Life with a baby can be a bit chaotic with feeds on demand, dirty nappies as you are about to leave the house, they can cry for seemingly no reason and you can make no sense of naps and let’s not mention night time sleep
Solutions and routine can look attractive to new parents who strive for more control over their day.
Your baby’s brain is developing all the time because your baby is constantly growing and learning and each day has an impact on how settled he is. And this is where every baby is different - some are more settled than others.
Your baby can be affected by:
noise
stress
discomfort
boredom
over-stimulation
growth spurts
different people
learning new skills
becoming more mobile
It’s not that some of these things should be avoided - there is no perfect environment for your baby to live in - this is all part of your baby growing and adapting to the world around them.
As your baby gets older, he will be more settled and predictable and you will be able to read more of his cues - he needs soothing, safety and comfort as he grows and adjusts to the world.
As a postnatal practitioner, I regularly hear comments about a baby’s sleep/nap pattern changing, how babies have become more clingy, how feeding intensifies and how parents feel like they have cracked in and then their baby changes, which is why I was prompted to write this post. Every day is different for your baby which is why they can change, why it can look like sleep and independence is going backwards and why they are unpredictable.
Just like adults, a baby’s appetite can vary day by day, sleep is never the same every night and babies cling when they feel uncertain.
This is all normal - continue to be responsive, to soothe and to settle and you won’t be battling with your baby and feeling like you are getting it wrong.
All babies are different and every day is different for your baby and for you - you can ask questions below and get in touch to arrange a consultation to talk through any challenges.