So, you think you may have a velcro baby on your hands? All babies tend to like to be held or near their parents or primary caregivers, but some babies are a little more attached than others. Or rather, a LOT more. In today’s blog we are going to give you some tips on just how you can make the most of your velcro baby situation and get more done around the house or just have a tiny bit more “free” time away from holding the newborn. If you have any velcro baby stories or suggestions to help out struggling parents, then we’d love to hear them! Give us a shout out in the comments below or on our social profiles. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Create A Safe And Engaging Play Space Nearby
Having a velcro style baby typically means that your baby will cry or fuss or otherwise be distraught when you set them down and have to leave the area. That may well be true, but you can really still work with that. Create a safe, fun, and engaging “set down area” that you can put your baby in while still being able to complete tasks around the house like folding laundry, doing dishes, or just cooking/eating a quick meal. You can bring your projects to that area beforehand so that you can put your baby down and then immediately dive into your tasks. Here are some other pointers:
- Set up a play area where your baby can see you while you work.
- Include engaging toys or sensory items to hold their attention.
- Use a baby gate or playpen for safety if needed.
- Keep your baby entertained by rotating toys every few days.
- Incorporate activities that stimulate their senses and encourage independent play.
- Examples: high-contrast books, textured toys, or a sensory bin.
Deploy Nap Times Strategically
Nap times are crucial to parents of velcro babies. Using them to their maximum potential is key to helping you get more done around the house and to holding on to that last shred of sanity as a parent of a newborn. Here are some tips to get the most out of that “downtime.”
- Utilize “batching” when your child is napping: save up your tasks that are hardest to do while the baby is awake to do during their naps. Batch together two or three or four of them during this time so that you don’t have to worry about completing them while they are awake.
- Focus on high-priority or uninterrupted tasks while your baby naps.
- Encourage your little one to sleep longer by putting them down with a full belly, in a dark room with a white noise machine going. That will help you maximize your hands-free time
Lean Into The Velcro-ness Of It All
If your baby is a certified clinger, then you may have to just embrace that and find a way to achieve both things: your baby gets to be constantly held and you have more freedom to do things with your hands. That’s where figuring out a baby-wearing system comes in. Why carry your baby around in your hands when you can go “hands free” with a specialized baby wearing system like a backpack, wrap, or other types of carrier. Here are a few options we love for different ages:
Newborn up to 12 lbs: https://amzn.to/41eAjlu or https://amzn.to/3B7Ohv0
Can hold up head: https://amzn.to/3OIAyO9 or https://amzn.to/4f4cBM6
10-35lbs | broad coverage carrier: https://amzn.to/3D78KR1
Before You Go
We hope you enjoyed learning about the signs that you may have a velcro baby. If you are ready to understand more about how you can help your velcro baby sleep better, be happier and less clingy. Schedule your 1-hour paid deep dive call below.
We hope these tips have helped you along your journey. We are experts in all things baby and sleep and would love to help.
