As a refresher, contact naps refer to the practice of a baby falling asleep while in physical contact with a caregiver, typically by being held, rocked, or even just being in the same room. This can involve the baby sleeping on the chest, arms, or lap of the caregiver, or even just being close enough … Read more
It’s the middle of the night and your baby is crying. Determining whether your baby is waking up out of habit or hunger can be challenging, especially when drowsy yourself! Understanding their sleep patterns and needs can help you make an informed decision. Here are some tips to help you distinguish between habitual vs. hunger-driven … Read more
You are finally transitioning from crib to bed. Hooray! This is such a big moment and transition for your kiddo. However, your little one may have other plans. Falling asleep in their new bed and STAYING asleep in their new bed are two very different things. If your toddler is creeping into your bed in … Read more
It’s a stunning realization when it happens. It seems like just moments from when you brought your child home from the hospital. Your little tiny newborn is finally 12 months old and isn’t a teeny newborn at all anymore. Over the last 12 months (which can feel like many years) you have honed and perfected … Read more
When your newborn finally arrives, it’s such a magical and special moment. Your family has a new member! You want to shout it from the rooftops or these days, post it on social media. It’s time to have everybody come and visit and hold and give lots of love to your new bundle of joy, … Read more
Sleep. When it comes to a newborn or infant, it can be both a valuable asset and a fond memory for a time long ago when you could go to sleep when you wanted and wake up when you felt like it. Cherish those memories. Hold them dear. Speaking of making your own bedtimes, it … Read more
As a parent, if you are lucky enough to have a baby that takes to a swaddle and is able to sleep in and be comforted by it, then you pretty much view the swaddle as a complete lifesaver. Swaddling a newborn can help keep them asleep longer and help soothe them to sleep faster … Read more
Nocturnal enuresis. You may not be familiar with the phrase, but as a parent, you are familiar with its definition: overnight bed-wetting which is the involuntary release of urine while sleeping. If you’re an adult and you’re experiencing frequent nocturnal enuresis, then you should probably consult your physician, but if your child is experiencing it, … Read more
Just because you have a small infant or newborn during the summertime doesn’t mean that you can’t still get out there and enjoy the great weather while it lasts. Sure, things will get a little more complicated and you may have more limited options as to your entertainment choices (sorry, they don’t allow infants at … Read more
When you first learn that your friend or family member has finally brought their newborn home from the hospital, you’re just so happy for them and so excited to snuggle the new member of the family! However, extra visitors are not always welcomed by new parents. Sometimes the time of the year or concerns for … Read more
There are so many problems both medically and behaviorally that could be solved if we could just ask our babies a question and they could give us an honest and reasoned response. However, since they can’t (or won’t!) then we have to make do with our best and most educated guess, as their parents. While … Read more
The changing table. An invention that probably dates back to the very first human civilizations, and was most likely created about one day after the first parents threw their backs out from changing their baby on the ground. It really hasn’t changed much in all of these years. Sure, it looks a little different and … Read more
Spring is here and it is the perfect time to start getting your house in order for the chaos that is Summer! As do so many things, spring cleaning takes on a whole new meaning when you have a small child at home. What are some spring cleaning things that you should be doing differently … Read more
People often associate the stresses of having a child with him or her not sleeping through the night and keeping tired and weary parents up along with them. Many will tell you that is definitely the case, however, most of the time that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Getting your baby to … Read more
Here at The Early Weeks, we are always talking to parents about their hopes and dreams and anxieties about their children. One topic that comes up fairly often is that of crying. Different questions and apprehensions always seem to surface like “how much crying is too much?”, “Is my baby sad when they cry?”, and … Read more
While it only happens twice a year, it seems like a jarring experience every time. I’m talking about daylight savings time and how you can help your baby or young child adjust to it without too much kicking and screaming. For most adults, the twice yearly change in time is nothing more than a minor … Read more
Getting your infant to sleep through the night can depend on a lot of factors: your infant’s age and weight among others. Typically, the first three months or so of your newborn’s life will not include sleeping through the night on a consistent basis. This is because during the first few weeks of life, your … Read more
As adults, we need at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night in order to feel rested and be able to take on the day. But, what about children? Do infants and newborns need more or less sleep than toddlers and young children? The truth is that there is definitely a difference in … Read more
As a parent, there is almost no faster way to feel instantly terrified and sad than when your child wakes up screaming in the middle of the night from a bad dream. For many children, they may just be experiencing a simple nightmare, but for others, it may be a true night terror and it … Read more
Tummy time is an important activity for you and your baby and can lead to many health benefits like developing early motor skills, muscle strength and endurance, and so much more. It is a great time to both bond with your little one and to help them experience something slightly different albeit challenging in their … Read more
My most recent sleep training client was at the perfect age for a lot of things. At 5 months old and over the course of two weeks, we worked through a lot! Teething, the introduction of solids, a mysterious cheek rash, consolidated and longer naps, sleeping through the night, a leap, and you guessed it, … Read more