I called my sister in law when my son was four days old, asking her how she had taught her son to sleep so well on his own - the child is a champion sleeper and has been since he was very little. I asked my mother, my doctor, any and everyone I knew how to get him to sleep. What no one told me was that those first few weeks nothing really matters. It’s impossible to get them on a schedule, because their life is changing drastically every couple of days, they are going through growth spurts like they’re going out of style, etc.
It’s great to get your baby on a schedule if you can. It’s good to establish good sleep habits. It’s good to have tummy time. It’s all good.
But the reality is that those first three weeks are a blur of dozens of diapers, one hour “naps” all night, growth spurts, and endless laundry. I’m not saying it will be miserable. I loved those first few weeks with Javi. He was teeny tiny, super snuggly and a champion eater. It was awesome. There just isn’t a lot of time left over to do much of anything when you are in that “Baby Boot Camp.” Don’t despair that the your ten day old infant isn’t stimulating his brain with Baby Einstein or start trying to implement any sleep training methods. Now is not the time.
Read all the posts in my series, 31 Days of New Baby Advice
Another thing to remember is that the unpredictable newborn stage doesn't last forever! It feels like it at the time though! Someone once told me that if you can survive the first 2 weeks, you can make it through anything.
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