I meant this to be a 4 week post, but as babies sometimes do, they push back you’re best intentioned schedules.
Before I became a parent I asked a dad of a 7 month old,
“What are some baby hacks you can teach me?”
“Well I asked that question too before I was a father, but the answer is any hack changes from one day to the next.”
“Hmmm…”
“See now I know how to deal with a seven month old, but what I’m doing is different than a week ago, so any advice I’d give you wouldn’t be age appropriate. I don’t remember what to do with a new born.”
Now I get it. With that context let’s dive into what I’ve learned / observed:
- Noah has a distinct cry for milk and for diaper change – it’s the difference between a urgent wail and an uncomfortable goat cry
- M*therF*cker is loud while sleeping between 2:00 and 6:00 AM
- This guy grunts like he’s constipated with a poop larger than himself
- I do earplugs, my wife can’t bring herself to
- He really digs the Rock and Play and we put a Tiny Love Mobile Arch on it for entertainment
- Sleep masks for sleeping past sun up – crucial for extra sleep
- Put a wipe over his penis for changes to avoid a spray – every time
- At 6 weeks he loves the alphabet song and twinkle twinkle little star – coincidentally the SAME TUNE! (Mind BLOWN right?)
- A tip from The Happiest Baby on the Block – layer soothing techniques to trigger the calm reflex for an under 3 month old baby
- Sway and Shhh
- Swaddle and Suck (Pacifier)
- Lay on side or stomach
- Try any combination of the above like it was a video game and you’re trying to unlock an ever complex “Calm Baby Achievement”
- You probably don’t need the book if you Google the 5s and watch a video or two
- Another one, that worked well is the football hold
- Our baby does not like to be cold
- He can head butt like a champ if he is hungry – watch out with the over the shoulder hold to avoid a fat lip
- Change him after a feed when he’s all milk drunk and chill
- Locking eyes with your baby feels like your soul is being pierced by pure innocence and its almost too much to handle
- “Talking” with your baby, i.e. trading noises is excruciatingly cute
- Smiling sleeping baby is almost as cute
- I thought my in laws liked me, but it turns out they liked my ability to deliver their first grandchild