Newborn schedule for baby’s third week. Baby newborn schedule and routine for the 3rd week of life. 2-3 week old newborn routine.

My friend, Serra, is amazing and took newborn shots of Brinley. I am in love with them all, as usual. She is fabulous. Thank you, Serra! 

POSTPARTUM EMOTIONS

This week, my post-partum hormones started to creep in. You know–the ones that mess with you? After McKenna was born, I wrote a post on Emotions.

This time around, my emotions do not seem as crazy as they have been in the past. I think there are several things contributing to that:

1. My husband is not doing any major projects at our home
2. I do not have a 2 year old (yes, a newborn plus 3 year old is MUCH easier than newborn plus 2 year old. I don’t intend to discourage anyone from having children two years apart–I love my two year gaps–but this is just fact)
3. My husband had one week of paternity leave. AMAZING. I seriously underestimated how fabulous that would be
4. My house is very well designed for a sleeping baby
5. I am older and wiser
6. This is my last baby and I am doing a better job of cherishing the moments
7. I am a lot busier with various things and am not so single-focused on baby stuff

I saw in my post I wrote before that week three was the worst for me after McKenna was born, and that is where I just finished. Unless I meant when she was three weeks old, which is where I am headed…anyway, this week I felt myself getting very anxious and worried.

About what? I have no idea. I couldn’t put my finger on it and so I knew it was those emotions! I am also experiencing what I wrote about where I feel like wonder woman one minute and then nervous something will explode the next. Aahhh hormones.

I am hoping that when week 6 hits, I will snap out of it like I have in the past. I am glad that I am at least less emotional than I have been in the past. Unless that is still to come 🙂

NURSING a NEWBORN

We nurse from both sides at each feeding. 

I still have no signs of mastitis. Hopefully that continues. 

>>>Read: Mastitis

BURPING

I read that for McKenna at this age, burping was easy. It is not easy for Brinley. She started easy and has gotten harder as she has gotten older. 

HICCUPS

She gets hiccups quite often. It kind of makes me nervous because I still worry reflux will pop up and frequent hiccups can be a sign of reflux.

It is, however, also quite common for newborns. I remember McKenna getting them all the time. Brinley mostly gets them while she is on the changing table, which makes sense because one known cause is a sudden drop in temperature. Nothing gets more sudden than getting your clothes and diaper taken off. 

>>>Read: Stopping Baby Hiccups

DREAMFEED

The dreamfeed seems to be best at 10 PM. I tried a variety of times in the 10 PM hour. I think 10 works best because I am not so tired. She is hard to get to be and stay awake at this feeding, so me being alert and able to keep her on task is important to the dreamfeed being of value.

>>>Read: The Basics of a Dreamfeed

GROWTH SPURT

I am pretty confident she ended this week in a growth spurt. She started it off with waking on her own for feedings. She was still eating in the 2.5-3 hour range, but since I normally have to wake her up, I assumed it was a growth spurt (though it could have been a cold coming on–see below).

Another big hint to me is the massive growth that takes place and watching her head get bigger, then her tummy, and her arms. I am still waiting on the little legs. 

For babies this age, I always have them suck longer. This stimulates the breast more and then produces more milk. So she was eating for about 10-15 minutes per side, and now it is 15-20.

This works for younger babies, but older babies will not have the patience to sit and suck longer when there is not a nice milk flow, so this is about the only growth spurt it works for. Something to watch if you try this method is when the growth spurt is over.

Don’t let baby stay on and just sleep at the breast. Then she won’t sleep for naps. 

>>>Read: Baby Growth Spurts: Everything You Need To Know

NEWBORN SICKNESS

She caught a cold from her sisters. Oh siblings! The girls have a minor runny nose and Brinley got it, too. She was not happy about it the first day, but has since handled it like a champ and is getting better quickly. 

OUTINGS

This week, we had one of the Apostles from our church come speak to us at our church (Elder Oaks for those interested–love him). This is very exciting, and Elder Oaks happens to be one of my very favorite speakers, so Brinley and I went even though I normally would not take a 3 week old to church (I know some people do–I just don’t).

It went well, but by the end I was stressed and ready to be done. It was two hours of listening to people talk, so it is always hard for the little kids anyway, and I was holding a sleeping baby the entire time while sitting on a hard folding chair, so my arm and back were tired, plus it was Brinley’s first day of a cold and she was having a harder time breathing. It was worth it, though.

At the end of the week, we had a back to school night at the school where we went and met Brayden and Kaitlyn’s new teachers for the school year. That was fun to see people and show off my beautiful baby. 

>>>Read: How To Go Out With Your Baby Without Disruption

HELPFUL BOOKS

• On Becoming Baby Wise
• Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby
• The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems: Sleeping, Feeding, and Behavior–Beyond the Basics from Infancy ThroughToddlerhood
• Super Baby Food
• What to Expect the First Year
• http://kellymom.com/
• Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
• What to Expect the First Year
• The Wonder Weeks

RELATED POSTS

• McKenna Newborn Summary: Week Three
• Brinley Newborn Summary: Week Two
• Brinley Newborn Summary: Week 4
• How to Help Your Baby Sleep Better With Swaddling
• Keeping a Newborn Awake During Feedings
• Adding Waketime to Your Newborn’s Day
• Babywise Sample Schedules: The First Month (0-4 weeks)