Presented by Talli

We were supposed to send this newsletter yesterday but ya know, kids.

I’m in a chat group of moms who don’t know each other and recently the topic was all about schedules. I shared some tips that were well received so we made it the topic for today’s thought.

We are sharing the results of polls in the poll section. We love to see and share the results. Go check out the poll below!

Navigating your baby's schedule

Finding the Right Time for Routine

As new parents, one of the biggest challenges we face is figuring out when to establish a schedule for our baby's daily activities. Let's be honest, we're all just looking for a little predictability in our lives again! So, what's the deal? Should we stick to a strict timetable or opt for a more flexible routine? Let's break it down.

Understanding the Difference: Schedule vs. Routine

A schedule means setting specific times for activities like feeding, napping, and bedtime. It's all about consistency and sticking to a fixed timetable. On the other hand, a routine focuses on the order of activities rather than strict times. While certain things might happen around the same time each day, the emphasis with routines is being flexible and responding to your baby's needs.

Things to Consider

Before deciding whether to implement a schedule or routine for your baby, here are a few things to think about.

• Developmental Stages: In the early weeks and months, babies' needs change constantly, which makes it tricky to establish a strict schedule. But as they grow older and their sleep patterns become more predictable, a schedule becomes more doable.

• Temperament: Some babies love predictability and thrive on a structured schedule, while others are more adaptable and prefer a looser routine. Pay attention to your baby's cues to see which approach suits them best.

• Parenting Style: Your own preferences and lifestyle will play a role. Think about whether you prefer structure and organization or if you're more comfortable going with the flow.

• Health Considerations: Certain medical conditions or feeding challenges might require a more structured approach.

So, when can we finally have some predictability?

During the newborn stage, baby’s needs revolve around eating, sleeping, and, well, you know, the other thing. It's generally too early to establish a strict schedule, but we found that a schedule with 8 feedings per day can be matched to your baby’s existing patterns. Additionally, maintaining routines, like consistent bedtime rituals or short consistent wakeful periods between feedings, helped us feel more in control. It helped make our days more predictable and enabled more consistent support from the grandparents.

Our baby had dropped weight since birth and had jaundice, so making sure our baby got enough calories during the day was crucial for us. We loosely followed a feeding schedule every 2-3 hours and would wake baby up to eat. After the first two weeks, we refined the schedule based on alertness and sleepiness cues. Day and night confusion subsided quickly thereafter with drowsiness starting at 4pm and would wake too alert at 3am. Over several weeks we worked our way to bedtime at 8pm. Now, she's incredibly predictable and wakes up ready to eat within 15 minutes of her usual feeding time.

Having a schedule has been a game-changer for our sanity and has allowed us to maintain some semblance of a life. It's made planning outings and asking for help from family members much easier. Here are some examples of 3-month old schedules from Huckleberry and Taking Cara Babies.

We've learned to stay flexible and adjust our approach based on our baby's cues, especially with learning leaps. Paying attention to baby’s patterns is essential for successful planning. We used tracking apps like Huckleberry or Talli Baby to help us keep track of every detail and spot daily patterns. Whether you choose a timed schedule or decide to be more flexible and responsive, what matters most is that your baby feels loved, safe, and secure.

And remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. Trust your instincts and do what works best for you and your baby. #EBIDA

Last week we talked about baby cues and over 50 percent or respondents said they were mixing up overtired signs with other cues. 35 percent said they might have responded different with the information we shared in our post “Recognizing signs of an overtired newborn"

Tracking doesn’t get simpler than Talli

Being a parent means keeping track of a lot, even when it comes to things like diaper changes. We have been using Talli since bringing our baby home. Aside from the obvious reasons, like tracking early signs or symptoms of health issues, tracking this information has also helped us understand our baby’s patterns to build a feeding and sleeping schedule. It also helps tremendously with other caregivers as well. Talli is unique in that it is both a physical and app tracking solution for parents.

Talli has a small, easy-to-use gadget with buttons for common tasks like feeding, bowel movements, and sleeping. Setup was simple, the device connects to Wi-Fi to simplify tracking without your phone around all the time. The device runs on batteries and can be moved around easily. It’s great for the technology-challenged grandparents.

Using Talli was a relief, especially compared to stories from our friends about typing on notepads. The app is straightforward, making spotting trends and patterns painlessly simple. If you asked me how many ounces has my baby had on average over the past 7-days, I can share that instantly. If you asked me the timing patterns for daytime feedings for the past 30 days, I can see that with two clicks in the app. Despite a few hiccups related to changing volume metrics a few weeks into coming home, we found Talli surprisingly helpful in staying consistent with tracking.

While the physical device is a bit of a splurge at $99, it's great for families with multiple caregivers or those who prefer physical tracking methods. You can also use the Talli app without the physical buttons. Overall, Talli made managing our baby’s routines a lot easier.

Peace of mind made simple