Sarah | Baby + Toddler Sleep | Motherhood

As your 4-month old’s wake windows are getting longer, it can be tough to find new ways to occupy your baby! Here are 4 ideas. Share in the comments what your 4-month old enjoys! 👇🏼 #4monthold #4months #4montholdbaby #motherhood #momlife #mommyandme #mommylife #sahm #workingmom #infanttips #wakewindow #momsofig #momsofinstagram #momreels

✨Safe Sleep Guidelines✨ 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐴𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝐴𝑐𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑃𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑠 Updated June 2022. 👉🏼Share and save. 👉🏼Tag a parent or caregiver. 💛Follow @prenataltocradlesleep for sleep guidance. 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑠： American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Safe Sleep Recommendations: Back is best. Home. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2022, from https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2022/american-academy-of-pediatrics-updates-safe-sleep-recommendations-back-is-best/ #safesleep #newbornsafety #babysafety #newparent #aap #parenthood #newmom #postpartumsupport #babysleep #babysleepconsultant #sleeptips #sleephelp

✨easy activity for baby’s wake window✨ you only need- 💛gallon sized plastic bag 💛paper, cut to size to fit in bag 💛paint 💛tape to secure & stick to floor Super simple no mess art and sensory activity that’ll keep baby occupied during tummy time! 🎨 For the link & discount code to the tummy wedge, comment TUMMY TIME #wakewindow #babyactivity #babyplay #babyplayideas #babyplaying #4monthold #5monthold #6monthold #tummytime #tummytimefun #tummytimeactivities

✨4 Developmental Milestones at 2 months old✨ Keep in mind, ALL babies develop differently. No one baby is the same as the next. If you have concerns about your baby’s development, speak with your Pediatrician. These are a few developmental milestones that most 2 month olds are meeting. 💛 #2monthsold #2monthold #2montholdbaby #2monthmilestone #twomonthsold #twomonthsbaby #newmom #newdad #earlychildhoodeducation

✨Newborn Sleep Tips✨ 🌙Wake baby after 2 hours from a single nap. If your baby is taking a 4-hour nap, not only will this cause baby to take in less milk during the day, but you want to limit day naps, to preserve those longer stretches for night sleep. 🌙Full feeds every 2-3 hours + Eat-Wake-Sleep. More calories during the day = less that baby will likely need at night. Feeding baby upon waking from sleep rather than at the end of an awake window, helps to ensure baby is more alert and can eat more efficiently. A sleepy baby may not be getting a full feeding, which will likely cause baby to wake soon after looking for more milk. 🌙Following awake windows + sleepy cues. In the newborn stage, sticking to awake windows as closely as possible while also keeping an eye out for sleepy cues will help you to find your baby’s sweet spot for when to lay them down. Even missing that window of time by a few minutes can cause baby to become overly tired and fight their nap more than usual. Average awake windows by age: 0-4 weeks 45-60min 5-8 weeks 60-75min 9-12 weeks 60-90min 🌙Practice laying baby down awake. By laying baby down with their eyes even slightly open, you’re helping baby learn how to fall asleep in their crib or bassinet. Practicing this skill in the newborn stage helps your baby to become used to going to sleep this way, and may even help you avoid needing to do any sort of sleep training later on! 🌙Introduce the crib for naps. Your baby will become used to what they’re exposed to. If baby sleeps in the crib or bassinet for a few naps, they’ll learn to become accustomed to it! ✨Need more guidance on the topic of newborn sleep? Comment BABY SLEEP and I’ll send over the link to the 0-12 Month Sleep Guide (covers naps and nights)✨ #newbornsleep #eatwakesleep #awakewindows #postpartumsupport #newmother #newfather #newparent #babysleepsupport #babysleeptips #babysleephelp #momlifehacks #babysleep

This carrier is my new favorite! My 5-month old is strapped to me on a daily basis since I have two older boys to chase around. @lovegojiberry checks all of the boxes! ☑️easy to put on ☑️comfortable for baby ☑️super comfortable for mom ☑️cute designs ☑️interchangeable cover ☑️baby is happy in it! Comment GOJIBERRY and I’ll send you the link to your new favorite baby carrier! #babywearingmama #babywearingmom #babywearing #babywearinglove #babycarrier #babycarriers #momsofig #momreels

Comment TOY LINKS and I’ll send you the links for the wind up water toys, a similar pop-up toy, and the push/roll toy. 💛 Your 5-month old is becoming increasingly curious in the world around them. Plus, their wake windows are getting longer. It’s tough to come up with ways to occupy your baby for the full two hours they’re awake! 1. Water tub with wind up toys. Baby can watch the toys move around in the water and reach for them. *be sure to sit right with baby if they’re using a water tub as they can easily fall forward very quickly* 2. Music! Playing any sort of music or instrument while baby watches, listens, and tries to join in can be a great, stimulating way to occupy baby. 3. Pop up toys like this are effective in teaching cause and effect & are also open-ended, so baby can play with it over and over again! 4. This rolling toy allows baby to practice grasping, pushing and pulling. It also makes a fun popping sound! *our tummy time wedge is from @tumtum_usa and it’s the best♥️ #5monthold #wakewindows #babyplay #babyplayideas #babyplaytime #newmom #motherhoodthroughinstagram #giftideasforkids #babygiftideas

4 of the best stocking stuffers for babies 4-6 months. These toys are stimulating to their senses and able to be held and manipulated easily by baby. Comment STOCKING STUFFERS for the links! #babyplayideas #babygifts #babystockingstuffers #stockingstuffersideas #babytoys #babyteethers #4monthold #5monthold #6monthold #momsofig #momreels #babygiftideas #blackfriday

🌙4 developmental milestones 4-6 months🌙 💛keep in mind, ALL babies are different and some hit milestones earlier or later than others 💛your baby is past the newborn stage and is working on rolling both ways, crossing their midline by transferring items from one hand to the other, holding themselves up during tummy time and showing signs of early crawling, and is preparing to eat solids around 6 months (some sooner.) 💛share below what new skills you’re noticing in your 4-6 month old! #4monthold #5monthold #6monthold #babydevelopment #babydevelopmentmilestones #babyplay #babyplaytime #babyskills #momreels #momsofig

🌙3 ways to help your newborn sleep longer stretches 1. Strong sleep associations 🌙Using a sleep sack/ swaddle, white noise, or other sleep associations that are continuous and do not need to be replicated to get baby *back* to sleep can help to build a strong foundation for sleep. These items send strong signals to baby that it’s time to sleep! 2. Bright + active in the daytime 🌙Keep nights dark and non-stimulating and days bright and noisy. Once days/nights are sorted out, naps during the day can be in a dark environment for optimal sleep. Awake periods should still be light and active! 3. Follow wake windows + sleepy cues 🌙In the newborn stage, sleepy cues are as reliable as wake windows. After the newborn stage, sleepy cues are no longer a good indicator of when to put baby down for sleep. Following both in the newborn stage can help you to find the sweet spot for naps! #newbornsleep #newbornbaby #newbornsleeptips #newbornsleephelp #newmom #newdad #postpartumtips #postpartummom #sleephelp #sleeptips #babysleepconsultant

Baby won’t let you put them down for sleep? Fighting naps and night sleep? Waking after 45 minutes? I got you. 🌙Our Infant Sleep Guide is the PERFECT resource for parents struggling with baby sleep. Need help dropping sleep associations, figuring out a schedule that’s age-appropriate, teaching independent sleep, addressing short naps/false starts/early wake-ups/ night wakes and so much more? It’s all in the Infant Sleep Guide! Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you the link to the product.🌙 ✨4-Month Regression✨ So many parents dread this milestone in their baby’s sleep. So much is happening for your little one developmentally at this time! They are becoming more alert and aware of the world around them, their sleep cycles are maturing, circadian rhythm is beginning to kick in, and baby is beginning to produce melatonin (the sleepy hormone.) You may notice that your baby is going from taking lengthy naps, to catnaps. Baby may also resist sleep more than in the newborn stage, and may be waking quite often at night! For parents who also need their rest, this can be quite frustrating and overwhelming. So what can you do? ✨Be sure to follow age-appropriate awake windows. ✨Create an environment that is conducive to sleep. ✨Start by practicing laying your baby down awake (you can start slow and begin with the first nap of the day.) Give your baby some time to try to settle, intervening as you see fit. ✨Begin a nap and bedtime routine & follow the same steps each day. ✨Consider sleep associations: is baby dependent on feeding to sleep? Does baby need to be rocked? If your baby needs you to fall asleep, it’s likely that they will wake after one sleep cycle looking for your help going back to sleep! ✨For more in-depth sleep support, how to navigate regressions, identifying a proper sleep schedule for your baby, and so much more… check out my sleep guides! Link in bio. ✨ #babysleep #babysleeptips #4monthsoldbaby #4monthregression #sleepregression #sleeptips #motherhoodintheraw #babysleepconsultant #babysleeping #babysleephelp #4monthold #4months #4monthsold #igdaily #explorepage #reelsinsta

3 Interactive Toys my baby loves! 1. This particular pop up toy is more vintage, but I have a couple of others that are almost the same! The concept of little animals popping up and disappearing again is what he really loves. He’s been reaching out to try to push the animals down himself. This toy is great for open ended play and cause and effect learning! 2. This spinning musical owl has been a favorite of all three of my boys for years. Even now, my 3 and almost 6 year old will still play with it! Also, I truly don’t remember changing the batteries in this more than a couple of times in the past six years. It lasts forever! 3. The pull down musical monkey has been a lifesaver in the car, while I’m making dinner, during playtime on his mat, etc. It’s engaging, stimulating, soft to touch so it’s safe to chew on, and it doubles as a stuffy for my boys to cuddle with! Comment TOY LINKS and I’ll send you all three. ♥️ The tummy time wedge is from @tumtum_usa and we love this too!!! #babywakewindow #babyplaytime #babyplay #babyplayideas #sensoryplay #sensoryplayforbabies #toyideas #blackfridaytoys