I had previously shared what a day was like with Baby H – when she was a mere 2 1/2 weeks old! I still can’t believe how much life has changed since then. Our itty bitty baby has grown so much and is full of personality, smiles and a little sass!

Since I’ve been working on getting Baby H to nap a little bit better (it’s still very much a work in progress), I kept track of a full day of her activities – on a day where we had no plans to disrupt our day or throw us off “schedule” (we have no true schedule to our days, but we do have very general times of the day when she naps). For her first few weeks of life I used an app on my iPhone to track feedings, sleep and diaper changes, but that’s all pretty much gone out the window. We know she’s eating a lot and we change plenty of diapers, so no need to keep track. I simply busted out a paper and pen to track the activities of the day.

Tummy time!

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Here’s 24 hours with an 11 week old (from midnight to midnight):

3:00am: Breastfeed and put back to bed (was sleeping since 9:00pm)
6:00am: Unswaddle, breastfeed, change diaper and bring her up to our bed to cuddle and snooze
8:00am: Breastfeed
9:00-11:30am: Nap in swing, I get to eat some breakfast and a light lunch during this time
11:30am: Breastfeed
12:00-1:20pm: Nap (while laying on my chest)
1:20pm: Breastfeed
1:20-3:00pm: Play/interact
3:00pm: Breastfeed
3:20-3:40pm: Nap in crib (unswaddled)
4:30pm: Breastfeed
5:15pm: Early dinner for me
5:40-6:00pm: Nap (while laying on my chest)
6:00-6:45pm: Breastfeed/nap on nursing pillow
7:15-7:45pm: Tummy time!
7:45pm: Get ready for bed (lotion/massage, pajamas, swaddle)
8:15pm: Breastfeed
8:30pm: Asleep in crib

I didn’t track diaper changes this time around – let’s just say there are plenty! Generally when there are gaps in time between naps and feeding, I’m usually changing a diaper and playing with Baby H.

Things have gotten a whole lot more enjoyable, and as far as days go, this was a stellar day for Baby H! She had some great naps with me, in her swing, and a short nap in her crib. She ate well and when to bed like a champ (I didn’t even have to go back into her nursery after I put her down – she stayed sound asleep until her 3am feeding!).

With Baby H being more active, it’s also easier to make the days feel more purposeful. She’s not the sleepy little newborn that just wants to sleep 24/7. She wants to coo and play and see new things, which means our days are broken up into being on her play mat, doing more tummy time, and just interacting in general. We also like to get out for walks whenever we can. Unfortunately the day I tracked was too hot for us to get outside.

From tracking this day and paying attention to others, I’ve learned: if she doesn’t get a solid morning nap, she’s a grouch to deal with the rest of the day. She is also now nursing far less in a 24 hour period than she used to (but more efficiently), which helps me gauge how much milk to leave for when I go back to work. I’m excited to see what the coming months bring for Baby H’s schedule, and I’m hopeful that things go well with getting her on a more consistent schedule overall.

I love my baby girl more than anything in the world, but I’m relieved that our days have gotten a little bit easier, a lot more fun and that we’re all getting more sleep!

How have days with your newborn changed as he or she has grown?