s cues are the way they communicate with you!

When you are able to understand the cues, you are communicating with your little one 🙂

4 Keys to Create an Easy Baby Schedule

Baby schedules do not have to be rocket science. You simply follow your baby’s cues for the 3 main behaviors of the day- sleep, feedings, and activities. These 3 behaviors are going to be the premise of your baby’s whole day.

 Here are the 4 easiest steps you can take to create your own flexible routine:

1. Watch your baby’s wake windows

(This applies to any child that is still taking naps– from 3 weeks old to 3 years old).

Your baby has a certain amount of time they should be awake before going back to sleep. These times will change as your baby grows. You want to ensure your child is staying awake long enough to fill their “tired cup” but not reach a point where they are overtired.

Creating a schedule that is within the healthy boundaries of your baby’s wake windows will build the overall frame for your day.

What is a wake window?

A wake window or wake time is the amount of time your child is up from their last sleep to the time they go back to sleep.

This wake time is used to help you understand the maximum amount of time your child can be up without being overtired and fussy—and ultimate missing the time they were supposed to nap.

Wake Hours per Month

Here’s an example of Baby L’s wake time windows as she’s grown:

Birth-3 months: 1- 1.5 hours awake

4-6 months: 1.5-2 hours awake

7-9 months: 2-2.5 hours awake

10-14 months: 3-4 hours awake

15-24 months: 4.5-5 hours awake

24-36 months: so far, it’s remained at 5 hours of wake time

Feel free to use this as a guide for your baby’s wake times!

2. Accomplish Full Feedings

Ever asked yourself “is my baby done eating?” and then 30 minutes later you have a full-blown baby meltdown only to realize that your child was still hungry?

This has happened to me countless times!

In order for your baby to thrive, they need to complete full feedings.

This will not only help them grow but also help them accomplish better sleep and stimulated awake time.

It’s important to know that the goal of every feeding is to have a full feeding- this will allow your baby to stay fuller longer and create a feeding pattern for them that works.

When your child is hungry or has trouble with feedings, it can throw off the whole day because they’re not experiencing healthy feedings. When your child has a full feeding, they are content, satisfied and will last until their next feeding.

Full feedings are an important building block in your overall baby schedule.

(If you are struggling with feedings and are noticing that the rest of your day is also being affected, talk to your doctor.)

Full belly = Happy baby

If you want to learn how to accomplish full feedings, read this post to learn the signs of incomplete feedings, how to reach full feedings, and how to create a healthy full feeding schedule!

3. Encourage Restful Sleep

The next step to create an easy baby schedule is to focus on restful sleep- usually made up of a couple of naps and a long nighttime stretch of sleep.

(Depending on how old your little one is will determine how many times they nap and for how long.)

For example, a 4-month-old will nap 3-4 times a day for 45 minutes- 2 hours and have a long nighttime stretch between 8-11 hours. But a 2-year-old will probably nap once for 2-3 hours and have a long nighttime stretch for 10-12 hours.

Both of these different scenarios meet the recommended amount of sleep a child needs within a day.

You’ll want to create a sleep environment conducive to a good sleep, including:

• a swaddle or sleep sack (if applicable),
• a dark room,
• sound machine
• keeping the room a cool temperature.

Learn all about the importance of a nap routine and how it can promote better, restful sleep for your baby by reading this article here!

4. Fill wake time with activities

Now that your little one is eating well, sleeping, and is up for an appropriate amount of time, it’s time to fill that wake time with stimulating activities that encourage developmental growth!

From tummy time to sensory bins, you can add fun activities that are age-appropriate for your little one to keep them busy, stimulated, and reaching new milestones.

You don’t have to go crazy creating hard-to-set up and expensive activities. Simple things like mirror play and finger puppets can go a long way.

If you’re struggling with how to keep your little ones entertained while they are awake, check out my Tiny One’s Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit.

This toolkit is filled with 30+ easy, affordable activities for all age ranges that will help you take the overwhelm OUT of planning fun, educational and affordable activities for your child while encouraging independent play and parent bonding!

The Tiny One’s Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit is a flexible step-by-step activity system where you can easily plan your own weekly activities by plugging them into YOUR daily routine based on the provided activity worksheets and templates!

Learn more about this sanity saving activity toolkit here!

Don’t forget to download the Mommy & Me Mini Planner!

Sometimes words are useless if you don’t have the tools you need to back them up!

To help you easily create your own flexible baby I created this FREE mommy & me mini planner/tracker to help you track your baby’s daily actions and create a thriving routine for your little one!

It includes different baby tracker sheets to track naps, feedings, and diapers as well as planning templates for YOU to help you get more done in less time while taking care of your little!

The Wrap Up

These 4 keys will help you create an easy baby schedule that is rockin’, flexible, effortless, and works best for your family.

Remember to always:

1. Watch wake windows
2. Try to accomplish full feedings
3. Create a restful sleep environment
4. Fill wake time with stimulating (& easy!) activities

Your baby schedule can be as simple and as flexible as you like while meeting your baby right where he/she is developmentally.

You got this, mama!

Check out these other posts all about easy baby routines!

How to Easily Start a Baby Nap Schedule to Make Naps Better!

What My Baby Schedule Looks Like

Ultimate Step by Step Guide to Help Your Baby Nap

Inside: Find out 7 easy and effective bottle feeding tips to prevent and gas so you can have a happy baby!

It was 2 o’clock in the morning and my sweet little 5 week old baby girl was crying for an hour straight. Not normal “baby crying”. I’m talking back-arching, red-faced, legs scrunched, screaming-crying.

And I was crying with her.

I was at a loss for words and had no idea what to do.

Was it colic? Did her stomach hurt? Is this a sign that something is seriously wrong and I just don’t know it??

Then, as if heaven opened up, she let out an earth-shaking burp and toot -what we call passing gas in our house 🙂

Low and behold, she had a really, really, bad case of trapped gas!

From that night forward, I vowed to do everything I can to prevent it from happening again.

If your baby is experiencing gas pains, I’m going to share all of my best tips and tricks to help you prevent and eliminate any gas troubles!

I used these same exact tips with my first baby to help reduce gas and with my second baby to help prevent gas troubles from ever arising.

And it’s worked!

Here are 7 easy baby bottle feeding tips to reduce gas and prevent discomfort in your baby’s tummy.

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Please know that I am not a doctor or physician and I am not medically trained. All tips and advice given is based on my own experience and given to me by my own pediatrician. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your doctor. This post is solely to offer encouragement from my experience and not designed to offer medical advice or treatment. Please view Mastering Mom Life’s Terms, Disclosure & Disclaimer Policy and Privacy Policy.

What are the signs my baby has gas?

When your baby is experiencing gas, it can look like:

• Excessive crying
• Red face
• Arched back while crying
• Scrunched legs

In my personal experience, my daughter’s colic had a lot to do with her gas issues (and feeding issues that I’ll show you how to prevent).

How to identify baby gas issues?

Sometimes gas pains can mirror signs of colic. That’s why it’s so important to track your baby’s feedings, poops, and overall behavior every day.

To identify the difference between normal gas and gas issues, you’ll want to write down when your baby eats, how much, and their mood afterwards.

If you are breastfeeding, also keep a food diary of what you are eating and when because your diet directly affects what your baby is eating.

If you start to see a pattern of:

• fussiness after eating,
• baby stops fussing after burping or passing gas,
• is irritable for more than an hour everyday,
• showing discomfort when cries (red face, pulling up legs, arching back)
• not sleeping or eating well

These are just some common signs that your baby is experiencing gas troubles. If you notice a consistent pattern of these signs, it’s time to visit the pediatrician and possibly discuss other feeding options such as a mom diet change for breastfed babies or a formula change.

Download the FREE Mommy & Me Planner + Tracker!

Use this free planner to help you track your baby’s feedings, moods, diaper changes, naps & more!

It also helps you plan your to-do list and everyday mom life tasks in the same place so you don’t have to use 3 different planners and lists to get the job done!

Why do babies get gas?

Babies are naturally gassy! A baby’s digestive system is still developing and is maturing as they grow.

Just like adults, when we eat and our belly grumbles, a baby’s stomach does the same thing but they are too little to vocalize it and their systems are immature.

That’s why we burp babies, because they can’t burp themselves yet.

Babies also tend to swallow air when eating and this creates little bubbles of gas in their tummies.

7 Easy Baby Bottle Feeding Tips to Prevent Gas

Here is the list of exact step by step tips I used to help prevent and reduce gas in my babies.

I started using these tips when my first born was 4 weeks and used them immediately after birth when my second was born.

1. Angle Your Baby When Feeding

The first bottle feeding tip to reduce gas in babies to position your baby at least 45 degrees on your lap when feeding.

Don’t lay your baby down to eat.

A good tip to keep an eye out for is to make sure their head should be elevated higher than their stomach.

Your baby doesn’t have to be sitting straight up, 90 degrees, but you just want to keep their head and elevated so they can digest properly.

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2. Fill Bottle Nipple

One of the main culprits that causes gas is when your baby swallows air.

To prevent this from happening, fill the bottle nipple completely with milk so your baby is only swallowing the milk and not extra air.

The key to this tip is to use the slowest nipple your baby can tolerate without getting frustrated (and taking 10 years to eat haha).

You want to use a slow flow nipple so your baby isn’t just swallowing large amounts of milk, which can another cause of gas and can leave lead to increase spit ups.

If you are using the pace bottle feeding method, be sure to use an anti-colic bottle (see tip below!) and a slow flow nipple.

3. Use Anti-Gas Bottles to Prevent Gas

 This bottle feeding tip to prevent gas is kind of obvious, but can really be a difference between a fussy baby and a calm, comfortable baby.

When I was a new mom making my baby registry, I had no idea why there were 100 different bottles.

After my baby was born and we started to experience baby gas troubles, I totally understood.

Different bottles have different functions.

There are:

• Standard, regular, “I can buy these at the dollar store” bottles.
• Breastfeeding bottles that mimic a breast
• Anti-colic bottles
• Anti-gas bottles
• Wide nipple bottles
• Narrow nipple bottles
• & so on!

The bottles you want to focus on are anti-colic/anti-gas bottles. They have a ton of different options out there too that will best fit your baby’s needs.

To cut to the chase, these bottles are designed to eliminate extra air so your baby isn’t swallowing large amount of air when they suck.

Most of anti-gas bottles have a vent of some sort to dispel that air from the bottle.

I’ve personally used the Tommy Tippee anti-colic Closer to Nature bottles and Dr. Browns bottles.

Each of these bottles come in a wide nipple or standard nipple depending if your little one is breastfeeding or not (the wide nipple mirrors the natural breast-like feeling)

In my experience, the Dr. Browns bottles work better for my babies because I’ve noticed they have considerably less gas when we used them and they are easier to hold.

The downside to these bottles is the extra parts. More parts mean more dishes/cleaning but in my opinion, it’s worth it if my baby is going to be less gassy and happier 🙂

Want to make sure your baby has a full feeding so they sleep better? Check out this post to help you reach full feedings!

4. Burp after every ounce to Prevent Gas

A baby’s system isn’t mature enough yet to “burp by itself”. You know when you drink soda really fast and you feel a bubbly sensation and then burp? No one had to pat your back to burp you. Your body did it on it’s own.

A baby’s digestive system can’t perform that function yet.

So instead of just releasing the gas through a burp like an adult, your baby just feels that uncomfortable, bubbly sensation….and therefore cries.

To prevent the gas from building up in your little one’s belly, you want to frequently burp your baby during her feedings.

Not every 2 minutes where he gets frustrated and is screaming from hunger. But after every ounce or 2, simply burp your baby.

How to burp your baby:

• place your baby in a burping position
• cup your hand slightly
• gently pat their back for a couple of seconds (30-60 seconds)

Doing this after every ounce or so can help prevent and reduce your baby’s gas.

Common burping positions:

• Place baby upright with their belly flat against your shoulder and pat their back
• Sit baby straight up on your lap and gently lean them a bit forward while holding their chest and pat their back
• Lay baby flat on their belly on your forearm while your hand is gripping/securing their chest and pat baby’s back (football hold)

Remember to always have a burp cloth ready for the occasional spit up!

5. Bicycle Legs

This baby gas tip is for after feedings or can be done with your baby is actuall crying with gas.

Simply lay baby on their back on a secure, flat surface. Start to move their legs up toward their chest and then back down again. Mimicing a bicycle!

This helps release gas and comforts them when they are experiencing gas.

6. Keep baby elevated every 10 minutes for 1-2 minutes

Another great tip to prevent and reduce baby gas is to keep your baby elevated for a couple of minutes after every 10 minutes during a feeding.

This also is a good hack for babies who struggle with reflux!

I incorporate this tip during every feeding by combining it with my daughter’s burp time.

Every other time I burp her, I will keep her upright and elevated for a couple of minutes after she burps just to really secure her from getting any gas.

7. Optional: Use a Probiotic

15 minutes after I delivered my daughter, she was sent to the NICU and received 2 doses of antibiotics every 12 hours for 3 days. At the time, I had no idea the possible effect antibiotics can have on a 1 hour old baby!

After my daughter started showing signs of colic (and extreme gas), my husband and I went on the hunt to do anything we can to help her. I changed my breastfeeding diet, started to supplement, switched formula 4 times, and eventually arrived at our solution…

My daughter needed probiotics.

Her system was so immature to handle the antibiotics and it affected her digestive system.

We stumbled upon the Gerber Soothe formula that had a special probiotic already mixed in. within 2 weeks, my daughter was a different baby. She slept better, ate better, and was overall so much happier!

Gerber also makes the probiotic in drop form that you can add to any milk or drop into your baby’s mouth.

If your baby is struggling with gas or colic, talk to your pediatrician about the possibility of a probiotic. It might be your saving grace like it was for us!

Download the FREE Mommy & Me Mini Planner + Tracker!

Well there you have it! I hope these 7 easy bottle feeding tips to prevent gas helps your little one feel better, happier, and more comfortable.

And I hope it give you the confidence to know that you are doing a great job!

Read these awesome articles to help you with baby feedings!

• How and When to Feed Your Baby to Easily Accomplish Full Feedings

Inside: Find out the ultimate easy newborn baby tips and tricks to help you not just survive but thrive the first month home with your baby!

Honesty time– life with a newborn can you leave you whiplashed missing your old life.

Why? Because the newborn phase is HARD.

The nights are long, the feedings are endless, the sleep deprivation is R.E.A.L.

But there’s nothing greater than snuggling up with your newborn and feeling her small chest breathe in and out on yours.

It makes it all worth it.

But how can you make those first weeks with your newborn not only survivable but easy??

I’ll share with you the 14 best easy newborn baby tips and tricks to help you survive and thrive the first month at home with your baby so you feel confident and in control- NOT panicked and overwhelmed!

With these tips, you’ll streamline right through “the difficult newborn stage” so you can just enjoy the cuddles.

Let’s get down to it!

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14 Easy Newborn Baby Tips & Tricks to Master the First Month With Your Baby

These tips truly saved my sanity the first month at home with each of my girls. I’ve learned A LOT from trial and error (and huge diaper explosions!) so be sure to follow these tips to avoid my downfalls 🙂

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Organizational Easy Newborn Tips

1. Make a Diaper Caddy/Basket

There’s nothing worse than your baby’s bare bottom being out and your digging your hand under the changing table trying to find a diaper only to pull out a pair of pants.

#nothelpful

Having a dedicated diaper basket truly streamlined our diaper changing routine.

Inside of our diaper caddy is:

• Diapers
• Diaper cream (this one is the BEST and my daughters never experienced a rash)
• Wipes
• Scented diaper sacks for dirty diapers
• Nail clippers
• Nose frida
• Burp cloths
• Extra change of clothes
• Pacifier

(We sometimes take this caddie from room to room in the house so having these extra items helps me not have to run around like a chicken with no head in the middle of a poop explosion emergency)

2. Organize Clothes Near Changing Table

One of the best easy newborn tips to have your baby’s clothes organized in an easily accessible way. This means if you have to blindly reach in the drawer or cabinet in the middle of the night for something, you know exactly where it is.

Organize your baby’s clothes by category and then by size.

I have a pile of:

• short sleeve onesies
• long sleeve onesies
• footies
• pants

Then I have a bakset for each of the following:

• bibs/burp cloths
• swaddles
• extra sheets
• socks/hats

3. Nursing Basket and Pumping Station/Caddy

If you’re nursing or pumping (or both!) it’s important to stay organized too. Not only for your own sanity but to help make feedings go as smooth as possible.

You can set up a basket that you take around the house with you so whenever you nurse/pump you always have everything you need at your fingertips.

Inside my nursing basket:

• Burp cloths
• Nipple cream
• Water bottle
• Travel pillow
• In my Pumping Basket:
• Nipple cream
• Pump parts
• Breast pads
• Wipes
• Pumping bra

4. Cut tags on New clothes

No one likes a tag scratching down on the back of your neck! Same for babies, we want to make them as comfortable as possible. Little things like itchy tags and uncomfortable clothing can really irritate a baby and make them super fussy.

When you receive a new item of baby clothing, wash it, cut the price tags, and then cut the inside tags on the seams.

Be sure to remove all of the little plastic things where the price tags were too!

5. Keep your Diaper bag ready

The next newborn tip is to have a plan of action for your diaper bag. I personally always have my diaper bag packed and ready so when it’s time to leave I’m not wasting precious time trying to stuff 10 diapers in there.

When we come home from an outing, I’ll clean out the bag and get it ready for the next time we’ll need to use it.

That way, it’s always ready and it’s one less thing you have to worry about when trying to run out of the house.

Of course, there are always a couple of things you need to add to it before you leave, like water or milk, but that’ll be easy to remember because everything else is already packed!

Read this post to learn all about how to pack the perfect lightweight diaper bag so you never forget anything but you’re also not carrying around the kitchen sink!

6. Place a Pacifier in every room

If you’re baby takes a pacifier, this newborn tip will save your sanity.

All you have to do is put a pacifier in every room of the house where you know you will be with your baby at some point in the day.

My baby uses the Soothie pacifier (which are super inexpensive!)

So in the living room, we have a green pacifier, in my bedroom is a purple one, and in her room is a pink one.

We leave each pacifier in the room they belong instead of taking it with us to the next room in the house when we walk around with her.

Also make sure to have one in your car seat and diaper bag!

We use the pacifier clips and clip one in the car seat and one in the pocket of her diaper bag.

I also make sure to have a burp cloth in every room of the house as well. Sometimes I even walk around the house with the burp cloth/receiving blanket on my shoulder for quick & easy spit up clean up.

I use these burp cloths and they are absolutely a lifesaver! They are just big enough to drape over my shoulder but small enough not to feel like you’re holding a blanket around.

7. Track your baby’s day

I love this newborn tip because it’s super simple but crazy effective.

All you have to do is track your little one’s activities throughout the day. Write down their naps, feedings and awake times.

This will help you not only track your baby’s growth but it will also help you see their overall routine, which can help you anticipate their needs!

Baby’s automatically fall into a routine- when they eat, sleep, and are awake.

Tracking your baby’s day will help you see this pattern and by following your baby’s natural routine, you can get to know their cues.

That means when your baby cries, you’ll immediately know if it’s hunger, overtiredness, general fussiness, or even a diaper change.

Tracking your baby’s day helps you get to know your baby better!

I created a FREE Baby Schedule Collection to help you easily track your baby’s day without headache. You can instantly download the Baby Schedule Collection which includes a Baby Tracker, Daily Schedule, and Weekly Feeding Tracker.

Download it below!

8. Clean bottles after use

I know this newborn baby tip can seem a little overwhelming but hear me out…

If you clean your baby’s bottle after every use then when it’s time for your little one to eat, you’ll never have to worry about your kitchen sink overflowing with dirty bottles and stuck washing them while your baby is screaming for more milk.

(Trust me, I speak out of very unfortunate experiences here…)

So just do future self a favor and clean the bottle after each use (if you can!). You’ll thank yourself later.

Easy Newborn Baby Tips for Better Sleep

9. Utilize the Swaddle

The swaddle was my gift from heaven-seriously. My first daughter loved the swaddle. My second fought it a bit but really fell in love with it after a few days.

I swaddled my baby for every nap where she slept in her crib and after every nighttime feeding for bedtime sleep.

It’s best to use an actual swaddle with Velcro or a zipper and not just the swaddle blankets because your baby’s hand can easily escape those.

I love the Swaddle Me swaddles. They are affordable, the velcro lasts for a long time, and they are comfortable for little ones

10. Use a Sound machine

Ever wondered what you can do to help your baby sleep better?

2 words- sound machine.

Having a sound machine was literally one of the best things I did to improve my baby’s sleep. And not just nighttime sleep- naps too!

All you have to do is put on a sound machine in the room your baby is sleeping and this will help your little one fall asleep.

Did you know it sounds like a mini vacuum cleaner inside of the womb?

Your baby is used to a melodic sound like this and it lulls them right to sleep!

I have used 2 different sound machines:

• a simple one that had 8 different sounds,
• and the Hatch that is a sound machine & night light combo (put this one on my Amazon registry after researching it and after receiving it, I love it!)

Both have worked effectively so go according to your budget!

Easy Newborn Baby Tips for Baby’s Comfort

11. Pull onesie down instead of over head

Every wonder what those little flaps on the top of your baby’s onesie if for? It’s so you can pull it down their body!

This is especially helpful when you have a diaper blow out and can’t lift the onesie over your baby’s head.

12. Put baby’s Towel in the dryer

Giving your baby a bath can be very nerve-wracking, for you and for baby! Your baby doesn’t quite understand the concept of a bath yet so it’s best to make sure they feel as comfortable as possible!

This newborn tip is easy- simply throw your baby’s towel in the dryer while your baby is in the bath so when you’re done, the towel is nice and warm for your baby’s cold skin.

13. Flip out the Diaper ruffles

There’s nothing worse than hearing your little one go “number 2” and then watch as the poopy climbs up their back and down their leg. Talk about throwing their clothes into an incinerator.

If you want to avoid stinky diaper blow out, this newborn tip is awesome!

After ever diaper change, make sure to flip out the little ruffles that are around their leg.

This will help keep whatever’s in their diaper actually IN their diaper.

14. Use Diaper Cream in baby’s rolls to prevent chaffing

Baby’s are soooo cute and fat but those rolls can sometimes be a little problematic. If not cared for properly, they can begin to chaff (and get smelly too).

I use this CeraVe Healing Ointment for Babies in all of my daughter’s rolls, cracks, and crevices and it REALLY helps her stay cool and comfortable.

I also use this cream after every diaper change and none of my babies have ever had any diaper rash. It’s seriously the best diaper cream.

I swear this stuff is a miracle! I even use it when I’m itchy or irritated.

Easy Baby Activities

One of the questions I hear the most is…

“What do I do with my baby all day?”

Trust me, I hear ya! Sometimes it seems like all your baby does is eat, sleep, and run through diapers faster than a coyote.

But keeping your baby stimulated during his/her awake time is great for better naps and overall better sleep.

If you’re wondering what activities you can actually do with your newborn, be sure to check out my Tiny One’s Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit!

This activity toolkit is jampacked with over 30 activities for newborn babies all the way to toddlers. So as your baby grows, you’ll already have all the activities you need to keep your little one stimulated and reaching new milestones.

Each activity in the guide is fun, low prep, and affordable- designed to help promote milestone development, promote parent/child bonding, and even help your baby to learn how to play independently.

The Activity Toolkit also comes with a step by step guide showing you how to create an easy activity play routine for your baby plus 15 different resources and templates to help you plan a week of activities in under 5 minutes.

Learn more about the Tiny One’s Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit HERE!

Well there you have it!

I hope you enjoyed all of these easy newborn tips to help make those newborn days easier and simplify mom life.

Do you have any easy newborn tips that make your life easier? Share them below in the comments!

Wait! Do you love free printables??

Become part of the Mastering Mom Life Insider tribe and get instant, exclusive access to my Mom Treasury filled with FREE printables + worksheets to make mom life easier!

Inside: Feeling overwhelmed by the newborn phase? Learn the best 0-4 weeks old newborn routine to help you learn your baby’s cues and make each day as easy as possible!

It was 1 o’clock in the morning…I was rocking and feeding my newborn for 6 hours straight. My eyes were swollen from crying, my chest was sore, and my head was pounding like a construction site.

It was 24 hours of what felt like a year.

Immediately the questions flooded my mind…

Am I spoiling her?

Am I creating bad habits for later?

Why is she always so fussy?

Are her days mixed up with her nights?

To say I was overwhelmed was a complete understatement.

I had no idea what I was doing because I felt lost. I was living my life from one 2 hour stretch of sleep to another- and it was killing me.

But then I found a golden nugget: a newborn routine that actually made sense!

Not a newborn routine that sounded impossible to do with a 1 week old….

…but a newborn routine that gave me a hint of structure to my day with my baby with cues that made me feel confident so I knew she was eating enough and her sleep patterns were totally normal.

And I want to share this 0-4 weeks old newborn routine with you!

This awesome 0-4 weeks old newborn routine will help you feel less…well, helpless- so you can feel more in control and less overwhelmed, especially in those beginning days where the whole world feels like it’s crashing down around you (hello hormones!).

Important: This newborn routine can be used for breastfed babies, formula fed babies, & combination feeding.

Be sure to download the FREE printable download of this newborn routine so you can easily save it and always have it with you!

In this printable, I also share with you different variations of real-life sample routines with breastfeeding, formula feeding, bottle feeding AND combination feeding! Don’t forget to download it now!

So let’s get down to it…

(No time to read this now? That’s okay! Pin it to your favorite board for later!)

The Best 0-4 Weeks Old Newborn Routine

I started this newborn routine when my daughter was a week old and it truly saved my sanity!

But first, what is a newborn routine and how do you start one?

What is a Newborn Routine?

A newborn routine is simply a series of actions you’ll take with your baby each day to help you begin a solid feeding & sleep foundation for the coming weeks.

A newborn routine is NOT a rigorous, harsh schedule.

In this 0-4 weeks old newborn routine, you are simply following your baby’s cues to come up with a pattern for your day so you can meet his/her needs accordingly.

For this newborn routine you will not be dictated by the clock for feedings and naps but simply following along with the clock to track when your baby is doing what.

For example, if your baby eats every 3 hours and your baby last ate at 12 but is still fast asleep at 3:30, you know it’s probably time for a feeding.

But if your baby ate at 12 and is now showing hunger cues at 2:30, you feed on demand- don’t make your baby wait those 30 minutes just because the clock hasn’t hit 3:00 yet.

It’s all about flexibility and following your baby’s cues while guiding him along the way.

With this newborn routine, you will be setting a solid foundation for when your baby is able to sleep through the night- with these simple routine tips, you’re setting up the stage for a great 8-12 week stretch of easy feedings and naps/nighttime sleep.

Hello long stretches of nighttime sleep, goodbye sleep deprivation!

But remember, the goal right now is NOT to get your baby to sleep through the night. Your goal is to set the foundation for feedings, awake time, and sleep.

By doing this newborn routine you’ll know when your baby needs to eat, be awake, and sleep.

You’re basically just getting to know your baby better. And there’s no one better to care for your baby than you, mama!

Remember, this routine isn’t about following the clock so if one day your baby is eating at 10:30am and the next day she’s eating at 11:15am—that’s okay!

You follow her cues based on her needs within this routine.

Newborn Routine: Feeding

Let’s begin with the feeding- which in my opinion is one of the hardest parts of having a newborn. Figuring out WHAT to feed your baby is going to be the first step.

Are you breastfeeding? Are you formula feeding? Are you bottle feeding? Are you pumping?

The list of feeding questions can go on and on.

But it’s important to not become overwhelmed with figuring all of this out.

Maybe you breastfed in the hospital but got home and realized it wasn’t a right fit for you and baby. Or maybe your baby is super fussy and you have to change your diet.

Or maybe you decided to formula feed but now have no idea what formula is best.

I personally have been through ALL of these scenarios…

• I have quit breastfeeding because I couldn’t find out what was making my daughter colicky.

• I have switched formulas 4 times because there was blood in my daughters stool.

• I have switched bottles because of gas issues.

• I have changed my diet during breastfeeding.

• I’ve exclusively pumped because I needed my husband’s help during nighttime feedings and this gave us the ability for him to feed her too.

Let’s just say feeding issues had me STRESSED.

When your baby is eating well and eating the right thing for HER, life gets easier.

There’s nothing worse than a baby who is miserable, in pain, and gassy and they can’t explain to you what’s wrong. My heart literally breaks.

So first things first, feed your baby what is BEST FOR HIM.

If you’re struggling with breastfeeding or latching or diets, talk to a lactation consultant. Most pediatricians can point you in the direction of someone who can help you.

If you chose to formula feed, talk to your baby’s pediatrician for recommendations. Different formula has different ingredients, such as different iron contents.

If for any reason you feel the way you are feeding your baby is bothering her, talk to your doctor about it.

I’ve called my pediatrician at least 10 times on different occasions because my daughter was either constipated, had mucousy stools, couldn’t latch, was gassy, etc.

She pointed me in the direction of a different formula or gave me a clue as to what I should stop eating.

Starting to feel confident in what your baby is eating, how much they eat, and their hunger cues is a huge part in my newborn routine.

So don’t stress and take these 4 weeks to get to know your baby more and how he/she eats!

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Read this post for more details all about full feedings!

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Newborn Routine: Awake Time

In a normal baby schedule, after a feeding there’s usually a time where your baby is up. This is called awake time.

But with a newborn, their awake time or wake window is super short.

Their awake time or wake window is the time from when they wake from the last nap to the time where they go back to sleep.

And the main thing I noticed about newborn awake time is most of the wake window is taken up by feeding.

My daughter would wake up at 10:30 and eat for like 45 minutes to an hour- which is her whole wake window! By the time she was done eating and had a full feeding, it was time to go back to sleep.

(Remember, an overtired baby is a fussy, upset baby so no one wants that!)

Even up until 4-5 weeks my daughter was taking a WHILE to eat. After about 5 weeks her feedings started to get a bit shorter because she was more comfortable with the bottle/breast. We also took the time to burp her every ounce/every 5 minutes breastfeeding to reduce gas and it worked really well for her.

Everything about a newborn takes grace and patience!

So if you find that your baby is literally eating and sleeping all day long, that’s okay! His wake window is his feeding time.

Some babies eat really fast and will have a bunch of awake time before going back to sleep. This is completely normal too!

With this 0-4 weeks old newborn routine, you are simply following your baby’s hunger and sleep cues to help them feel the most comfortable while maintaining some predictability in their day.

Newborn Routine: Naps

Let’s talk about naps in this 0-4 weeks old newborn routine. To be honest, baby sleep always gave me anxiety.

Will my baby only fall asleep in my arms?

What if my baby gets too attached to the pacifier?

Will my baby ever learn to self-soothe?

When will my baby sleep through the night?

All of these questions were super valid for a sleep deprived mom who just wanted another hour of sleep!

But newborn sleep is super sporadic- and that’s totally normal. Maybe one nap your baby sleeps 2 hours but then after the next feeding they literally only sleep for 25 minutes before waking up in a full-out scream.

Your goal is just to give your baby a nap when you see his/her sleep cue.

Sleepy Cues:

• Rubbing eyes,
• Yawning,
• Blank staring,
• Slow blinking, etc.

Maybe one nap is in a swing, the next nap is in a baby carrier, and the next nap is in a bassinet.

That’s perfectly normal!

As your baby gets older in weeks, you can try to lay down your baby for one nap in their bedtime spot (such as a crib or bassinet).

This will begin to help baby learn the difference between sleep locations. Usually, the first nap of the day is easiest to accomplish so you can try to put baby down in her bassinet for this nap if you want to try it out.

Newborn naps can truly take place anywhere- as long as they are sleeping at points in the day.

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Read this post for more awesome information about baby naps!

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What if my baby isn’t napping?

There were some days where my 3 week old daughter would be up for like 4-5 hours every evening. Hello witching hour!

During this time, no matter how many times I tried to put her to sleep, she would wake up screaming 10 minutes later. She would seem constantly hungry and completely boycott her naps.

I nursed her as much as I could when I was breastfeeding those weeks (when she was cluster feeding) and when she was on the bottle I fed her every 2.5 hours or would feed her a half ounce about every half hour.

It was brutal.

And even now that my daughter is older than 5 weeks, she still goes through a period every week where she refuses to sleep.

Babies are always growing and are in different developmental stages all the time. Through these growth spurts, your baby will react differently. So just go with the flow of your baby’s cues and try not to stress too much.

If he genuinely seems hungry, feed him. If she’s tired, offer a nap. If he wants to be cuddled, hold him. If she’ll only sleep in your arms, wear her.

You can’t spoil your baby.

You are the best form of comfort and relief for your baby!

This post contains affiliate links. Mastering Mom life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please view Mastering Mom Life’s Terms, Disclosure & Disclaimer Policy and Privacy Policy. I wholeheartedly believe in all of the products I recommend and use them all! 

Tips for a Good Newborn nap in this 0-4 Weeks Old Newborn Routine:

• For one nap a day, place baby in a quiet, dark area (bassinet/crib in a room)
• Swaddle (I love this swaddle!)
• Sound machine (We’ve used this Homedics sound machine for my first and the Hatch for my second)
• Be sure baby had a full feeding & appropriate awake time

Newborn Routine: Bedtime Sleep

Last but not least on our easy newborn routine is bedtime sleep- which is different than a nap.

When your baby is first born they will take the same length of sleep all day, usually 2-3 hour stretches (but sometimes less).

As your baby gets older every week your goal is to complete full feedings (like we talked about above) so their tummy is full and they sleep comfortably- and eventually longer!

As I said, this newborn routine isn’t about getting your baby to sleep 8-hour stretches in their first month of life. It’s about laying the foundation of *good sleep patterns* so when they are developmentally ready, they can sleep longer.

During the nighttime, usually, the last feeding that I’m awake before heading to bed, I’ll do a mini bedtime routine.

Here’s my newborn bedtime routine:

• I’ll change my baby’s clothes,

• give her a wipe down so she’s fresh,

• keep the lights dim,

• and sing her a song while feeding her

• When it’s time for sleep, I swaddle her and put her in the bassinet/crib. (Laying the baby down in a stationary (safe) place for nighttime sleep will also indicate that it’s bedtime, not just a daytime nap.)

These little things are to signal that it’s nighttime sleep. So eventually as I do this for weeks and she gets older, she’ll be signaled that it’s nighttime sleep- which should be a longer stretch before feeding again.

I started doing this for bedtime sleep when she was 1 week old and by 5 weeks she was sleeping one 5-6 hour stretch during the night- VICTORY!

Don’t Stress- Your Newborn will Change

As your baby continues to grow and develop there will be some days where it looks like he regressed. Maybe your baby is super fussy and refuses to sleep unless in your arms. Or maybe your baby is doing longer stretches of sleep and then one day wakes every 45 minutes.

Newborns are constantly growing and developing so having a routine like this one can help you keep track of when they are going through growth spurts and how you can help them through it- all while being confident as a mama!

But as your newborn reaches a month old, you’ll have this routine that will grow with them, not that they will grow out of.

This is a flexible routine based on your babies cues and habits that form an overall structure for your day

And it all begins by tracking your baby’s activities: their feedings, naps, and awake time.

By tracking these things and starting this easy newborn routine you’ll begin to notice your baby’s individual cues for when they are ready for what they need next.

Free Printable 0-4 Weeks Old Newborn Routine + Real Life Samples

Don’t forget to download my FREE newborn routine and real-life sample routines!

This routine is exactly what I personally used for my daughter and the real-life sample routine is her exact trackings each week. So you can see what I did and when!

Download the Newborn Routine Here!

Recap Time for the 0-4 Weeks Old Newborn Routine!

With this 0-4 weeks old newborn routine, you are simply following your baby’s hunger and sleep cues to help them feel the most comfortable while maintaining some predictability in their day.

Remember, here’s the overall structure of the 0-4 weeks old newborn routine:

• feeding (every 3-4 hours)
• awake time (60-90 minutes)
• nap (20 minutes to 2 hours in length)
• bedtime sleep (swaddle in a cool dark room in bassinet/crib)

This newborn routine personally gave me a hint of structure to my day with my newborn that made me feel confident so I knew she was eating enough and her sleep patterns were totally normal.

By tracking these things and starting this easy newborn routine you’ll begin to notice your baby’s individual cues for when they are ready for what they need next.

Be sure to download my FREE Mommy & Me Planner where you can track your baby’s feedings, activities, and naps in ONE place. This is a planner + tracker combo perfectly designed to help mamas with their little one’s routine!

Download it below by clicking the download button!

Wait! Do you love free printables??

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Want to truly thrive in the newborn phase and mom life??

Check out the super SPECIAL offer on the You Got This, Mama Organizing System, to help you reduce stress, save time, track your baby’s activities AND organize your whole mom life without pulling your hair out- in ONE place!

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Check out more posts about making life with baby easier!

Inside: Is your little one always fussy & overtired? Find out exactly what to do for baby missed naps and toddler skipped naps!

Have you ever experienced the wrath of a missed nap– when your child is so fussy you want to pull your hair out?

I’ve learned the hard way…

Missed naps = Fussy baby.

Not just any “fussy”– I’m talking about red face screaming and back arching tantrums…the kind of fussy that only comes about when your child has failed to go to sleep.

But the good news is, missed naps don’t have to be a normal event in your house.

Learning your child’s golden window—their window of wake time—will help you teach your baby to nap consistently, tantrum-free.

Finding out your baby’s wake time is the best thing you can do to help eliminate your baby becoming overtired.

Which means they’re less fussy and you’re happier!

We’ll talk about how to:

• know your baby is overtired
• know their wake time/wake window
• avoid missing a nap
• deal with skipped naps
• help your baby actually go down for a nap

Let’s dive into all the ways you can reduce missed naps and keep your child out of the overtired danger zone!

How to deal with Missed Baby Naps and Toddler Skipped Naps

One week my daughter decided to boycott her naps for 4 days—FOUR DAYS.

That meant I was home with a toddler for over 10 hours, without her taking a single nap. Not even 2 minutes of peaceful shut-eye.

I remember sitting in my daughter’s room barely able to keep my eyes open as she was screaming and spinning circles freaking out because I told her it was time for her nap.

Her golden window of wake time was left open too long…

Whether your little one is 6 months old or 3 years old, if they still take a nap, one of the most important things you can do is be aware of their golden window—their wake time.

 

What is a wake window?

A wake window or wake time is the amount of time your child is up from their last sleep to the time they go back to sleep.

This wake time is used to help you understand the maximum amount of time your child can be up without being overtired and fussy—and ultimate missing the time they were supposed to nap.

The first thing to do when your baby misses a nap is to make note of the time, their mood, and why it happened.

We’re going to talk more about how to do this exactly by tracking your baby’s or toddler’s schedule.

But first, let’s talk about the signs of a missed nap…

 

Why is my baby so fussy?

If you’re struggling with not understanding why your child is so fussy at a certain time of day, it could be because they’ve been awake too long. And their window of wake time needs to be closed.

Some reasons a baby is up too long is because:

• they were kept up (if their schedule was interrupted),
• they missed their window (if they were busy doing something else),
• or if they intentionally do not want to sleep.

Babies can’t verbally express to you when they are tired so their body expresses it for them and they get extremely fussy. And when your baby grows into a toddler, sometimes they refuse to nap just because they don’t want to miss anything.

To help you prevent your baby from entering the land of fussiness, you want to be aware of their wake window.

How to know my baby’s wake window?

As babies grow, their golden wake time window and nap times will shift.

Remember when your newborn slept all day? As they got older, their nap times changed and their number of naps was reduced.

But how do you know how long your baby’s wake window should be??

I’ve spent hhouuuurrsss asking myself this question as a new mom. Every month seemed to be a change but instead of being overwhelmed by it, I started to track it.

But figuring out your child’s schedule is the key to reducing baby missed naps!

Tracking Your Child’s Schedule

If you’re having trouble knowing when your child’s nap time “should be”, then follow these simple steps to help you!

1. Track their daily activities and mood for 5 days.

You’ll start to see a pattern of their super fussy times—which signals OVERTIRED.

2. Use that pattern to create a schedule

By seeing their sleep, wake, and eating patterns, you can create a schedule that will help them limit their fussy times.

By using this method, you’re not forcing your child on a schedule that doesn’t work for them. You’re leaning into the turn of their natural body clock.

Use the FREE Baby & Toddler Daily Tracker to help you complete these steps stress-free. Track your child’s naps, feedings, moods, and activities all in one place. Then you can easily start to see their routine so you can know without a doubt their golden wake window 🙂

Get the FREE Tracker now!

How About Toddler Skipped Naps?

The great part about this system is that it will work for toddlers too!

If you find your toddler is really irritable at a certain time when they shouldn’t be, you can track those times and moods for a week and reassess their nap times.

After tracking Baby L’s wake times and nap lengths, I was able to see an overview of her schedule. And this significantly helped me!

I started to use her own pattern as a guide for her schedule. When I saw she was off of her schedule, I noticed she was way fussier. But when she was on her schedule, she was an absolute dream.

Wake Hours per age

Here’s an example of Baby L’s wake time windows as she’s grown:

Birth-3 months: 1- 1.5 hours

4-6 months: 1.5-2 hours

7-9 months: 2-2.5 hours

10-14 months: 3-4 hours

15-24 months: 4.5-5 hours

24-36 months: so far, it’s remained at 5 hours

Feel free to use this as a guide for your baby’s wake times!

BONUS: Don’t forget to download the FREE Baby & Toddler Daily Tracker to help you understand your baby’s schedule so you can easily know their wake window! CLICK HERE TO GET IT FREE!

How to help your baby/toddler actually go down for a nap

If you’re having a hard time getting your baby or toddler to even TAKE a nap, consider starting a consistent nap routine that will help them signal when it’s time for sleep. This will help wonders!

After Baby L boycotted her naps for 4 days, the only thing that helped me get her back on track was sticking to her nap routines.

Using a nap routine helps your baby signal that it’s time for sleep, as opposed to them playing. So, when their brain processes that it’s nap time, they will begin to calm down and prepare for a nap. It’s pretty awesome!

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Related Reading!

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What to do if your baby misses a nap?

If your baby misses a nap that is in between another nap, just skip the nap and continue your schedule to the next nap. Try to keep your little one as comfortable as possible to reduce them from getting even fussier.

I wouldn’t recommend leaving them in their bed to cry it out until they fall asleep. I would wait until tomorrow to restart the schedule and make sure to catch their tired cues so you can be sure to put them to nap when it’s time.

If your baby misses their last nap of the day, just wait until bedtime to put them back down. Forcing them to nap after they have already missed that window can cause a disrupt in the whole day!

But if you see it’s only a half-hour after their normal nap time and you think your child will fall asleep, go ahead and put them down!

There’re no hard and fast rules when it comes to nap times, it all depends on your child and the time of the day.

So if your baby misses a nap, don’t beat yourself up! There’s always tomorrow 🙂

 

What about Nap transitions?

Some babies/toddlers get really fussy around their nap transition too (when they are dropping a nap). This is totally normal!

Just continue a nap routine with them and they should fall right into their rhythm.

Get the FREE Baby & Toddler Daily Tracker!

To help you track your baby’s routine and start a thriving schedule, I created a FREE Baby & Toddler Printable Daily Tracker to help you track your baby’s mood, feedings, naps, and playtimes.

Use this tracker easily figure out your child’s golden window of wake time so they never enter the overtired disaster zone!

Missed naps are no fun. But they don’t have to become a normality!

I hope with these tips and tricks you feel more confident in knowing your bay’s golden window of wake time.

They get restful naps and you save your sanity—a win win!

After Baby L’s miserable napless week, I’m thinking of making t-shirts that say “I Survived my Baby’s Missed Nap”…

And I’d wear it with pride 🙂

Have any questions about naps?? Use the comments below to ask away!

Read more Baby Tips & Tricks Here!

3 Reasons Your Baby Needs a Nap Routine

How to Create  Simple Structured but Flexible Baby Schedule

Step by Step Guide to Help Your Baby Nap Better & Longer!

 

Wait! Do you love free printables??

Become part of the Mastering Mom Life Insider tribe and get instant, exclusive access to my Mom Treasury filled with FREE printables + worksheets to make mom life easier!

Inside: Looking for fun, educational baby and toddler toys? Find out my favorite 15 guilt-free baby toys to keep your little one loving to learn!

Christmas usually equals more toys…and more toys usually lead to more mess, more storage, and less space.

But it doesn’t have to!

I used to be very anti-toy because I didn’t want another toy I had to put away during clean up. But then I shifted my focus from “we need fewer toys” to “we need better toys”.

Now, I actually love toy shopping because I know my daughter is going to continue to learn while playing!

The key to surviving the Christmas toy avalanche is to focus on toys that are educational and toys to enhance your child’s growth and development.

Of course, I like to spoil Baby L with some toys that are purely for fun but you don’t have to sacrifice pleasure for learning because most toys these days are both!

That’s why this year I’ve put together the ultimate list of fun educational baby and toddler toys that any little kiddie will love.

To add even more convenience, all of these toys can be found on Amazon during their holiday sale so you’re saving money and saving time because you don’t even have to leave your house to purchase them. A win-win!

Let’s dive into the ultimate fun and educational baby and toddler gift guide!

Ultimate List of Educational Baby & Toddler Toys

In this post, I’ll be sharing my favorite toys for kids ages 6 months to 5 years old. If you have little ones in that age range, this will be sure to read 🙂

If you don’t have time to read it now, you can pin this post to your favorite Pinterest board to come back to later!

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please view Mastering Mom Life’s Terms, Disclosure & Disclaimer Policy and Privacy Policy. I wholeheartedly believe in all of the products I recommend and use them all! 

Pro Tip: To take advantage of these deals, be sure to become a Prime Member so you can get free 2-day shipping.

For babies 6 months to 24 months

Pound and Tap Bench with Slide-out Xylophone

I was able to see this amazing toy in action and I immediately fell in love with it. My nephew received the Pound and Tap Bench for his first birthday and as soon as he opened it up, he was occupied for hours. Even my daughter who is 2 and a half had a blast playing with it!

This toy is great for teaching your baby hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills development, and musicality because your little one has to place the ball in the hole and then pound it down so it falls on the xylophone underneath the hole. Therefore, making music!

A perfect, old fashioned 3 in 1 toy.

Baby Einstein Curiosity Activity Station

I love toys that can keep your kiddo busy for more than 15 minutes at a time! Most “toy clutter” comes from the fact that you need more toys to keep your baby entertained. But with toys like the Baby Einstein Activity Station, it’s like having 20 toys in 1!

The Activity Station is a table than can turn to a tabletop station, so your baby can sit on the floor and play or pull himself up to stand. It helps your little one transition during their most important milestones.

I really like this particular activity station because it has multiple aspects to keep your baby engaged and developing skills. From gears to lights to melodies, your baby’s creativity will also be sparked.

Lego DUPLO My First Bricks Building Kit with 80 pieces

As a parent, as soon as I hear 80 Lego pieces, I’m plagued with the vision of me stepping on lego bricks all day long. But not these legos! These Lego bricks are designed with little ones (and parents) in mind.

DUPLO Lego First Bricks are large enough where they cannot fit into a child’s mouth (hello safety!) but small enough to fit into a store away bin or bag. I love these DUPLO Legos because they encourage imagination and creativity while building motor skills.

My daughter now owns 3 different sets that she’s been playing with for years. These Legos were actually her first toy where she learned how to stack colors!

Pink Fong Baby Shark Melody Shape Sorter

“Baby Shark..Doo..Doo..Doo..Doo”

The infamous song that every parent knows!

This toy is sure to be a sensation this Christmas and I’m certain it’s on a lot of wish lists. It fuses the popular song with color and shape sorting to make an exciting toy that will keep your little one busy for a while!

It builds gross motor and sensory skills while keeping your baby entertained…so you can finally get some dishes done *wink wink*

For little ones 2 to 4 years old

Radio Flyer Classic Dual Deck Tricycle

A lot of Christmas toys are just that, toys. But one of the best gifts you can give your child is the gift of exploration of the outdoors. That’s why I’m always careful to get my daughter something for Christmas that she can play with outside as well.

Toys are great, but you’ll never forget the moment your baby started peddling on their tricycle for the first time 🙂

Fischer Price Laugh & Learn Smart Learning Home

This is the Toy Of The Year Award 2019 Winner for a reason!

The Laugh & Learn Smart Learning Home is a 360 degrees learning sensation with an interactive hub, crawl-through door, and enough gadgets and gizmos to keep your toddler learning for hours.

It comes with 3 stages of learning, so the toy can grow with your child. I really love this feature because most toys feel like a waste of money once your child outgrows it. But this toy is almost like an educational investment. It also comes in 4 different languages to promote language growth and development as well as sings over 200 different songs.

My daughter absolutely loves her Smart Learning Home!

Melissa & Doug Examine and Treat Vet Play Set

This pet playset is the best to boost your child’s imagination! It comes with 24 pieces, including a plush cat and dog and a tote to carry the medical supplies. Good Housekeeping Institute recognized this toy as helping kids develop empathy while they play.

I found that when my daughter plays with doctor playsets, she tends to have a better understanding when she visits the doctor’s office and doesn’t freak out as bad as she used to. I’m able to teach her about bandages and stethoscopes and it becomes a new game for us!

For kiddies 4 to 5 years old

Kid K’NEX Oodles of Pals Building Set

This is the ultimate STEM toddler toy! Built to engage your toddler in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, the K’Nex encourages developmental growth and discovery. The pieces are large enough to encourage imagination and creativity without difficulty.

Learning Resources Puzzle Globe

Do you have a little one fascinated by travel and geography? This Puzzle Globe is perfect to help your toddler engage in fine motor skills while learning about the world. It’s a 14 piece set that includes a spinning, interactive globe, and 6 continent pieces.

 

Other Must Share Favorites

I love educational toys, but sometimes I like to spoil Baby L with a toy just because it’s her favorite character. Here are some toys that are on Amazon’s “Top Toy List” that is sure to be a must-have on the playground this year.

In case you were looking for the most popular toys this year, here’s my compiled list of favorites!

Little People Disney Frozen Elsa Castle

Ages 18 months to 5 years

This ice palace is a baby show stopper! As soon as the holiday toy flyers started coming in the mail the first thing my daughter did was flip the pages to find this Frozen castle. She started jumping up and down shouting “Let it go! Let it go!”

Paw Patrol Total Team Rescue

Creative play meets loving animals– Paw Patrol is always a kid favorite! This toy is one of Amazon’s top toys of 2019 so if it’s on your kiddo’s wish list, be sure to order it before the rush 😉

Get Your Free Christmas Digital Planning Spreadsheet!

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I hope these toy ideas will help you build a fun, learning toy collection for your little one. Remember, you don’t have to sacrifice learning for fun because most toys do both!

With these toys, you’ll be saying goodbye to the avalanche of pointless Christmas toys and hello to a new year of fun learning!

Happy toy shopping!

 

Inside: Is your diaper bag ready for summer? Find out the 9 summer diaper bag essentials so you can pack the perfect bag and enjoy a lovely summer day!

Ever blindly reach into the diaper bag, fumbling around trying to find the sunblock– only to remember you didn’t pack it??

You’re standing in the scorching sun and your heart immediately drops…

You resent yourself because you forgot to pack something so important!

The weather this time of year can be so unpredictable. One day it’s downpouring cats and dogs and the next it’s sweltering so hot you can fry an egg on the car.

To be ready for summertime means your diaper bags need to be stocked with the perfect necessities! So, your summer diaper bag may have a few extra essentials.

Packing these 9 summer diaper bag essentials will ensure you and your baby are ready every day for a fun, summertime adventure!

With these summer diaper bag essentials, you will always be prepared!

9 Summer Diaper Bag Essentials

This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases you make through these links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you! Mastering Mom life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please view Mastering Mom Life’s Terms, Disclosure & Disclaimer Policy and Privacy Policy. I wholeheartedly believe in all of the products I recommend and use them all! 

1. Sun Block

You’ll definitely want to make sure you always have sunblock with you. It’s the first summer diaper bag essential. The sun can be extremely dangerous to babies!

The best way to protect your little one from the sun is to be generous with sunscreen. I always try to carry a tube a sunblock with me as well as a little rub on stick version. Even if your baby has a hat on, you may want to put some sunblock on your baby’s button nose or on the top of their ears.

Those little overlooked places tend to burn the fastest!

 

2. Bathing Suit

I know some moms who don’t always have a bathing suit on hand but I learned my lesson the hard way.

One day, as I drove home from the grocery store, Baby L saw the sprinklers in a park and went ballistic. She kept begging me to take her to the “wa-wa”. (Her trying to say water in the cutest way possible 🙂 )

So I let her run through the water with her cute jean shorts and new lace tank top!

After that, I always make sure I have a bathing suit on hand- even if I leave one in the car. You won’t die without it, but since it’s summer—it’s probably best to be safe than sorry.

Remember: Hot days = Water Play

Photo by Robert Boston on Unsplash

3. Swimmy Diaper

On the same topic, if you are going to pack a bathing suit and your baby is still in diapers, you’re going to want to pack a swimmy diaper too.

I usually buy one pack and keep a couple of extra diapers in the car and one in my diaper bag. It’s always better to not need it than to need it and not have it!

Here are the waterproof diapers that I keep in the car. They come in different sizes and fit perfectly!

4. Extra clothes & Plastic bag

Having extra clothes is always a necessity! You never know when your baby is going to have an accident and you don’t want your little one to be stuck in dirty clothes…or be stuck naked.

Having an extra change of clothes is a great summer diaper bag essential. If your baby is like mine and loves running through water with their clothes on, then you’ll have an extra set of clothes.

But it’s also best if you pack a Ziplock bag or any plastic bag too. Now you have a place to put the wet or dirty clothes and it doesn’t dirty anything else in your bag.

Parent Tip: I usually put the clean extra set of clothes in the Ziplock bag at the bottom of my diaper bag. Then I use the clothes when needed and the put the dirty clothes in the Ziplock bag.

It’s brilliant and organizational!

BONUS: Don’t forget to download the free Summer Diaper Bag Checklist so you can be sure to pack these essentials every day! CLICK HERE to get it now!

 

5. Water Resistant Sun Hat

The summer sun is relentless. The easiest way to protect your baby’s eyes from the sun is to put a hat on him. A sun hat with a wide rim is best!

You can even find a water-resistant sunhat that your baby can wear in the water. 3 benefits in 1 hat!

6. Insect Repellant

Another Summer diaper bag essential is insect repellant. Especially if you live in an area with a lot of biting bugs!

If you’re also planning on being outside around dusk or in the evening, you’ll want to have insect repellant on hand.

I found out my daughter is allergic to mosquito bites and I didn’t even think about having insect repellant in my diaper bag. Now it’s an absolute essential.

As a bonus, you can also pack this anti-itch Benadryl stick. If your baby gets a bug bite, just rub it on the bite and your baby will feel much better. No more itching. That way, you can continue having a fun day without a cranky baby!

This is my favorite baby bug repellant. It’s organic and doesn’t have any chemicals or harmful ingredients!

7. Mini first aid kit

A mini first aid kit is a year-round diaper bag essential for me, but even more so in the summer. Since the weather is warm, your baby has fewer clothes on and their skin is more exposed. Which means and fall can result in a scrape or scratch.

You don’t have to carry around a full 50-piece, clunky first aid kit, but it’s wise to have a couple of band-aids and some Neosporin on hand.

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Check out this post too!

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8. Water

The heat in the summer can feel like you are wrapping yourself like a thick, scorching blanket. In some locations, the humidity alone can make you want to sprint to the nearest pool.

Babies can get dehydrated very quickly and can suffer from heat exhaustion. To prevent these very serious conditions, always carry around some water.

If your baby is not old enough to drink water, keep her hydrated with milk. (Always ask your doctor before giving your baby water for the first time.)

Bring your baby’s favorite sippy cup or bottle and have a bottle of water on hand. Make sure your little one is drinking every hour, depending on how hot it is.

Here are some awesome on-the-go sippy cups that I’ve used!

9. Snacks for energy

Don’t forget your baby’s favorite snacks to keep them energized. You’ll want to make sure your child is eating normally while they are playing throughout the day.

These are Baby L’s favorite snacks on-the-go snacks:

 

Never forget your Summer Diaper Bag Essentials!

Be sure to download the FREE Summer Diaper Bag Checklist so you can always be prepared and have these essentials with you. Keep it on your phone as a reminder or print it out and check it off every time you pack your bag!

 

So there you have it! Here are the 9 summer diaper bag essentials to help you always be prepared for your family’s adventures:

1. Sunblock
2. Bathing suit
3. Swimmy diaper
4. Extra clothes and a plastic bag
5. Water-resistant hat
6. Insect repellent
7. Mini first aid kit
8. Water
9. Snacks

Now, when you are in the heat of the moment and rummaging through your bag grasping for sunblock, you can confidently pull it out of the pocket and give yourself a pat on the back for remembering to pack it 🙂

 

Are there any other essentials you have in your summer diaper bag? Leave some tips in the comments below!

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