Your 11-Week-Old Baby

Starting Schedules

Life probably still feels like a 24-hour awake cycle with bursts of sleep thrown in here and there. You’re (hopefully!) in the home stretch and on your way to having a more reliable schedule with more substantial sleep.

At this stage of baby’s development, they are getting into a more natural sleep rhythm, taking three naps a day (early morning, late morning/early afternoon and late afternoon), and going to bed at around the same time each night. Try to keep the nap times consistent so you can anticipate when your little one needs more ZZZs (before the crankiness sets in), and—although it’s tough—try to avoid too many naps on the go.

Keep up with your routines so your baby gets the sleep they need (and you’ll get a nice little break!). Schedules are usually a work in progress, but consistency is key.

Try This: Write Down Questions for Your Pediatrician

Even though you’re a regular at the pediatrician’s office during the newborn months, there’s usually an important question you wished you remembered to ask: Is there a such thing as too much drool? Will I ever sleep again? Does this (insert concern of the day) look normal? Take a few minutes to jot down a master list before you head to your appointments. Or better yet, create an ongoing list on your phone.

There are tons of list-making apps available (like Todoist), or keep it simple and use an app that’s built into your phone, like Notes for those with an iPhone. This way, anytime a thought pops into your head that you want to ask the doc, you can add it on the fly. During the appointment, just run down the list.

Milestone: Getting Grabby

Your baby’s cute little fingers are starting to work a little harder as they reach, pull and grab. Offer different objects to hold on to, like a rattle, an Oball (all of the holes are really helpful for newbies!), Sophie the Giraffe or a favorite teether.

Help your kiddo master this new skill by guiding their fingers and clasping them around a toy. Heads up: your hair may be next, so do yourself a favor and just put it in a ponytail. Ditto for dangling jewelry.

Sleep Tip: Naptime in the Crib

During the first few months, newborns are often happiest snoozing in small, cozy spots like a bassinet. They’ll even fall asleep in a room with the TV on, and especially while being fed and/or rocked. But now is a good time to try and transition naptime to the crib. We know it’s hard to mess with a good thing, but you’ll be way better off in the long run if you start to help your baby adjust to their crib.

Pelvic Floor Recovery

Even if you received two thumbs up from your healthcare provider at your 6-week follow-up visit, your pelvic floor takes time to recover. This important group of muscles extends from the pubic bone to the tailbone, helping to support your organs, maintain sexual function and keep you from peeing when you sneeze (among many other things).

Pelvic floor recovery has traditionally not been prioritized as a part of postpartum recovery, but fortunately, that is beginning to change. Ask your healthcare provider what you can do to help heal and strengthen your pevlic floor. This may include:

• Do your Kegels: Kegels are incredibly beneficial exercises, but the trick is doing them properly and consistently. Getting an expert (like your healthcare provider or a physical therapist)to ensure you’re doing this exercise the right way will increase how effective it is. Generally, to get started, tighten your pelvic floor muscles (the ones you would use to hold pee mid-stream), hold the contraction for five seconds and then relax for five seconds. Do this at least five times in a row. Work your way up to more reps and longer durations (10 seconds at a time). Remember to breathe and don’t clench your butt or abdomen.
• See an expert: Talk to your doctor and get a referral to a physical therapist that specializes in postpartum health, especially if you’re having symptoms like incontinence, pain during sexual activity or ab separation. Often, seeing a specialist is a great first step to make sure you are healing properly. They’ll be able to pinpoint underlying issues and create a plan to help you properly heal and stabilize your core and pelvic floor.
• Exercise: Workouts like pilates and yoga can help you tone and strengthen your core and pelvic floor muscles. As long as you’re cleared for excerise, give these a try. And don’t overdo it. Be sure to ease your way back into a workout routine and listen to your body first.

Parenting Podcasts

What makes washing bottles or a walk with a snoozing baby more interesting? Listening to an awesome podcast. Here are a few favorites that provide great insight, perspective and helpful advice on parenting.

• Simple Families: Need a little more order among the chaos? From mealplanning to mindfulness, toy decluttering to workout tips, you’ll get awesome solutions to simplify life and save your sanity.
• The Longest Shortest Time: For those living in the newborn haze and well beyond, each episode features fascinating stories and interviews about the ups and downs of parenthood from experts and fellow parents.
• Coffee + Crumbs: If you love this blog’s honest (often tear-jerking!) essays on motherhood, you’ll love their podcasts. Keep the tissues handy.
• One Bad Mother: Need a laugh? If you currently have spit-up in your hair, then yes, yes, you do. Look no further to commiserate on the wild ride that is motherhood.