Katie Bishop, CANCS, CISC, PPD 
As a new parent, you really hate the idea of making a mistake when it comes to raising and caring for your child. Mistakes are for people who didn’t prepare or study as much as we did in anticipation of our new baby, right? Unfortunately, even the most prepared can be susceptible to mistakes, but … Read more
Learn safe sleep best practices for newborns and infants. Discover expert tips to reduce risks, promote healthy sleep, and give parents peace of mind.
Discover effective ways to calm a fussy baby. Learn gentle, proven soothing techniques that help parents ease crying and create peaceful moments.
Discover simple self-care tips for new moms. Learn practical ways to recharge, reduce stress, and nurture your health while caring for your newborn.
One of the only things more stressful to think about other than having a new baby is to plan for your transition back into work after baby. Not only do you still have the little one to worry about, but now you also have to manage baby along with your job. In today’s blog, we’re … Read more
Ok, aside from babies, we love helping people put together the perfect packing list! In today’s article, we’re going to share with you some of our favorite and possibly most surprising tips for putting together the perfect diaper bag that will help you and your baby get into and out of just about any situation … Read more
If you currently have a newborn or are expecting one, then you may be curious about how to prepare both yourself and your little one for their first (inevitable!) playdate. Even for very young babies, having even the most basic social interactions can be helpful. They can see and experience other babies like themselves and … Read more
Getting a baby to sleep through the night can feel like a mystery to many new and expecting parents—but at The Early Weeks, it’s what we do best. As professional newborn care specialists and pediatric sleep consultants, we’ve supported families across the country in creating peaceful nighttime routines and healthy sleep habits right from the … Read more
It might seem like a simple task, but preparing your baby’s bottles for overnight feedings is one of the most important steps you can take to support smoother nights and a well-rested household. In those early weeks—when newborn life feels especially chaotic—having a safe and efficient system for bottle prep can make all the difference. … Read more
Preparing for your baby’s arrival often means focusing on the physical essentials — setting up a beautiful nursery, stocking up on diapers, burp cloths, swaddles, and baby clothes, and making sure you have basic medical supplies on hand. But what many new parents aren’t fully prepared for is the intense emotional, physical, and mental demands … Read more
As much as parents might cherish those diaper-changing days (and all the surprise checks that come with them), there comes a time when it’s time to move on — to potty training. Helping your toddler make the leap from diapers to using the toilet is a big milestone, and it can feel overwhelming if you’re … Read more
Burping babies has been a go-to punchline for TV and movie sitcoms for about as long as there have been sitcoms. While it plays well on the big screen, it is anything but a silly joke played for laughs. When your baby feeds, especially from a bottle, air bubbles and pressure can build up in … Read more
Summer is a wonderful season for making memories with your family — whether it’s beach days, backyard barbecues, or long road trips. But if you have a newborn or young baby, those fun outings can quickly become overwhelming. Between managing nap schedules, keeping your baby cool in the heat, and trying to maintain some sense … Read more
It goes without saying that having a baby is one of the most stressful things you can do in life, yet it is, of course, the most rewarding. Between the pregnancy, the delivery, the hospital, and adjusting to your literal new life after bringing your baby home, there isn’t a lot of time or attention … Read more
Traveling with a newborn is quite the proposition. It takes the already Herculean task of caring for a newborn child in the comfort of your own home and adds the stresses and challenges of travel on top. However, as we start this busy summer travel season, many parents of newborns may not have much of … Read more
Having a baby is such a wonderful journey, but it does come with its challenges, as you may imagine. The great thing is that you don’t have to face those challenges alone. If you and your partner are in need of some help throughout the night in order to help you catch up on sleep … Read more
Swaddling is a common practice among parents of newborns for good reason. It helps keep your baby comforted and helps them feel more secure and can even help them sleep longer and better. While swaddling has many benefits, knowing when to stop swaddling is key for your baby’s safety and continued development. In today’s article, … Read more
When you bring your first newborn home from the hospital, it can be pretty overwhelming, to say the least. As a new parent, you have probably purchased many things to help with your baby like diapers, fancy trash cans, car seats, strollers, and so on. It’s safe to say you’re pretty well prepared for handling … Read more
As a parent, especially of a newborn, you have to constantly be on the lookout for how your baby is feeling. The younger your child is, the less they are able to deal with certain diseases and medical complications on their own. The constant vigilance can be stressful, but it is of course very worth … Read more
Bathtime can be a fun, semi-relaxing time for parents and babies alike, but do you have a plan for what to do after the bath is over? In today’s blog, we’re going to walk through some of the fundamentals of what you can and should do after each bath in order to ensure that your … Read more
Safety. It’s a word that, to no one’s surprise, is on the minds of parents from day one, dollar one. While we would just love to help you do everything safely with your babies, today we are focusing on how to safely bathe your baby at any age, from newborn to toddler. While we will … Read more
There are a lot of challenges that are presented to new parents once they are able to take their little one home from the hospital. One thing that they have to face sooner rather than later is how to bathe a baby. Of course, it is similar to bathing oneself as a grown up, but … Read more
When you’re expecting your first child, it’s hard not to feel anxiety about nearly every aspect of child-rearing, especially during those crucial first hours, days, and months. You know intellectually that your whole world is about to be turned upside down, but you can’t really prepare for everything that will be thrown at you until … Read more
Pregnancy. When you are expecting a baby, especially your first, you may not be prepared for all of the secondary and tertiary problems that arise during the pregnancy process. Things like hormone imbalances and strange food cravings are just the tip of the iceberg. We don’t have enough time to dive into all of the … Read more
Just like any topic that has to do with caring for a newborn or any child for that matter, the topic of bathing has lots of intricacies and best practices, often with competing schools of thought. In today’s article, we’re going to help deliver a clear and concise set of tips that is designed to … Read more
The concept of a strict set “bedtime” is something more relevant to parents of older children, but what if we told you that some parents have been finding success with setting a “strict” bedtime for their 6 week old infants? It’s like Flaming Hot Cheetos, what seems crazy to one person, is delicious or even … Read more
We all know that when you first bring your newborn home from the hospital, you can expect to not sleep very well for the coming weeks and months. When can we parents expect to see some light at the end of that sleepless tunnel? The answer is, sooner than you may think. In today’s article, … Read more
There is an old saying that goes “get four doctors in a room and ask them a question and you’ll get 8 opinions.” When it comes to the world of parenting, especially newborns and infants, there are a lot of strongly held opinions. In today’s article, we’re going to cover the topic found in a … Read more
While “the witching hour” sounds like something out of a spooky campfire story, it’s really just a naturally occurring phenomenon or phase that occurs with many babies. It can be stressful, but it is perfectly normal. The challenge comes with both knowing what it is and then knowing how to deal with it successfully. In … Read more
Dealing with nighttime diaper leaks can be no fun for parents and babies alike. This common phenomenon is something that many parents have to deal with, so you’re not alone in this at all! In today’s blog, we wanted to explore this topic again with an eye toward helping you and baby stay dry all … Read more
Sleep is so important to so many factors in our lives. As parents of young children, even infants, we know that it is also something that is hard to get enough of, even if you really want to! In today’s article, we’re going to explore some techniques that you can start using in 2025 and … Read more
Happy Holidays! We wanted to do a holiday themed blog post this year to help celebrate our little ones and how this time of year is so special to them, from day one. So, thank you for reading and for being a part of our community. Outside of our sincerest and most heartfelt holiday wishes, … Read more
The importance of sleep for a baby cannot be overstated! But, what if your child is sleeping relatively well for long stretches, but that sleep isn’t as impactful or as restorative as it could be? Today, we’re going to talk about some signs that you can look out for to tell if your baby is … Read more
Expertise You Need: Certified Master Pediatric Sleep Consultant Certified Advanced Newborn Care Specialist (2016-2022) Board Certified Holistic Healthcare Practitioner 16 years professional childcare experience Certified Postpartum Doula (2015-2022) Travel & ROTA Nanny Katie has over 16 years experience working with children of all ages. As a Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Newborn Care Specialist, … Read more
There has been a lot of talk lately on popular social media platforms about whether or not you should feed your baby just before putting them down for bedtime. In today’s blog, we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of doing just that. As always, give us a shout out on social or in … Read more
Before you become a parent, people try to prepare you for things like not getting enough sleep or having to deal with dirty diapers and baby barf, but what they don’t prepare you for is how heartbreaking it is to see your little baby suffer from a cold. And the worst thing is that there … Read more
Traveling with Your Baby Over the Holidays: How to Enjoy Your Vacation and Sleep Well Traveling during the holiday season is a joyful yet challenging adventure, especially when you have a baby under one year old. Between navigating airports, packing essentials like strollers and play yards, and managing your baby’s sleep routine in unfamiliar places, … Read more
There are many ways to feed your baby and not every way may be right for you or your baby. Today, we are looking at the benefits of side lying bottle feeding and how it may be a good solution for you and your baby. As always, give us a shout out on social media … Read more
There are many benefits to investing in overnight newborn care for your child or children, but today we are going to go over the very top ones. If you don’t see your favorite benefit here, make sure to shout it out in the comments or on social media. We would love to hear about your … Read more
When you are faced with the proposition of helping your new baby develop healthy and optimal sleep patterns and routines, there are a LOT of options out there. As a new parent, one thing ‘they’ don’t prepare you for is the veritable onslaught of information and opinions from friends, family, and social media that will … Read more
As a new parent, one of the most precious yet challenging aspects of early parenthood is ensuring that your child gets enough sleep. A contact nap is a period of sleep in which the child is constantly being held by the parent or caregiver. Contact naps are about the only naps that your child can … Read more
Yes, the attachment parenting philosophy is all about forming strong bonds with your children, but what about times when you need to “detach”? Today, we are going to talk about some of the top ways in which you can set healthy boundaries with your children while also keeping in line with the core values of … Read more
With the rise of social media in our lives, and especially when it comes to parenting advice, it is difficult these days to decipher exactly what is best for you and your child. You may have heard about this unique style of parenting that is gaining a lot of popularity lately both on and off … Read more
To most grownups, a nap sounds like paradise. You get to take a part of your day and sleep for an hour or two so you can wake up recharged and ready to take on the rest of the day at your own pace. For parents though, naps can be a bit of a nightmare … Read more
Sleep training can be a difficult process regardless of how your baby gets their primary source of calories. Whether breastfed or bottle fed, your baby will have a unique set of circumstances and attributes that will determine how you will sleep train them. In today’s article, we’re going over tips and tricks specifically for how … Read more
As parents, we of course, love holding our babies. Sometimes, we just can’t get enough of holding those tiny, warm, fidgety and cute bundles of joy, but there are other times where we need to get some things done around the house or take care of our own personal hygiene among other things. Theoretically, this … Read more
Your baby is fussy. It’s past bedtime, and you know she just needs sleep. But she is refusing. And now you, too, are exhausted. It seems like a puzzle your brain doesn’t have enough energy to work through. Here are some common reasons your tired baby will not sleep: Overtiredness Babies, especially in their early … Read more
We know: if your baby doesn’t sleep, you don’t sleep. And sleep is important for everyone. No new mama wants to answer the question, “how’s he/she sleeping?” unless you’re one of the few parents who have one of those miraculous beings who sleep very well, naturally. The sleep-deprived moms definitely don’t want to hear about … Read more
Many of us hear about the horrors of labor. The pain, the pushing, the possibly pooing ourselves in front of practical strangers. But, we don’t always hear about afterwards: learning to breastfeed, getting babies through potential bouts of jaundice, the exhaustion, the vaginal pain, or the pain after the C-section, the hemorrhoids. And mostly: the … Read more
Babies and toddlers change and develop at such a rapid pace. This means two things: They need a good amount of sleep. Their sleep patterns and needs change rapidly as well. As a parent, you’re likely no stranger to the ever-evolving sleep patterns of babies and toddlers. Just when you think you’ve cracked the code … Read more
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
A strange phenomenon that happens for a lot of us is how mothers, while we’re pregnant, explain the agony of labor. It is labor, after all. But what’s not often described is the agony of the first months, the “fourth trimester,” as it’s sometimes known as. For moms who love their babies dearly, but are … Read more
Sleep time is crucial for babies as it plays a significant role in their overall growth, development, and well-being. Ensuring that you are providing the safest sleep environment to help support your baby’s growth and development is extremely important. We highly recommend parents use a sleep sack for their baby to support safe and productive … Read more
Good rest is very important to babies and caregivers alike. While the number one recommendation for new parents is to get enough rest, the number one thing new parents have trouble with is exactly that. Balancing the need for rest with the needs of a baby can seem like an impossible juggling act. This blog … Read more
One of the biggest challenges parents face can be calming and soothing a crying newborn. Undoubtedly everyone will have suggestions for how to soothe your baby. While there is no one quick answer, there are a few techniques to keep in mind that can help ease your infant. Here is what our team recommends to … Read more
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 to feel the … 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
Active sleep, also known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, is a stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements, increased brain activity, and muscle tone changes. In newborns, active sleep is particularly important for their development. We know active sleep is something parents are curious about, so we put together this blog as a … Read more
For a family working on crib sleep and establishing regular nap times, having your child fall asleep in the car can throw a real wrench in all of a parent’s diligent planning. This blog is focused on how to avoid an early nap in the car, what to do to recover if this happens, and … 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
Your little one has begun the painful process of teething. You may notice that the experience that your baby is having is beginning to affect their precious sleep. This blog is all about the how’s and whys of helping your little one sleep better, while going through teething. Please share with us your experiences in … Read more
Sleeping and eating. Besides being cute and lovable, those are an infant’s primary occupations. As parents, we have to be on top of ensuring that they get enough sleep and food each day and to optimize the benefit of both, it helps to be able to time everything out correctly. If you feed too close … 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
Sleep. Precious, precious sleep. We want our babies to sleep because it helps them grow and stay healthy and for so many other reasons, but it also helps that the more they sleep the more we (parents) get to sleep. In today’s article, we’re going to help you and your baby with just that: getting … 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
Newborns are just like adults except smaller and everything is different. All joking aside, there are some very specific things that you should be paying attention to in your newborn as a new parent or parent of a newborn. Aside from how often they eat and sleep, it’s vitally important to be paying attention to … Read more
Sleep is so valuable to both newborn and parent, yet during those crucial first few weeks and months, it seems that neither gets as much as they want. Well, in today’s blog, we’re going to cover a few ways in which you can get a little more sleep or to maximize the amount of sleep … Read more
This season is nothing if not full of travel. Whether you’re packing up the car and taking a road trip or you are flying the friendly skies on your favorite airline, traveling with a baby can make everything a little bit more complicated. The good news is that it is very doable and that you … 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
Traveling with kids of any age can be a daunting endeavor, but traveling with a newborn or young baby is an Olympic level undertaking to say the least. Yes, the easiest thing to do would be to avoid traveling all together, until the kids are 18 and ready to pick their college, but that isn’t … Read more
As a parent of a newborn, you’re definitely grateful for any amount of time that your baby is sleeping, however, when your child is sleeping restlessly or sleeping for only 30 to 45 minutes at a time between wake windows, then there may be another issue at hand. Short naps are very common during the … Read more
As the nights get longer and colder each year, it’s especially important to take steps to help keep your baby warm and comfortable through the night. This will help with your sanity as well as with the baby’s comfort and overall quality of life! If you’re a parent with a newborn during the fall and … 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
There’s a lot of different opinions out there concerning the best times to introduce your baby to solid (non-breastmilk) foods. We’d like to take some time today to give our thoughts and recommend some tips and best practices to help you best onboard your little one to the world of solid foods. There’s a lot … Read more
We’re definitely not trying to kick up a dust cloud by bringing up a topic that can be seen as controversial to some. We just wanted to share our thoughts and recommendations on this subject and to hear your thoughts and views as well. This is definitely a topic that is ripe for discussion and … Read more
Weighted sleep sacks for babies are a topic of some debate among experts. Weighted blankets and products have gained popularity for their potential to provide a sense of comfort and relaxation, particularly for individuals with sensory processing disorders or anxiety. However, when it comes to using weighted sleep sacks for babies, safety considerations are paramount. … Read more
Power pumping! No, it’s not the latest muscle building gym craze. It’s an innovative technique to help nursing mothers maximize their milk output potential by mimicking a baby’s cluster feeding cycle by using the breast pump to help your body produce more milk to meet the new higher demand. This technique can help mothers who … Read more
In today’s world of modern medicine, it’s so easy to try to solve just about every problem with a pill, but does that work for children? If your child is having trouble sleeping, especially if they are a young baby or toddler, then there may not be very many options for you to try in … Read more
Today, we are going to dive head-first, or maybe even chest-first, into the wide world of nipple shields. While they aren’t for everyone, they can definitely help with some issues while helping you to achieve your goals when nursing your infant. We are going to cover some use case scenarios as well as a few … Read more
Toddlers. Many people think that having your child grow from a newborn into a toddler can mean that you will have to deliver less 24/7 hands on attention to them, but they would be wrong. Toddlers, though not necessarily known for their inability to sleep through the night, can have just as troubled a relationship … Read more
Summer is drawing to a close and “back to school” season is upon us. This is actually the perfect time to start optimizing your schedule because it’s about to get busier! As a parent, we understand the challenges of juggling a busy schedule while wanting to provide the best care for our baby. One crucial … 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
It’s bound to happen. Many parents, especially first time parents struggle with sleep regressions in their newborns. It may not happen to every child at the same time, but there are clear patterns of sleep cycling and regression that emerge as the child ages into toddlerhood. The verdict for the child is simple, they are … 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
Summertime is such a bittersweet time for new parents or parents with infants. The weather is finally warm and the days are more often than not sunny and bright, however compared to the rest of the year, the sun just doesn’t want to go away when it’s time for baby to go to sleep at … 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
We have all heard the stereotypes and the jokes about babies not sleeping very well for their first few months and how that basically means that the parents don’t sleep for that time period as well. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why babies don’t sleep for long periods of time after they are … Read more
The pacifier. No, we’re not talking about the critically panned 2005 Vin Diesel film, we’re talking about something much more controversial, divisive, and important: actual pacifiers for babies. They say that if you want to get into an argument with friends or family these days then all you have to do is bring up religion … Read more
White noise isn’t just for grown ups with tinnitus! It’s actually a great tool to help you get your infant or young child to sleep faster and more soundly. White noise machines are available all over the web and even on our smartphones as apps or YouTube videos, but what white noise product is best … Read more
We all want our babies to sleep regularly and we’re grateful for every minute and hour that they do, but one question remains: how much sleep do they actually need? In today’s article, we’re going to look at the benchmarks and milestones for the duration of sleep that your child should be getting each day. … Read more
As parents of newborn children, it’s so easy to get caught up in the rhythm of feeding, sleeping, and changing our baby (not to mention tummy time!) that we can easily forget that it’s also good to add some outdoor time to the schedule as well. Yes, it can seem like a lot to handle … Read more
We talk a lot in our blog about helping your infants and younger babies with their sleep and other challenges but we don’t spend a lot of time talking about how to help toddlers with their sleep. Well today, we’re going to do just that! We know that just because a baby grows up a … Read more
What is something more valuable than gold yet can’t be held or locked in a vault? If you answered “sleep” then you are correct! Sleep is one of the things in our lives that is so crucial to our day to day function and overall success yet it can’t be bought, sold, or traded 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
Bringing a baby home from the hospital is stressful enough on its own without having to worry about pets and how they will react. Most dogs are going to be fine with a new member of the household, but there are definitely times when they would not be so okay with it. Many injuries to … 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
Most of us have heard about chiropractors and you may have even been to one recently, however, did you know that there are many chiropractors that specialize in pediatric patients? Pediatric chiropractor treatment is growing in popularity at an enormous rate these days, mostly due to the profession being more widely accepted in popular culture … Read more
If your baby has a tongue tie or lip tie it can impact many areas of your baby’s daily routine. In today’s article, we’re going to explore what these areas typically are and how you can both recognize the signs of a potential lip or tongue tie and how you can get your child on … Read more