Last month, I said that time was passing by too quickly and I still feel the same way. I can’t believe Harper is three months old. This past month was full of so many milestones and I’m just in awe of how she’s growing and developing.
I go through phases of thinking she looks huge some days and tiny on others. She is definitely chunking up nicely and this mamma sure is happy about that after all of the weight gain issues she had in the beginning.
I also returned to work last week so that has been an adjustment. As I mentioned in a previous post, my husband took two weeks vacation to stay home with Harper before she starts daycare. I think it will be more difficult once she actually starts daycare because I will be doing most of the pickups and drop-offs since daycare is on my way to work, so that will be a whole new routine to get settled into. Harper starts daycare next week so I’m hoping she loves it and thrives there.
Right now, I’m just slowly getting back into working. My first week back wasn’t bad at all, in fact, it went much better than expected. I worked a four day week and my bosses have been incredible very understanding, easing us back into our jobs. I like to be busy at work though, it makes the day go by faster.
It also helps that I’m able to pump at work and have access to a hospital-grade pump a few offices down from where my desk is. Not having to lug that pump back and forth has been a blessing because it’s one less thing to think about when I leave the house.
Here are Harper’s three month updates and photos:
At night, she sleeps an average of 7-8.5 hours without interruption. It depends. She was sleeping better when she had her last bottle at around 10 p.m. but then everyone was telling us we needed to start her bedtime earlier so we’re trying to get her down earlier and we noticed she doesn’t seem to sleep as long. We usually give her expressed breast milk before bed so it may be that she’s digesting it more quickly than formula and is hungrier sooner. Someone told me that she should be sleeping 10-12 hours at this age but that seems long for three month old who gets breast milk—feel free to share your experiences in the comments!
One of my favorites from the set…
I call this her “WTF mommy” face. LOL.
Now if only I could find the time and energy to actually work out. I miss having muscles and feeling strong. I’ve lost most of my pregnancy weight, save a few pounds, but my body definitely isn’t the same as before (and it shouldn’t be, seeing as I grew an 8 pound baby and didn’t work out for an entire year). I’m in no rush to get into any kind of crazy workout routine, but I would be lying if I said I was perfectly happy with my body. I think anytime I don’t work out I start to feel weak and have less energy and I miss being toned. Since my pre-pregnancy clothes fit me, there hasn’t been a lot of motivation on my end to really get into any kind of fitness routine. I also worry about how exercise would impact my milk supply. I eat constantly and I’m hungry constantly. I still wake up at about 4 a.m. to pump because that’s when I get my highest output. I go back to sleep after that and wake up so ravenous that I’m nauseous and I have to eat a granola bar before even showering in the morning…so I don’t see any kind of diet or super intense fitness routine happening anytime soon. I feel like my body needs all of my energy to make milk right now so that’s my priority.
Emotion-wise, I’m all over the place. Some days I feel like I’m doing great and other days I’m so tired that I just want to cry and go to sleep for 12 hours. Even though I get decent stretches of sleep, I feel an extreme lack of energy. I’m also seeing a physiotherapist this week because I messed up my neck from hunching over so much when I pump. More on that another day…
Hannah @ Just Call Me HaHa says
I love the "many faces" of Harper! What a doll. My newphew just turned 6 months and my SIL is lucky if he sleeps for 7hrs straight (with formula). Sounds like she's doing great!
Tracy Walden says
Hi Veronika ! The baby is beautiful and plumping up nicely, I can't get enough of that red hair ! I wanted to weigh in on the night time sleeping issue as I am a pediatric nurse. She is doing well sleeping at this age. Once a baby is around 11 lbs or more they really can sleep 7-8 hours without a feeding be it breast milk or formula. As long as she is taking in 24-32 ounces in a 24 hour period. Sometimes babies just keep waking up out of habit ! By about 4 months she will be ready to sleep around 10-12 hours at night, so just keep up the good work !!! You have good Mommy instincts. Best of health and happiness for the three of you 🙂
[email protected] says
Tracy—Harper is eating 30-36 oz PER day most days…that seems like a lot but she is hungry a lot too. There are days where she has less maybe 25-27 but since we upped her feeds she is getting 30-35. Crazy!
Devon says
Hey V! I messed up my neck when my DD was younger because I was EP'ing too. She's almost 5 now, lol so a long time ago. I had neck pain for awhile…good luck to you!
Shaleya Brett says
She is so cute!
So great to know that she's happy and healthy. I'm nervous to get back to work after I've had my baby, it breaks my heart already to know I have to leave her 🙁
I just found out I'm having a baby girl and cannot wait to meet her in early January 🙂
My partner and I did a little shop for her last weekend and brought some adorable booties, dresses and accessories, girls are certainly a joy to shop for!
tattoosandvintagediamonds.blogspot.co.nz
Megan says
In terms of sleep, I had to learn not to listen what people said Olivia "should" be doing. She would sleep great for a while and then went through a 2 month period of being up 2-3 times per night when she was 5-7 months old due to teething and learning to crawl. Now at 9 months she's sleeping 10-12 hours but I expect that will go through some variations again.. Every baby is different so just do what works for you guys! She has years to sleep through the night, so I just tried to enjoy the nighttime cuddles while they last. Just my philosophy, but it kept me from getting too stressed about whether she was doing what was "normal" or not.
Gema says
Harper is adorable and you're doing a great job!
Randi Bhatti says
Don't worry too much about the sleep just yet. My son slept through the night up until he was 3 months old and then starting waking up. They go through so many changes and each stage disrupts their sleep pattern. By 6 months you can start trying to sleep train to really enforce a schedule. I tried but failed and finally tried again and it worked at 9 months (I regret not doing it earlier, so learn from my mistake!). Good luck!
Amy says
She is so beautiful!! My baby is about 2 weeks younger than Harper and she is currently sleeping anywhere from 6-9 hours at night and I exclusively breastfeed. I think 10 hours for a 3 month old is rare in breastfed babies but like others have said, every baby is different. Its so fun to see our babies develop, mine is also babbling and grabbing toys too, so cute!
Skylette from Sequins & Stilettos says
Harper is absolutely darling. And PS – I would like to meet this person that said a 3-month old should be sleeping 10-12 hours a night!! That never happened for us!
meli1077 says
Have you tried to "dream feed" her? My son goes to bed each night at 7pm. However, I feed him his last bottle each night before I go to bed at 10pm. I pick him up from his crib, put the bottle in his mouth and he eats while asleep. When he's done, he goes back into his crib. He's a very sound sleeper, so this works. It doesn't work well for those with light sleepers. He's been sleeping from 7pm until 6am or 7am since he was 2 1/2 months old. 7 to 8 hours at her age is still a great accomplishment!
meli1077 says
Have you tried to "dream feed" her? My son goes to bed each night at 7pm. However, I feed him his last bottle each night before I go to bed at 10pm. I pick him up from his crib, put the bottle in his mouth and he eats while asleep. When he's done, he goes back into his crib. He's a very sound sleeper, so this works. It doesn't work well for those with light sleepers. He's been sleeping from 7pm until 6am or 7am since he was 2 1/2 months old. 7 to 8 hours at her age is still a great accomplishment!
Pamela says
Hahahaha. Omg, Veronika! That "horrified" shot is priceless. I'm still lol'ing over it. What a cutie pie. So happy to hear everything is well. 🙂
meli1077 says
Have you tried to "dream feed" her? My son goes to bed each night at 7pm. Before I go to bed at 10pm, I give him his last bottle while he's sleeping. I pick him up, put the bottle in his mouth. He eats in his sleep and back down in his crib when he's done. When I started to do that at 2.5 months is when I got the 11 to 12 hour stretches out of him. He sleeps from 7pm until 6am or 7am. My son is a very sound sleeper, so it works for us. If you have a light sleeper, this will not work well.
At Harper's age though, 7 or 8 hours a night is a HUGE accomplishment.
Schnelle says
What cutie pie!! I love those chubby little legs and feet! Aubrey's bedtime was around 9pm and she would sleep until about 8am or so. Recently she's been getting tired earlier so now we start our bedtime routine around 6-6:30 and she's in bed by 7-7:30 and sleeping until about 7. She's still waking during the night once or twice sometimes too. But I know what you mean about the later bedtime- she slept better that way too but I'm just kind of going off of her cues and she's tired when 7pm hits so bedtime it is! Just go with your gut and with Harper's cues.
Brooke says
My daughter is just a few days older than Harper (I think? 5/15/13). She is breast fed only and sleeps from about 8p – 7am. Sometimes she wakes up between 5a-6a and wants to eat, then goes right back down, but for the most part it's 8p – 7a. Every baby is different though! I know it's helpful to 'compare notes' with other babies that are similar in age, at least for me!
Harper is such a cutie!
E Hayes says
Ashlynn was exclusively breastfed after (outside of the hospital for being pre-term), but she didn't sleep through the night until 10.5 months. She'd wake 1-2x to nurse. Maybe some of if was just waking and wanting comfort, but I always fed her, I didn't feel it was right since it's not like she was getting a big ol' bottle before bed. Since she was nursing, I never knew how much she'd really take, so if she wanted it, she got it.
I wouldn't worry about her sleep. I think she's doing great and this is one of those things you just have to trust your instinct, its hard sometimes and you want to question especially when ppl give well meaning advice, but looking back I wish I was more confident in some of my decisions and not questioning and comparing, but listening to me, because I know I did right.
Beautygirl24 says
She is SUCH a gorgeous little girl! I think many readers have commented this already, but I definitely see your husband in her. She is just too cute for words!
Shadowy Lady says
she's gorgeous Veronika 🙂 oh and she;s doing great sleep wise for her age. I think my LO was about the same and she was exclusively breastfed. yes some babies sleep 10-12 hours but some wakeup after 4-5 so it really depends on the baby. Babies sleep is NOT linear and changes all the time depending where they are at developmentally.
Nicole says
She is so sweet… I love all her little faces! I think she is doing great sleep-wise! I remember when my daughter was Harper's age (she is almost 18months now) I was really bent on having an early bedtime like most young children, but then I read somewhere that very young babies (like 2,3,4 months) actually do better if you start out with a 10 or 11pm "bedtime" and work your way back. That way, like you said, they get a full tummy and can sleep until 6 or 7am. I think we were at a 7:30pm-7:30am schedule by about 6 months or so. Also, I know several people who did a dream feed (like the previous commenter described) and it worked well too!
Renee says
A gorgeous expressive little girl you have!
Glad to hear starting back at work went a little better than expected x
Erica says
What a beautiful little girl!!
I agree with your thought that 10-12 hours seems like a lot for a 3 month old EBF baby! My son (now 13 months) was up every night at least 3 x to nurse until he was 8 months. I think maybe I could have/should have sleep trained him but I was always worried he was hungry because we too had weight issues at the beginning and that fear didn't leave me. I say trust your gut – mother always knows her baby best! 🙂
I didn't work out for a long time because anytime I started to work out I felt my milk supply suffer. Nursing women with good metabolisms sure do need a lot of food hey!? 🙂
Jolee says
I am new to your blog and love it! Harper is so sweet. I have a 7 month old little boy who is exclusively breastfed. I think all babies are so different and you just have to do what works best and what your instincts tell you… Otherwise it can be overwhelming and frustrating! That being said, my baby slept great from about 7 weeks until 3-4 months. Then he started waking up a lot more at night. His naps also shortened. (There is a lot online about the 4 month sleep regression.) At 7 months, my baby is still waking up twice to nurse and then goes back to sleep. And his naps just recently started getting longer again. (From 3-5 months they shortened drastically and he was taking four 30 minute naps to the minute, 6 months it was three 30-45 minute naps with some longer ones once in awhile, and now he is finally transitioning to two naps around 1.5-2 hours.) A great book for sleeping information is "Healthy Sleep Habits: Happy Child". (Also my sister has twins and they just started sleeping through the night from 7-7 at 10 months.) It sounds like Harper is a good little sleeper though so you are doing something right! Thanks for sharing your blog. I'm excited to keep following your posts. 🙂
Britt @ The Magnolia Pair says
She is so so cute Veronika! Love her little outfit too! We are doing almost the same in the milk department 🙂 So glad Harper is doing so well! And, I feel the same about working out. I have zero motivation since I'm back to my weight (even less), but have no time or energy to work out. We'll see. Hopefully I can get some time in sooner or later!
Jolee says
Harper is so sweet and I'm happy that I found your blog! They really grow so fast! I have a 7 month old little boy who is exclusively breastfed. He sleeps from 7-7 but is still waking up twice a night to nurse and then goes back to sleep. Also my sister's twins just started sleeping through the night without waking up from 7-7 at 10 months old. All babies are different and I think you just have to do what is best for you instead of what people tell you or think should be happening with your baby. Otherwise it gets so overwhelming and frustrating and then you've wasted so much time having anxiety instead of just enjoying, cuddling, and taking care of your baby when they need you. That being said, I just wanted to tell you that my baby starting sleeping 8-10 hours from 7 weeks to 3-4 months. Then he started waking up a few times a night. (There is a lot about the 4 month sleep regression online if you want to look into it.) Also his naps shortened dramatically. From 3-5 months he started taking four 30 minute naps to the minute. Then at 6 months it was three 30-45 minute naps with a longer one once in awhile, and now he is finally transitioning to two naps that are each 1.5-2 hours. A great sleep book to read is Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Anyway, all babies are different and you are doing such a great job. Just enjoy your sweet baby because they grow and change so fast! I look forward to continue following your blog! 🙂
It's A Love Story says
so sweet I'm the same way I feel more hungry not than when I was having her I want to eat all the time! Yay about your milk supply Im so happy for you!
Andee Layne says
so sweet! Don't worry about the sleeping 12 hours at 3 months! You're lucky you're getting a 7-8 hr stretch 😉 Ava didn't start sleeping 12 hours until round 5.5 months. xo
Rachel says
Sweet pics! It sounds like she's sleeping amazing…I wouldn't worry about a thing! Audrey was up every 2 hours for the first 6 months! As far as putting Harper down earlier in the evening, I wouldn't stress too much on that. We always followed Audrey's cues and that worked best. We found that putting her down earlier meant it took much longer and caused more stress for everyone. Sounds like you're all doing great, though so just keep it up!:)
Meg O. says
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! She is just getting prettier and prettier! I love the furrowed brow, red hair, and long lashes!! I wouldn't worry too much about sleep. You just trust your gut and keep doing what you're doing! K was still waking 1-2 times during the night at that age, but putting her down a little earlier definitely helped her get into a good sleeping pattern. Ever since she turned about 9 months she has been going to bed between 7-8 and will sleep 12ish hours. We definitely did have sleep regression around 4 months, and it got pretty erratic for a while. I don't think there's a need to rush it. You are doing amazing! I'll be thinking about her next week!
SLAM says
Good luck with the transition to daycare! One piece of advice I can give is to not hang around after drop off. Get in and get out, that way Harper can get used to her room and not expect you to still be there. It's very hard to do, but it works! My daughter started sleeping through the night at 3 months, then once she hit daycare, she had a little bit of a regression, but got back on track a couple weeks later. Good luck, you are doing a fabulous job!
Mrs. K says
I agree that Harper sounds like a great little sleeper! My son (he's two now) didn't start sleeping 10+ hour stretches until almost 6 months old. At Harper's age we were lucky to be getting 4-5 hour stretches.
Deanna says
My son is a few months older than Harper (he's 7 months). I'm an EPer, and he gets all breastmilk. It's really rare for a breastmilk-fed baby to sleep through the night. Not only is it normal, but it's actually good. Babies who sleep through the night at a young age are at a higher risk for SIDS as their bodies aren't as easily roused. It's hard on us moms, but it really is healthier for them to eat at least once through the night.
She's adorable!
[email protected] says
Hmm I had never heard this before (about SIDS) she sleeps for 7-8 hour stretches and then after her morning bottle she may sleep again for another 1-2 hours. She does wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and fusses a bit but she self-soothes back to sleep (we give her a paci which is supposed to reduce the risk).
Crystal says
Oh man. I wish my 3 month old slept for 10-12 hours. Granted, maybe if you counted up all of his sleep for the day it worked out. He was up nearly every hour some nights, but usually every 2-3 for a feeding….until he was about 7 months old and I weaned off the night time feedings for our sanity. I'd say if she's gaining and your doing alright with sleep, everything is fine. Sounds like you're getting a much longer stretch at night than most.
Audra says
7-8 hours for a breastfed baby is a blessing, and definitely not the norm. Our first DD who was also breastfed didn't sleep through the night until we sleep trained her at 5 months. Our 3 month old sleeps about 6 hours and then gets up every 3 after that and I'm thrilled. Consider yourself lucky! 🙂
Ellie says
Ahhhh sooo cute! I found myself giggling and smiling through the photos. And I'm a softie because it's heartbreaking when my daughter cries too, except I'm sloooowwwly changing because now I smile when she cries–she just looks so darn funny+cute when she cries like the world is coming to an end. Eeek, makes me sound like a horrible woman, but it's so true 😛
A. JUSTINA says
her little ginger/orange eyebrows are so funny
robynjkrastel says
I nursed my son exclusively for a full year. He was up every 2 hours until we weaned him to a bottle of regular milk. Even then, he was still up at least once for a bottle and diaper change. He didn't sleep through the night until he was just shy of two years old, when we sleep trained him.
I nursed my second baby, a girl, for only 2 months. She still, now eight months old, wakes up for 1 or two bottles during the night.
Every baby is different. Don't let anyone tell you what YOUR baby should be doing. Night waking is the norm, at least for most babies up until the first year. As far as sleep training goes, we consulted a behavioral specialist and followed her program. In her expert opinion, babies aren't emotionally and physically ready for sleep training until they are at least 6 months old.
It sounds like Harper is great sleeper. Lucky you!!!
Jennifer M says
My son Henry is 11 weeks and he's doing the same thing- he goes to bed around 10pm and sleeps about 7-8 hours. He's been doing this for about 3 weeks now. I've heard the same thing about earlier bedtime but he's just not tired then and you can't force them. I think that people get too caught up in what's "normal" and expect babies to fit in this cokie cutter mold but they a like the rest of us. Some might be night owls! Eventually I plan to ease him into an earlier bedtime little by little but for now I'm enjoying his long sleeps! Also, he's taking 35-38 oz. a day and weighs 16 lbs! Again, people say he eats too much but they take what they want. He's also tall so he doesn't look that chubby.
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