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
A lot can change in the New Year. As the holiday season finally and mercifully comes to an end, our entire next year of new beginnings is starting. The new year can bring motivation, change, and exciting adventures! If you have a little baby during this transitional time, then you may want to consider changing … 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
Tummy time is a great way to help your child develop strength and important motor skills early and quickly in life. They can have fun and enjoy spending time with you doing fun things or playing with silly toys. However, it’s not always easy as a parent to stay on top of tummy time or … Read more
Sleep sacks for babies! No, we’re not going camping, although that sounds really fun right now (can’t wait for summer to come back!), but we are talking about safe, easy, and excellent ways to help your newborn baby get to sleep using these wondrous sleeping contraptions. Sleep sacks and swaddles really are worth their weight … Read more
If you or someone you know has a baby who has reflux, then you know that the struggle is real. Having a newborn is already challenging enough without the added layer of stress and effort that reflux brings. Don’t worry. Even though it seems hopeless at times, you’re not alone! Many babies and parents have … Read more
The holidays. The phrase is so interesting because it is synonymous with both extreme joy and extreme stress. Getting together with family can be a wonderful occasion, especially when good food and beverages are involved, but it can also be stressful to organize everything in order to make it possible. This is of course on … Read more
Whether in the home or the office, the battle over the thermostat for the perfect ambient temperature rages on. Some people run cold and need it set high, while others run hot and need it to be down low to function. It’s hard enough to get a room full of adults to agree on an … Read more
Today we wanted to talk about sleep positions for your baby and specifically about the benefits of sleeping your child on their back. So, when should you allow your baby to sleep on their backs at night and nap time? Well, the fast answer is: always and as often as possible. According to many studies, … Read more
Reflux is so difficult to deal with as a parent. You want to help them feel better, but it is so difficult to help them stop having reflux in the moment. You just have to be there for them and help get them cleaned up and ride it out with them. Luckily, there are some … Read more
Sometimes, taking care of a newborn or infant can seem like you’re playing a high stakes game of Jenga. You can work so hard to build up your tower but in one instant, it can all come crashing down around you. That is exactly what experiencing sleep regression in a baby can feel like. Well, … Read more
A night nurse, Newborn Care Specialist, or newborn night nanny is a professional who helps with the overnight care of a newborn baby(ies) within the family’s home, specifically during the first few crucial weeks and months of a baby’s life. This is a profession that requires many areas of expertise, including newborn care, sleep training, … Read more
It’s tough enough to get through the first few days and weeks with a newborn, but it can be especially tough if your newborn can only sleep or be restful when they are in your arms. Sleep is vitally important for both baby and parents during these crucial first few weeks and it’s important that … Read more
Colic is one of those newborn baby topics that nearly every new parent on the planet has heard of. Either themselves or their friends or family members have experienced it with their babies. Your pediatrician may have told you “hang in there. Your baby will grow out of it in 3-4 months”. As a new … Read more
So you want your bed back? It’s perfectly normal. Your bed was once a place where you could get a full night’s rest without fear of being kicked in the face by a toddler or having your pillow and blanket stolen by the same. Co-sleeping is a joy, don’t get the wrong idea, but there … Read more
Sleep. One of the most valuable resources the world over, yet so scarce for new parents and parents of young children. If there was only a magic button we could press that would make us feel rested! Until that day comes, we are on our own to get the rest we need as parents and … Read more
The holidays are such a fun time of year, especially if you have a toddler or two at home. In most homes, decorating the Christmas tree is a much looked forward to annual event and may involve multiple Christmas festivities including music, a big dinner, and lots of eggnog! Although fun and family inclusive, … 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
This time of year it’s easy to miss a few hours of sleep here and there, especially when wrangling the holidays, the in-laws, and especially the little ones. When mom or dad miss a few good nights of sleep, we can be a little cranky or drowsy, but coffee can help with that, yet when … Read more
Ear infections are no fun for both parent and child. They are unfortunately rather common as nearly five out of every six children will have one before the age of three in the U.S. according to the NIH. An earache can have many causes, which include cold and flu viruses, and bacterial infections among others. … Read more
Even at the best of times, Thanksgiving is an overwhelming and stressful time. These days, it can be even more so, especially with a newborn infant in tow. Luckily, we have come up with a few time honored expert tips and strategies that you can use to help you and your partner navigate this holiday … 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
A household employee like a nanny, gardener, or newborn care specialist can make life so much easier in today’s busy world. They can make a huge impact on the quality of our lives and the lives of our children by allowing us to provide the close hands on care for them while being able to … Read more
It’s that time of year where we start getting calls and emails from clients in a bit of a worry or slight panic. “How do we adjust for the time change?” “Is this going to be as awful as we think it will be?” “What is the best way for us to prepare Daylight Savings!?” … Read more
Congratulations! You have recently selected your perfect nanny! For many families, this person will become an integral part of your support team. We know that the journey in finding your ideal match can be very challenging for some. Now that you have found your ideal nanny, we want to help you keep her/him for as … Read more
So your little one is finally sleeping through the night (HOORAY!), but they are waking up in the early morning hours soaking wet, with a full diaper. While this isn’t an emergent issue, it’s usually a bit annoying for many families because it creates more laundry (daily) and often causes babies, and their parents. to … Read more
What exactly is a cat-nap? Cat naps are short naps, typically between 30-45 minutes. Why does my baby catnap? There are several reasons: First, When your baby is a newborn, their sleep is very immature. There is a natural tendency for them to only sleep for 1 sleep cycle (30-45 minutes), vs connecting … Read more
TRUE or FALSE?? Babies less than 2 weeks old can get full feeds and go three hours between feeds. TRUE! Once mom’s milk has come in, usually by day 5 postpartum, a newborn can and absolutely should be able to transfer what they need to make a 2.5-3 hour time stretch. 2 hours is on … Read more
Recently, a client wanted to know some good activity options for her 4-month old. Her baby had recently transitioned to a different schedule, which allowed for a bigger chunk of awake time. With this new found time on their hands, mom needed some ideas to help change things up and keep her little one from … Read more
Welcoming a baby into the world is one of the most life changing and altering events a couple will ever experience. Few others will come close. Many transitions take place and as parents and siblings navigate their new roles, a lot of trial and error, as well as give and take occurs. Today, I wanted … Read more
A few days ago, I received a call from a new dad. It was late at night and he and his wife were struggling with their 5 day old baby. Neither of them were getting more than 20-30 minutes of sleep at a time and neither was their newborn baby. “We don’t know if he’s … Read more
When Should You Stop Swaddling Your Baby? If you are reading this, chances are you are a new parent and trying to understand what is the right age to stop swaddling your baby. I’m glad you are here, because there is a lot of information out there on Google Land, in parenting groups or safe … Read more
Today, I wanted to post briefly about the importance of daytime sleep and why it’s helpful to help facilitate, by “forcing a nap” when needed. Daytime sleep for babies (and toddlers) is incredibly important. Without proper sleep many things happen: Short naps of 30-45 minutes Lack of REM sleep Baby doesn’t feed well because they … Read more
2020 has been a year for the books! It will be forever remembered as a year of struggle, loss, chaos and uncertainty. Relentless is a great word for you, 2020! However, it’s also been a great year! In the midst of the pandemic, it seems most of us have embraced all the changes … Read more
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a new or expectant new parent and have questions about giving your baby their first bath. You may wonder: When is it safe to give my baby a bath? How old should my baby be for their first bath? Can I bathe with my newborn? Can I … Read more
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Rock N Play Recall It’s a hot and debated topic right now. As of Tuesday April 9th, 2019, The American Academy of Pediatrics has formally stated that they are pushing for the recall of Fisher Price Rock N Plays. The push for recall comes over several years of so called infant deaths caused by the … Read more
For local friends and family, supporting new parents after the birth of a baby is a little easier. You may offer to drop off dinner, take an older sibling out for a play date or pick up a few items at the grocery store. But friends and family out of state don’t have this luxury. … Read more
The following is an e-mail I received at 2 am a few weeks ago: “In need of Sleep” “We have a beautiful, baby girl that just turned 5 months old. She is not sleeping much at all, whether it be at night or during the day. We have kept her schedule pretty consistent and it … Read more
Recently, I had the privilege of working with a struggling new mom. Immediately upon my arrival, I noticed the dark circles under her eyes and that of her accompanying 3.5 month old. She had reached out to me about 8 weeks prior at the recommendation of a mutual friend. We chatted then, but she held … Read more
When you have a newborn, it can become very easy to forget to eat, or grab whatever is the most convenient at the time, even if it’s not the healthiest option. Before your baby is born, try to stock up on not only freezer meals you can pull out at any time, but easy one … Read more
Having a baby is one of life’s greatest joys and gifts. A new life has been created, a family expanded and the next generation is being formed. As amazing as it is to bring a new life into this world, a lot happens in the weeks and months before a baby is born and having … Read more
Congratulations! You are currently expecting or have recently just had your little one. Getting to this point may have been easy or unexpected. Or, it may have been a huge struggle filled with fertility and IVF treatments, surrogacy and challenges that possibly took years to achieve. Regardless of your journey to this point, you are … Read more