• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MY PREGNANCY BABY

Hip Chick's Guide to PMS, Periods, Pregnancy & Babies

  • Home
  • PMS
  • Pregnancy
    • Maternity Fashion
    • Preconception / Trying to Conceive
    • Pregnancy Complications
    • Pregnancy Diet
    • Pregnancy Fitness
    • Pregnancy Health
    • Pregnancy Lifestyle
    • Prenatal Care
    • Postpartum
  • Babies
    • Baby Development
    • Baby Health
    • Baby Safety
    • Feeding Baby
    • Life with Baby
    • Baby Gear and Products
  • Parenting
  • Women’s Health

Babies

Sleep Regression at 8 Months: Tips and Tricks to Cope

by DP Nguyen Leave a Comment

8 Months Sleep Regression

Getting a good night’s sleep is hard enough for any parent with a baby, but the sleep regression at eight months is killer. By eight months old, your baby most likely has established a good sleeping routine, has been sleeping great for months… and then BAM, he/she suddenly decides to shake up your world by NOT napping, NOT sleeping as well as he/she used to, fighting sleep. It’s rough!

It’s very common for sleep regression to occur at 4 months, 8 months, and 18 months old. These often occur in conjunction with developmental leaps. (Didn’t you notice that your baby made some major strides in development at 4-5 months and he/she was super fussy? That’s how it was with my baby.)

At 8 months, your baby’s probably going some mental or developmental leap, plus he/she is teething. For most babies at this age, they already have one or two bottom teeth, but soon the top teeth will be popping up. All of these changes can lead to one cranky baby.

What is sleep regression?

Sleep regression in babies is when a baby who was sleeping well suddenly changes his/her habits. Your baby will start to wake up several times in the night (whereas before, they may have sleep through the night). Your child may start waking up very early in the morning. Your baby who used to take long naps might start to only have cat naps or very short naps. Sometimes, your baby fights napping all together.

At 8 months, my baby who was a great sleeper, great self-soother started to scream every time we tried to put him down for a nap. When he would nap, he’d only sleep for maybe 20 minutes at a time and then be super cranky. He’d wake up every times in the night, whereas previously he’d only wake up once. Then he’d wake up at 3am and be awake for the day. It was very exhausting for us!

The 8 Month Sleep Regression

The 8 month sleep regression can occur anytime between 8 to 10 months. At this time, there’s a lot of brain activity and change. Your baby’s brain development is going through rapid changes. Your child may be learning to crawl, pulling up, making more language connections (with “mama” and “dada” sounds). Often, many moms find that sleep regressions occur when your baby is on the verge of a milestone.

So it’s good news… you’ll just be very tired during this stage of baby development.

8 Month Sleep Regression

So what’s an exhausted parent to do when their baby is going through a sleep regression? Here are some tips that may help you cope.

Change your sleep schedule. If your baby is waking up extra early in the morning, you may want to go to bed earlier so you can catch extra zzz’s. Go to bed at the same time as your baby, even if this means you’re in bed by 8pm. This way you’re more alert in the wee hours of the morning when the baby needs you. Also, take naps whenever your baby is napping. Sleep regressions are super exhausting, so you should get all the sleep you can get.

Give your baby extra feedings. During sleep regressions, your baby is going through major developmental changes and possibly growth spurts. He/she may need more to eat to help him/her sleep more soundly during naps and at night. A full tummy always helps babies sleep better.

Keep your routine the same – Try keeping your daily routine the same. Try putting your baby down for naps at the same time you used to. And make sure your baby has a calm, soothing nursery atmosphere. You may want to use a white noise machine to help him/her sleep.

Resist giving in to your baby. Although it’s tempting to always let your baby sleep in your arms, especially if he/she won’t self-soothe like he/she used to, you don’t want to start any bad habits that will be hard to break later.

If your baby needs a few more minutes of cuddling before you set him/her down in the crib, it’s okay to do that. Just be careful about not always nursing him/her to sleep, or always holding him/her to sleep. This can cause bad habits later on.

If you were doing sleep training, like cry it out, continue to practice that.

Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. Sleep regressions are really hard and exhausting, so ask for your help if you need it. Maybe your best friend or mom can come over during the day, so you can catch an extra nap. Ask your partner to take shifts with you. Try to take care of your emotional and mental health during this hard period.

How long will the 8 month sleep regression last?

Fortunately, sleep regressions will go away in 1-2 months, no more than six weeks. It won’t be long before your baby who was sleeping well will go back to sleeping great. Just hang in there until then.

Filed Under: Babies, Baby Development Tagged With: Sleep Regression, baby development, baby developmental milestones

10 Things Wish I Knew About Breastfeeding

by DP Nguyen 1 Comment

The truth about breastfeeding

The truth about breastfeeding is it’s freaking hard work. It takes time, dedication, and a commitment to make it successful. You’re going to go through some hurtles – maybe a clogged duct here, an engorged breast there – but it’s so worth it in the end.

I absolutely LOVE breastfeeding my son. There’s nothing that makes me feel connected as a mama than nursing my baby. He’s now 7 months old and we are still breastfeeding. I don’t plan to stop nursing until at least a year old.

I’ve had a very successful breastfeed journey, but I do want to share 10 things I wish I knew about breastfeeding before I got started. I hope that this article helps some of you expecting mamas out there.

I’m not a lactation consultant, but I’ve successfully nursed my baby since he was born. This is my story.

[Read more…] about 10 Things Wish I Knew About Breastfeeding

Filed Under: Babies, Postpartum, Feeding Baby, Life with Baby, Breastfeeding Tagged With: breastfeeding, breastfeeding stories, new mom

Self-Care Advice for New Mothers

by DP Nguyen 1 Comment

Self Care for New Moms

Self Care for New MomsMy best friend from college had her first baby six months ago. I adore my “niece” and I was there when she was born, and I was able to stay to help my friend for several days after her delivery. And my friend needed all the emotional and physical support she could get. Take care of a baby is an exhausting 24/7 responsibility that never ends. Her husband works night shifts, so he is sleeping most of the day, and unfortunately can’t give her the help that a partner working day shifts can. As a result, my friend is always exhausted and stressed. She doesn’t eat well – because she has no time to eat with taking care of her baby – and she’s lost a lot of weight. Her short term memory is out the window, and her mood suffers. She is neglecting her self-care.

Self-care is so important when you are a new mom. It will help keep your sanity.

So what are some self-care tips for new mothers? (Not all of these may help you and some may not be realistic depending on other factors, but I hope they help, even a little!) [Read more…] about Self-Care Advice for New Mothers

Filed Under: Life with Baby Tagged With: life with baby, new mom self care, self care for moms

Surviving the NICU As a New Parent

by DP Nguyen Leave a Comment

How to Survive the NICU As a New Parent

How to Survive the NICU As a New ParentRecently, a friend of mine had a baby. She had a textbook pregnancy and gave birth right on schedule to an almost nine-pound baby. It should have been the happiest day of her life.

But it wasn’t.

At some point during the delivery or before, the baby inhaled meconium and developed an infection. Instead of cuddling her new little one in her arms, the mom and dad were frantically driving to a hospital in a larger city as their new baby was airlifted to their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU for short.

How do families deal with having their dreams deferred by a side trip to the NICU? How can you prepare for an experience like that? How can you help a friend of family member that is looking at their baby through a plastic crib cover? [Read more…] about Surviving the NICU As a New Parent

Filed Under: Babies, Baby Health, Life with Baby Tagged With: NICU survival, parent advice, surviving NICU

Why are Muslin Swaddle Blankets so Popular?

by DP Nguyen 2 Comments

Aden and Anais Swaddling Blanket

Aden and Anais Swaddling BlanketMuslin swaddle blankets have become incredibly popular in the last few years. Aden and Anais swaddles, in particular, are taking the market by storm and have done a fabulous job creating beautiful 100% muslim swaddles.

But what makes muslin baby blankets so popular? And why are more moms choosing to swaddle with muslin, rather than cotton and other blends?

First, what is muslin?

Muslin fabric has been around for centuries. Clothes made with muslin – a lightweight, finely woven breathable cotton fabric – were first worn by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The fabric has its origins in Bangladesh, and was imported to Europe in the 1800s, where its popularity increased. Muslin clothes were especially popular in the summertime and warmer temperatures, because of its breathability.

Muslin is one of the purest and most gentle fabrics available, and it’s only fitting that companies like Aden and Anais use it to make their beautiful muslin swaddling blankets.

Muslin is Breathable

The breathability of muslin has made this fabric very fitting for use with babies. Muslin is made with an open weave; the threads go over and under each other, allowing it to be lightweight and breathable. Muslin prevents your infant from overheating, since his/her body heat can escape through the open weave, while still keeping baby snug and warm. Other swaddling blankets keep baby’s body temperature inside, which can cause baby to get too hot and uncomfortable. (Plus, overheating can be a risk factor for SIDS. So you will want to avoid this!)

It’s very durable and stands the test of time.

The durability of muslin swaddle blankets also make them beloved by parents. Muslin is strong and durable and can withstand many washes. In fact, the muslin fabric itself will get softer the more you wash it. Muslin baby blankets also have a natural stretchiness about them, so you can easily swaddle your baby without immobilizing him or her. Your baby can still move comfortably, without being able to move too much. The snugness of these swaddles help your little one feel cozy and comfy, just like the feeling of still being in the womb.

Muslin swaddling blankets are so lovely, and I have no doubt will remain popular for many years to come. What are your favorite muslin blankets, and why?

Filed Under: Babies, Baby Safety Tagged With: muslin swaddle blankets, swaddle blankets, swaddling

Countdown to Baby: 7 Tips to Help You Prepare for Having a Baby

by DP Nguyen 6 Comments

Tips for After Your Baby is Born

Countdown to Giving Birth

Once the excitement of your baby’s presence has set in, and your pregnancy progresses through its beautiful and sometimes challenging phases, there are many important tasks to focus on as you prepare yourself for “go-time.”
[Read more…] about Countdown to Baby: 7 Tips to Help You Prepare for Having a Baby

Filed Under: Pregnancy, Babies, Pregnancy Lifestyle, Life with Baby, Guest Posts Tagged With: having a baby

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 16
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Copyright © 2023 · Genesis Sample on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Manage Cookie Consent
We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional cookies Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}