"Moment for Mom": Q&A from the RNs at NAPS
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Hey friends!
We're back in your inbox 📥 today with more of our Moment for Mom questions and a reminder that if you don't see your question below, or you just want to dive deeper into any of these topics, we're always available to chat with you virtually! Just schedule a 30-minute phone consult to talk with a Registered Nurse about anything and everything from newborn sleep to toddler tantrums.
Q: If baby doesn't finish breastmilk bottle, how long until it needs to be tossed? A: Don't waste that liquid gold! 🤱 You can definitely put it back in the fridge and save it for the next feeding. Check out and bookmark this article full of great advice on breast milk storage and usage from one of our favs, Emily Oster.
Q: Cribsheet made me depressed, is breastfeeding really not better than formula? A: Don't let that be your takeaway! Fed is best, but research shows that breastmilk has tons of antibodies that formula does not have. BUT, whatever is best for your family is always the best! ❤️
Q: How to do bedtime routine elsewhere? Going to a friend's for dinner with baby in tow. A: Be consistent, and baby will do great! Try to create the same sleeping environment at your friend's house that baby has at home. Noise machine, light-blocking curtain, sleep sack...whatever you use at home, pack it up and bring it with you!
Q: Is it normal for my boobs to tingle in pain when it's cold (BFing)? A: Yes, totally normal! Nothing to worry about. But if you ever do want to talk to one of our certified lactation specialists, you can book a consult here.
Q: Does the working mom/daycare guilt EVER end? A: Honestly, no, not really, but it does get easier. At NAPS, we're lucky because we're surrounded by working moms who support each other, but we get that not everyone has a built-in mom friend community. If you're looking for your own community, come to our next Working Moms' Survival Group™! Our Nurse Practitioner, Ellen, is leading a group beginning on May 9th at 7pm.
Q: 13 mo - when to get rid of sleep sack? A: Never! (Ha!) 😜 No, but seriously, it helps prevent baby from jumping out of the crib, so definitely don't ditch the sleep sack until they are in a bed! This is a really common issue, so we often refer to this blog for alternatives to the traditional sleep sack.
For more customized advice, schedule a time to chat with one of our nurses! -2.png?width=600&upscale=true&name=Set%20up%20and%20November%20(3)-2.png)
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Also in Our Blog
What’s the Difference Between a Swaddle and a Sleepsack
Five Questions about Early Morning Wakeups for Baby
The team at NAPS helps you tackle the issue of early wakeups. *BONUS* NAPS is hosting a webinar on February 24th. Register here and use the extra-special code MAGICMERLIN and you can join the webinar FREE of charge!
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The sound of cheery calls of “MAAAAMAAAAA” from the next room may be lovely at 7am. At 4am, or 5 am, not so much. Your baby may be up and ready to start the day, but you probably aren’t.
Answering the questions below may help you get there.
- Is your nap schedule mucking up your baby’s overnight sleep?
This might seem like an obvious question, but your baby’s sleep needs will change fast in the first few years of their lives. A quick look at the average nap number and duration might give you an idea:
- For babies from 3-6 months old, it’s normal to take 3-4 hour-long naps per day.
- For babies 6-15 months old, expect 2 naps with 3-3.5 hours of total sleep.
- For one and two-year-olds, you should expect a single 2-hour nap.
Part of the reason you might be seeing earlier wakeups is that your baby has graduated from one nap cycle to the next.
- Does your baby have enough time between their last nap and their bedtime?
We call this an “awake window,” and it can make a big difference. It might seem strange that your baby went to bed fine the night before, and you’re seeing a response to nap scheduling in the pre-dawn hours, but if your kiddo’s sleep is disrupted at night, it will impact the morning.
- 3-6 months, at least 1.5-2 hours between final nap wakeup and bedtime.
- 6-12 months, at least 2.5-3.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- 12-18+ months, 3.5-4.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- Is the room staying dark after the sun comes up?
Black 0ut curtains can make a big difference here. Remember that our brains signal wakeup when the light changes. So if dawn is at 430am, and even a little bit of light comes into your baby’s room, their little brains will PING with wake up juice.
- Is your baby going to sleep too early or too late?
It might seem counter-intuitive, but a late bedtime can actually backfire on you. Overtired kids don’t sleep as well. If you made their bedtime later and it didn’t fix the problem, try an earlier bedtime and see if that helps. You might be surprised.
- How do you make it better?
Try to make one change at a time; just one. Stick with that change for 3-5 days to see if it impacts things. (One night is usually not enough to see substantial change.) Be as consistent as you can with the change you made. For instance, if you decide to increase the space between bedtime and final nap wakeup, make sure to stick to the wakeup time you planned.
If your baby is waking up and chirping happily to themselves, feel free to leave them there for a little while. Let them get used to being alone in the crib. If you can, try to delay the start of the day by 5-10 minutes each day. This can make a big impact.
Everything else aside, remember that this is a short time in your kid’s life; as they get older, their sleep will become more regular, and so will yours. Don’t let yourself get too discouraged. Things are hard now, and you’re doing a great job.
