The last eight weeks of postpartum have been an amazing transition, and I’ve found a few key things that have made this season easier for me. If you’re navigating the newborn phase and looking for ways to make it smoother, here are three things that have helped me.
1. Napping with Noise
From the beginning, we decided not to tiptoe around nap time. We don’t use a noise machine, whisper, or avoid closing doors when she’s asleep. Life goes on, and she naps through it. This has been amazing because now, as we transition into solo naps, she’s already used to sleeping with everyday sounds around her. Of course, we have other ways of supporting her sleep, but making the house quiet isn’t one of them—and that’s been a game-changer.
2. Following a Routine, Not a Schedule
Instead of a rigid schedule, we follow a flexible routine. A schedule is time-based, while a routine focuses on activities and flow. She does have a general feeding pattern—roughly every three hours at 3AM, 6AM, 9AM, 12PM, 3PM, 6PM, 9PM, and 12AM—but I don’t stress about exact times.
Her routine looks something like this:
- Wake up
- Enrichment (talking to her, narrating what’s happening)
- Diaper change
- Nursing and burping
- Contact napping or rocking back to sleep
If she’s fussy, I don’t panic. Instead, I run through the routine—Has she burped? Does she need a diaper change? Is she hungry? Does she need comfort? Did she get enough enrichment?—and adjust accordingly. This approach has made things so much smoother.
3. Living in Pajamas
At first, I thought I’d get up, get dressed, and pull myself together daily. By week three or four, I had to accept that I’m just not that girl right now—and that’s okay. There are women who, from week one, are styled to the gods, and I admire them. But I had to release the pressure and allow myself to live in pajamas without guilt. Only now, as I move past the early postpartum haze, do I feel ready to start getting dressed again.
These three things—embracing noise, following a routine over a strict schedule, and letting go of unrealistic expectations—have made postpartum so much amazing for me. If you’re in the thick of it, I hope something here helps you find your own rhythm too. You’re doing amazing!
