Wake windows are the period between your baby’s naps and sleep. Newborns wake up and sleep seemingly randomly, but with a little time baby’s sleeping and wakeful periods start to follow more predictable patterns. Wake windows help parents get their baby back to sleep before they get overtired, which, counterintuitively, makes falling sleep even harder. An easy way to track wake windows is to start and stop timing when your baby or toddler comes and goes from their crib.
Want to understand wake windows better? Here’s a wake window primer which will help you use the concept to make life smoother. Plus, here’s how to harness wake windows to help your whole family get more precious rest (is there anything more important?).
Now that you’re a wake window pro, here’s how to make the most of the precious time with your little one. Maximizing wake windows with these activities helps make sure your baby is getting everything they need for their growth and development, plus ensuring they’re nice and tired when it’s time for their next naptime or bedtime. Now’s the time to prioritize activities that are good for your baby, yourself, and your family. Here’s where to start:
When your baby weeks, it’s time for nursing, a bottle, a snack, or a meal. This timing will give your little one plenty of time to digest before their next snooze. I loved curling up with my babies to nurse on the couch. One they are (slightly) bigger, it’s time to choose a highchair that will grow with your baby and support them ergonomically. The Ingenuity Proper Positioner 7-in-1 patent-pending high chair features 7 grow-with-me stages of feeding and promotes good posture to encourage better digestion from newborn to toddler. It’s a great place for first foods and tried-ad-true favorites (my kids are in a Pirate’s Booty phase these days.) Plus, it has a machine washable seat pad for inevitable messes.
Tummy time has a multitude of benefits for your newborn, including helping to develop their back and neck muscles and general gross motor skills. Eventually learning to roll over, sit up, crawl, and even walk all begins here. Start small with just a few minutes at a time—on your own belly/chest absolutely counts—then work your way up from there. A cute playmat like this one from Baby Einstein makes tummy time even more intriguing for your little one, who can explore the “ocean” with their whole body. Fun fact: tummy time can even help support baby’s cognitive development.
Play is sort of like work for babies. It helps them explore their environment, understand the world around them, and develop crucial connections in their brains. Play is an integral component in cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being. Don’t know how to play with a baby? Help them investigate all kinds of sensory objects, from rattles to wooden spoons. Play peekaboo. Sing a song or try out a nursery rhyme. Tickle, cuddle, count toes, and blow raspberries. Keep it simple!
Take some time to bond with your baby. Smiling, eye contact, singing, reading and cuddling are all great ways to foster a close connection. Even before they talk, you can narrate things that are going on around them. Being present for the chores of caregiving like changing diapers or bathtime can help establish a strong emotional connection. Having a positive relationship with their caregivers teaches babies to feel safe and secure in their world. Bonus: it may help them sleep better, too.
A little sunshine can make all the difference for both baby and parent. Spending time outdoors helps regulate and balance young children's sleeping rhythms. Plus, even just a few minutes of sun each day increases vitamin D production, which is vital for strengthening teeth and bones. When you bring a baby outside and start showing them all the incredible things they can see, hear, touch, smell, and even taste (hi, rain!) they are learning a ton and firing up their imagination.
There’s so much to focus on and worry about when it comes to caring for your baby. But it’s okay—scratch that, essential—to do things just for you. In my baby days, I liked to strap my little ones to my stomach in my carrier and go for a walk while calling a friend or listening to a podcast. Often, I treated myself to an iced latte or a mocha. Caring for a baby is hard. It's a little easier when you take good care of yourself, too.
Hannah Howard
Author