Your 24-Week-Old Baby

Milestone: Drinking from a Cup (With Help!)

While your baby’s preferred mode of drinking is still probably breast or bottle, it’s a good idea to introduce a cup into the rotation. They might not quite know what to do with it, or drink much from it at first, but trying out this “mystical drink vessel” early on will make the transition smoother down the road.

As with all new things, there’s a learning curve. Rather than a regular cup, start out with a sippy cup, which features a lid, to minimize messes and spills. There are four popular styles: soft spout, hard spout, straw and flat lid (called 360s).

A soft spout is a good starter sippy, since it’s the most similar to a bottle nipple. It all comes down to your baby’s preference, so you may have to try a few types before you settle on a favorite. An easy way to get one in the mix: place a cup with water on your kiddo’s highchair during mealtimes so it becomes a regular part of the routine. Need some inspiration? Here are Babylist parents’ must-have sippy cups.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends phasing out bottles between 12 and 24 months of age. So if your little one isn’t into a shiny new cup now, don’t sweat it. Try out those big kid cups again around their first birthday.

Bumbo Seat Safety

Parents and babies have big love for the portable Bumbo floor seat. But just remember, floor is the key word. Bumbos shouldn’t be placed on a table, counter, couch or bed. Especially as your baby gets more mobile, their movements could cause the seat (and them!) to topple over when not placed on a proper surface. So keep your kiddo safely buckled into his Bumbo on the floor for feedings and playtime.

Was That a French cry?

Fun fact: Scientists have found that newborn cries mimic their parents’ native language. Long before they can say mama, babble or even coo, their exposure to language in the womb sets the tone (literally!). So, not only are they hearing language patterns and melodies in utero, they’re able to imitate them from the get-go with their first cries.

Scientists analyzed the cries of 60 newborns (30 born into French-speaking families and 30 born into German-speaking families). The results showed clear differences in the melodies of their cries, based on their native tongue. French babies cried with rising melody patterns, while German newborns preferred falling melody patterns—right on par with how their parents speak. Pretty cool, oui?

Nap Know-How

Newborns are notoriously awesome at sleeping on-the-go (it must be their way of redeeming themselves for all those sleepless nights!). But at this age, it’s time to nip those car and stroller naps in the bud.

By 24 weeks old, your baby should be taking two solid naps (morning and afternoon). Catching sporadic snoozes on the road doesn’t beget the quality sleep they need. And you may end up with an overtired, cranky kiddo on your hands.

Sticking to regular naps in the crib helps your little one’s body anticipate sleep, find comfort in their nursery surroundings and get the right amount of ZZZs. Plus, it gives you much needed downtime for yourself. You can clean up the dishes, or totally ignore them. Do a yoga workout online, or catch up on Netflix. Fit in some work, or take a snooze yourself.

Whatever you do, it’s nice to be able to count on some quiet time during the day to recharge your parenting batteries. If you’re at work during the week, be sure to keep up with your caregiver’s nap schedule on the weekends so things stay consistent.

Your Body: Scared to Sneeze?

So you’re about six months into this whole motherhood thing, which can feel like an eternity (especially when no one sleeps during the night). But if you gave birth, it’s actually still a short window of time in terms of recovering. So if you’re still experiencing the good old “pee-and-sneeze,” or other types of bladder control issues, you’re not alone.

Doing your kegels regularly can help minimize those symptoms and strengthen your pelvic floor. The best part? You can discreetly do them when you’re watching TV, working, commuting, standing in line at the grocery store—really anywhere. Simply squeeze the inner muscles you’d use to stop yourself from peeing mid-flow. Each time you squeeze, hold the contraction for five seconds. Then relax for five seconds (be sure to completely unsqueeze). Do this five times in a row and work your way up to more reps, and longer holds. To see better results, do your kegels a few times a day.

If you have questions or concerns about bladder control or your pelvic floor, talk to your doctor to get to the bottom of any issues. There are even pelvic floor physical therapists who can help.