Nurturing Attachment, Development, and Healthy Habits in Your Baby's Early Years

Support your baby's growth through attachment, feeding, sleep, and development tips. Build healthy routines, promote exploration, and foster early communication.

Attachment and brain development are connected. A secure attachment relationship allows your baby’s brain to focus on learning, rather than being hypervigilant - wondering if their needs will be met. Practically, this is about your baby being able to take more risks knowing that they can return to you.
Generational patterns can be changed and throughout your parenting journey, you will continue to learn more about yourself, while also making sense of your past. Some of us come into our parenting journey with verrrrry heavy baggage.

Trying doing a reflection exercise (this can be challenging and emotional) and take stock of what worked and what didn’t from your own upbringing.
Make a list of the qualities from your childhood that you’d like to replicate and then make a list of qualities you’d like to leave behind. Do this with your partner/co- parent and see where there are similarities and differences.

Feeding a baby to sleep can get in the way of their fullness and hunger cues (which are related to their interoceptive sense). To avoid this, it’s best to feed your baby when they are awake.
Eating is a social activity! Your baby is learning about much more than peas vs. carrots. They are watching how your mouth moves, how you use utensils, and the art of conversation.

Pull your baby up to the table while you (and others) are sitting there. Your baby can see and learn from you about how to eat and behave at the table.
When offering your baby solids, aim for about 4 tablespoons (minimum) of food 1- 2x/day. Follow your baby’s lead.
Avoid using solids as a way to soothe your baby and whenever possible, let them dictate how much they eat. If they push a spoon away, follow their cue that they’re finished.

At this age, babies need an average of 14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. In practice, this looks like 11-12 hours at night and 2-2.5 hours during the day.
Your baby should still be taking 3 naps each day, with the third nap being the most flexible. Wake windows should be between 2.5-3.5 hours. The first two naps should be 50 minutes at minimum, while the 3rd nap can be a shorter cat nap.
It’s normal for your baby to partially wake up through the night. These are called nighttime arousals. They can happen as often as every 1-2 hours. This is a normal part of development and so long as their needs have been met, you can let them work this out on their own.
Note: it’s entirely normal for some babies to continue to feed through the night at this age (especially breastfed babies).

Maintain flexibility with bedtime and continue to watch your baby’s sleep cues, and not just the clock. This isn’t a perfect science, so some flexibility is necessary. If your baby skips their last nap, you’ll want to get them down to sleep earlier than usual.
Night wakings at this age can be blamed on other factors, like feeling wet and uncomfortable. Overnight diapers can make a huge difference if your baby is constantly waking up soaked and uncomfortable.

Did you know your baby has 8 senses?! Sensory integration is the process in which your baby takes in information across their 8 senses. When babies explore, they use their sensory system to learn about the world around them.
Pointing is an important and exciting step in your child’s development. It’s their way of showing shared interest or attention.

Continue to encourage your baby to point by engaging and interacting with them. If they point at a toy, label it for them. “You pointed at your stuffed animal. Do you want it?” As they point more, try not to anticipate their every need. Let them use the early forms of communication that they have.
Continue floortime on a playmat or babygym or set up a play yard so your baby can explore in a safe environment. Stay away from foam floor booster seats, exersaucers, and walkers, as each of these put your baby in a position that can impact their gross motor development.

Reading with your baby is jam-packed with benefits! You’re teaching them different emotions and sounds, introducing them to the world around them, building listening skills and memory, and encouraging motor development by having them look, point, touch, and eventually turn the pages.

Incorporate reading into your day. Maybe it’s after a bottle, or when you wake up in the morning. Use reading time as an opportunity to connect and bond, but don’t feel that you need to drill your baby in literacy skills. Remember, if they aren’t enjoying it, don’t force it. We want it to stay fun right now!