Your Baby's First 12 Weeks

Development & Milestones

Newborn

When you arrive home from the hospital try to establish feedings, If you are breastfeeding feed on demand for the first 2 weeks. Some babies will feed every 2-3 hours some every hour some days.(Baby could be going through a growth spurt). If you are bottle feeding it’s every 2-3 hours. If the baby has lost their birth weight it is best to wake baby up to feed, this includes the night feedings. Once you baby has regained their birth weight it is not necessary to wake them up at night to feed, they should wake on their own. It is important to swaddle baby for all naps and bedtime. A good sound machine and blackout curtains with help to establish a good sleep routine. Not all sound machines are created equal. Ask a Newborn Care Specialist or Sleep Trainer before you buy.

If you put a baby on a schedule in the first 2-3 weeks after they come home you will have a happy baby

4 Weeks

By week 4 you can start implementing a sleep routine. If you feel your baby is ready by week two it's not a problem go ahead and start. Starting at 2 weeks will only apply if your baby was born at 38 and above weeks. Ask your Newborn Care Specialist for  help.

6 Weeks

At 6 weeks you should not have a bedtime and breastfeeding or formula issues. If you had any  they should have worked themselves out. If not contact a newborn care specialist who can help get your baby on track. Your baby will be on a 70 minutes up and 70 minutes down schedule. It's time to watch for their sleep Q's

This baby is only 2 months and mom as 5 more bags of her milk like this in the deep freezer.

9 Weeks

At this stage your baby should be smiling and following you with their eyes. At night could have 1-3 wake-ups. If you want less waking up at night it is important to have a sound schedule during the day and a more structured feeding routine at night.You could  dream feed baby at 11PM and push for a 3 AM feeding. Try this to see if it helps.

12 Weeks

Your baby should have gained 3-4 pounds by now and is possibly staying awake at 90 minute intervals. 90 minutes up and 90 minutes down. You want to feed them every 3 hours. Hopefully they are getting enough ounces during the day so that they will sleep at night. Babies thrive on repetition.

3 Months

Your baby should be taking 3-4 naps a day and feeding 5-6 times a day to include the night feeding. Try to introduce more tummy time. They may fuss but thats okay. If you have a schedule, in most cases there is time to introduce tummy time. This is the perfect time to transition out of a swaddle because your baby should be rolling now. If your baby rolls earlier than 3 months you should stop swaddling. The bedtime routine should begin the same each night. If you put a baby on a schedule in the first 2-3 weeks after they come home you will have a happy baby.

These Parents Have Their Babies On A Good Sleep Schedule

Cheryl Abrams has been working as a Postpartum doula and Newborn Care Specialist in the Dallas Metroplex since 2009. She has worked for MotherMe Doulas, Gibson Newborn Care, Hush Little Babies and Harmony Baby Concierge. She is a Certified Newborn Specialist through The Newborn Care Training Academy and Upgrading her Postpartum Certification with Austin Baby Guru. She is also a member of the Newborn Care Specialists Association