The Mama Coach - Jenni Stocks, LLC

Here are a few things you should be aware and expect during your third trimester. This and so much more are covered in The Mama Coach prenatal class.

Group B Strep testing: Group B Strep is something that you likely would never know you had because it does not cause problems. 1 in 4 women will be positive. If positive, you can expect to be treated with antibiotics during labor.
Non stress tests: Two monitors will be placed on your belly to monitor the infants heart rate and contractions. These tests are usually done in high risk pregnancies to ensure the infant doing well.
Fetal Movements
Fetal kick counts: If you notice you're not feeling your baby move, it's extremely important to measure fetal kick counts. Take a bit to relax, get a drink of water or juice, rest, and put your hands on your belly and avoid distractions while doing this. Pay close attention to how many kicks you feel. If you feel less than 6 in 2 hours, it's important to reach out to your healthcare provider.

Reach out for more information on prenatal classes. These classes ensure that you are comfortable with your options and are able to make decisions prior to going into labor.

Even if you’re planning on exclusively breastfeeding, there are times where sometimes you need your baby to take a bottle. Some babies don’t have any trouble taking a bottle and others are a bit more picky. There are some tips and tricks to offering your baby a bottle.

Try offering a bottle before your child is super hungry. Offer one breast first, burp, and then offer the bottle. You can also breastfeed on one side and then wait about an hour and offer the bottle.

Use paced bottle feeds. This allows your baby to have more control over the feeding and the pace of the milk. It resembles breastfeeding most.

Preload the bottle’s ni**le with milk, touch the ni**le to lips and wait for them to accept the ni**le into their mouth. Do not force the bottle in their mouth as this can create oral aversions.

Once they accept the ni**le in their mouth, point it to the roof of their mouth as this is where the sucking reflex is elicited.

Sometimes having someone besides mom feed can be helpful when introducing a bottle.

Warm milk in bottle to room temperature. Do not use a microwave to warm milk.

Try to mimic the closeness of breastfeeding by keeping your child close to you while offering the bottle.

One thing I’ve heard for years from parents is my baby is such a noisy sleeper! Newborn’s have two sleep cycles. Active and quiet sleep. All the grunting, whimpers, moving is actually your baby sleeping during the active sleep cycle. When your baby is quiet, eyes shut, and relaxed, this is the quiet sleep cycle.

We can start healthy sleep habits with babies at an early age. Our first priority is always their growth and development.

Babies can’t tell time, but they can learn routines, which help them know what time it is. For example, if every night, you bathe, dress, sing, turn on white noise, they eventually learn that all those things mean it’s time for sleep.

Sleep environment is so important for a good nights sleep. Make their room dark dark. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just cover the windows to block out light. Use a white noise machine that is a consistent sound (not waves crashing or music). Make sure it is no more than 60 decibels from the sleep space. We want it loud enough to block out outside noises.

Struggling with infant sleep? I’m here to help you! Reach out for a consultation. I’d love to help you all get rest.

What is a responsive feed and why is it important?
Responsive feeding helps infants learn to understand hunger cues which teaches them control over how much they eat and how often.

We can facilitate responsive feedings by watching for hunger and fullness cues from baby.

Instead of feeding your baby on a strict schedule and the exact same amount every feed, allow your baby to dictate how much they eat and feed with hunger cues.

Signs of hunger include smacking or licking lips, opening mouth or sticking out tongue, rooting (turning head and opening mouth toward something that touches by their mouth), sucking on everything nearby and the last and latest sign of hunger is fussiness and crying.

Signs of full that you should watch for during feeds are turning their head away from bottle or breast and or starts crying. Starts to become disinterested in feeding or starts to play, refuses to open mouth when ni**le touches their lips, sucking slows or they fall asleep with a relaxed body.

Research shows that encouraging responsive feeding techniques may decrease picky eating, decrease adult obesity, and help create healthy relationships with food.

LAST CALL! 📣
Join me tomorrow, Saturday the 12th @ 2pm via zoom for a newborn workshop. I will be talking about my favorite subject, BABIES 👶🏼!

We will be chatting about feedings (I share a lot of the same info I go over in my breastfeeding class), bottle feeds, schedules, newborn sleep and more!

✔️ Sign up at my link in the bio on IG or my Eventbrite link on FB. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/444408386447

🤱🏼👶🏽👨🏻‍🍼 My newborn class is great for all new mamas or mamas who just want a refresher on newborn life. We will cover feedings, feeding schedules, newborn sleep science, how to calm a newborn and much more.
✅ Register here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/444408386447

Saturday Sept 12th @ 2PM.

⭐️ Can’t make that time? That’s okay! Register and the class will be recorded and emailed to you along with a free eBook. You will also get a free 15 min consultation follow up to answer any questions you may have. I look forward to connecting with you soon!

You finally have a kid who is sleeping well and then 💥BOOM💥! They’re waking up all night, crying at bedtime, resisting their naps and you’re thinking, what the actual heck is happening?

Sleep regressions can happen for different reasons. Often times it happens when they are learning to master new milestones…. Think back and ask yourself, has my toddler had an increase in mobility or suddenly talking a lot more? Are they developing independence? Could they be going through separation anxiety or having some fear due to increased imagination? All of these things can cause your toddler to have a regression in their normal sleep.

🗣🗣Getting through these regressions can be hard, but CONSISTENCY is key! Stick to your boundaries— don’t develop new sleep props here! Be firm, yet loving— remind them they are safe at home and that you are nearby, but it is now time for sleep. Try to keep conversations to business only. Stay calm— They can sense when you’re upset and stressed.

Share with all your pregnant and new mama friends! 📣

Newborn life is filled with the sweetest moments and also sheer exhaustion. Survival mode anyone? The Mama Coach newborn class is full of great information. It’s good for new mamas and also great for those who are already moms and just want a refresher because they’ve forgotten what the newborn stage is like. Planning to breastfeed? There’s a lot of information in this class from my breastfeeding class. Bottlefeeding? I got you too mama! We will talk about volume guidelines for your baby. Want to start off on the right foot with a good sleep schedule? We’ll get you started and set you up for continued success with sleep as your baby gets older.

⭐️Sign up at my link in the bio. Class will be held via Zoom on November 12th @ 2pm. Look forward to meeting you there! Message me with any questions. ⭐️

👧🏻👦🏼👦🏽Toddlers are really good at testing boundaries… especially at bedtime. Some ways to help bedtime go smoother is to have…
🌙 A consistent bedtime routine: Bath, pajamas, reading a book or singing a song, prayers, and then bed.
🌙Strictly business once the child is in bed— Remind them when you go in that it is bedtime and time to rest. Reassure them that you are nearby and they are safe in their home.
🌙Meet their needs prior to bedtime— Make sure they have gone potty prior to bedtime. Give them one on one attention prior to sleep with no distractions. This fills their love cup before bed.
🌙Avoid screens an hour before bed. The blue light from screens can suppress melatonin levels and delay sleepiness for you child.

📞 Need more help with your toddler and sleep? Reach out for a free 15 min consultation.

Jenni Stocks, RN, BSN on Instagram: "👧🏻👦🏼👦🏽Toddlers are really good at testing boundaries… especially at bedtime. Some ways to help bedtime go smoother is to have… 🌙 A consistent bedtime routine: Bath, pajamas, reading a book Jenni Stocks, RN, BSN shared a post on Instagram: "👧🏻👦🏼👦🏽Toddlers are really good at testing boundaries… especially at bedtime. Some ways to help bedtime go smoother is to have… 🌙 A consistent bedtime routine: Bath, pajamas, reading a book or singing a song, prayers, and the...

No need to read a book about caring for newborns. Join me Saturday, November 12th at 2pm via zoom for a workshop on Newborns.

We will talk about breast and bottle feedings, feedings schedules, newborn schedules, sleep and more.

You will receive an eBook, recording of the workshop, and a free 15 minute consultation with me.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/444408386447

⭐️ Your baby isn’t a baby anymore and you’re wondering when to transition to a toddler bed?
The transition from a crib to a bed is a big change for your child. We want to make sure they’re developmentally ready.

Signs your child may be ready to transition to a bed
🛏 Your child is around 3 years of age
🛏Your child is 3 feet tall (prior to age 3)
🛏Your child is repeatedly climbing out of the crib

Usually around the age of 3, children are mature enough to understand that nighttime is for sleep and not play. They typically will be able to understand being told to stay in their bed until morning time. A sound machine with an okay to wake light helps tremendously with this transition.

Before you decide to move them to a bed, there’s a few things you can do to ensure their safety and make the transition easier for everyone.

✅ Secure any furniture in their room that could tip over or remove it.
✅Consider moving toys out to a different room. If toys are in the room, it can be a temptation to get up and play instead of sleep.
✅Let your child choose their new bedding for their room.
✅Transition from sleep sack to just a blanket.
✅Encourage your child to let you put them in and out of bed. This can create the mindset that they need help to get out of the bed.
✅Maintain a consistent bedtime routine.

🙏🏼Be patient. New skills take time and patience. Remain consistent.

🤔 What do you do if they get out of bed?
Return them to their bed with minimal interaction or discussion.

📞 Need more help with your toddler and sleep? Reach out for a free 15 min consultation.

It's common for babies 2-5 months to take inconsistent naps. We often see just one sleep cycle for naps which leads to short naps.

Why do short naps happen?
*Undertired- Wakes up after one sleep cycle and is rested and happy.
*Overtired- Short naps and very cranky. Lots of crying involved.
*Sleep props- If a baby is going to sleep using a sleep association, they will wake up between sleep cycles looking for that association to put them back to sleep.
*Developmental- May not be able to connect sleep cycles yet without assistance.
*Too bright in their sleep space

What can we do?
If your baby wakes up and seems still very tired and cranky, you can try and extend the nap. You can also wait when they first wake up and give them time to connect sleep cycles before going in. If your baby wakes and seems happy... continue on with your day.

Sample schedules for babies with short naps:

3 months
7- Wake up
8:30-9- Nap 1
10:30-11- Nap 2
12:45-1:15- Nap 3
12:45-1:15- Nap 4
5:15-5:45- Nap 5
7:30- Bedtime

4 months
7- Wake Up
8:30-9:15- Nap 1
11:15-12- Nap 2
2:00-2:30- Nap 3
4:45-5:15- Nap 4
7:15- Bedtime

5 Months
7- Wake Up
9-9:45- Nap 1
12-12:45- Nap 2
3-3:45- Nap 3
6:15- May need earlier bedtime during nap transitions

If your baby has suddenly started crying constantly crying at nap time and bedtime 3-4 days in a row, it may be time to increase the wake time between naps and before night sleep.
What can you do to stretch your baby's wake time? We recommend the MAMAS method
M: Milk
A: Activity (holding, tummy time, play mat, baby gym)
M: More Milk (this becomes solids once your baby is eating)
A: Activity (Pause between milk and sleep)
S: Sleep

The second M is where we top your baby's tummy off so they are full and have a good nap. It's great for your milk supply and helps meet caloric needs during the day versus at night.

The length of pause for the second activity depends on the age of your baby. The older, the longer the pause. The pause for 3 months and younger is usually around 15 minutes and it grows to around 30 minutes for babies 7 months and older.

Sending love to all the families today!
❤️ to those who are holding their rainbow babies
❤️ to those who are pregnant with their rainbow baby
❤️ to those trying for a rainbow baby
❤️ to those dealing with infertility

Don’t miss out on this $10 class that is full of info! Let’s get you a boost of confidence in feeding your baby. This class is full of helpful information to help you be successful in your breastfeeding journey.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/396143966267

Don't forget to register for this Sunday's online breastfeeding workshop. I will be discussing anatomy of the breast, how to latch, antenatal hand expression, supply issues and more. This is a great place to start your breastfeeding journey!

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/396143966267

As we end World Breastfeeding Week, I wanted to share about breastmilk storage. This is a great graphic to save and print for your fridge. We work hard for that precious liquid gold and want to keep it as long as safely possible.

Also don't forget to register for my online breastfeeding workshop that will be held a week from today on Sunday, August 14th at 2pm. This is a great class for new moms who are considering breastfeeding or moms who are just beginning their journey.

You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/396143966267

If you're planning on breastfeeding or just getting started, I'd love for you to join me for a breastfeeding workshop. It will be held virtually via Zoom on Sunday August 14, 2022 @ 2pm. Only $10 to register. You will receive a free e-book and a recording of the workshop. If you're registered and can't join me at that time, you will be emailed the e-book and recording to watch at your convenience.

Breastfeeding Workshop If you're preparing to breastfeed, this workshop is for you.

This week we celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. The goal is to highlight the benefits that breastfeeding brings to the health and welfare of babies and maternal health by decreasing poverty, giving food security, and providing good nutrition.

Today we're taking a look at hunger signs and some tips for breastfeeding. Babies tend to be more calm and latch easier if we don't wait until the late hunger cue of crying starts. If we can catch our babies when they're still content and showing early signs of hunger, we will have a better chance of latching them easier and will have a less frustrated baby at the breast overall.

Breast-feeding is a feedback system. The more often you breastfeed/pump, the more milk your body will make. Allow you baby to feed as long as they will on the dinner breast. If the baby gets sleepy at the breast, try compressing your breast to give a surge of milk to stimulate your baby to wake up and continue feeding. Once your baby is no longer interested at the breast. Try burping and offering the dessert breast to finish up the feed.

If you have questions or need assistance with breastfeeding reach out for help. Don't suffer and try to make it through alone. Reach out to me or another healthcare professional.

And I always say... your mental health is the MOST important. Fed is best no matter what that may look like.

What do I do as The Mama Coach? I am a RN with a 13 year background in the NICU. I love mamas and I love babies. I find such joy in educating and supporting families. Parenthood can be down right HARD. I am here to help educate and guide you through tough times. I offer support from pregnancy through toddlerhood...Prenatal classes to potty training help. I also offer gift certificates which make great gifts for new moms.

Reach out for questions or book a free 15 min consult.

Sometimes breastfeeding starts out rocky and it hurts immediately. Sometimes you don't realize there's an issues for weeks or months. It isn't normal for breastfeeding to be painful. If you are experiencing pain while feeding, please reach out to me or another healthcare provider for assistance.

If you are needing to supplement because your supply isn't where it should be, have your baby assessed for a tongue tie.

Tongue ties can be fixed easily. It can change the course of your breastfeeding journey once revised.

If something doesn't feel right... if your baby is gaining weight slowly or is continually fussy, reach out for help. There is a reason and we can assess and figure out what is going on to get you on track.

**les

Q:Want to know what’s not important?
A: How many minutes your baby breastfed.
It is important not to time feeds because the milk composition changes throughout your feed. Just as cold water gets hot in the faucet, your breast milk changes from foremilk to hindmilk. If you stop the feed before your baby has eaten long enough to get to hindmilk, you will have a fussy, gassy baby who wants to eat frequently.

To ensure your baby is getting an effective feed, we offer a dinner and dessert breast. Allow your baby to start on the dinner breast. Watch for good active sucking and audible swallowing. Once your baby slows down or gets sleepy, compress your breast to offer a surge of milk into their mouth. Often times, this will stimulate them to continue sucking. If your baby still appears finished and is no longer actively sucking, take them off and burp. Last, offer the other breast as dessert. Allow your baby to eat at this breast if they desire. Always start with your previous dessert breast for the dinner breast next feed.

Click to see video:

Jenni Stocks, RN, BSN on Instagram: "Q:Want to know what’s not important? A: How many minutes your baby breastfed. It is important not to time feeds because the milk composition changes throughout your feed. Just as cold water gets hot in the...

Check out the latest AAP guidelines that were released in June regarding safe sleep.

You've run the marathon of pregnancy and you've delivered your new bundle of joy... now what? The postpartum phase is filled with many changes. Your body, your emotions, your identity are all changing. This can be overwhelming, lonely, and scary. It's normal to experience some anxiety and postpartum blues, but the feelings shouldn't persist or get worse. If you notice your mood and feelings not improving, reach out to your healthcare provider. Find support from your family, friends, and partner. Give yourself grace. You are exactly who your baby needs.

The Mama Coach - Jenni Stocks, LLC is here to support you in your postpartum time and beyond. Reach out for questions or concerns. You got this mama!

Let's chat about sound machines and white noise.

People ask when should I stop using a sound machine for my baby? My response is, I'm 35 and still sleep with a sound machine.

A sound machine can help with disruptions in sleep by drowning out other noises that may cause your baby to wake up.

A sound machine can help your baby tell time. The sound turning on cues them that it's time for sleep.

When choosing a sound, choose something that is deep and consistent. Think fan sound instead of waves. Play the sound the entire length of the sleep.

Place sound machine at least one meter from sleep space. Check volume by placing a phone with a decibel app on it to ensure the sound is not too loud. You want it to be less than 60 decibels.

I love having a sound machine with lights. It's great for keeping toddlers in their rooms during sleep time. Use a red light for nap time and bedtime. Set a green light to come on when it's okay to leave their room.

This is just one of the foundations of sleep we can put down to help ensure a good night's rest.

Join me this Sunday, June 26th @ 1pm for a More than sleep workshop where we will be talking about the foundations of sleep. Click here to register. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/354769413867

Watch this reel by jennistocks.themamacoach on Instagram Justin Jay, Josh Taylor • I Just Wanna Sleep

Let's talk about newborn sleep- AKA the first 12 weeks of your babies life.

How can you help your newborn get better sleep?
*Supporting naps and making sure they're getting enough day time sleep. Good day time sleep = better night time sleep. Wear your baby, hold them, rock them. Keeping your baby awake for long stretches during the day will not help you get better sleep at night. Quite the opposite more than likely!
*Newborns cycle between active and quiet sleep. If you hear your baby grunting, crying, or kicking, pause before you get them up. Watch them... they may actually just be in active sleep which can often be mistaken for them being awake.
*Make sure you keep your wake windows short. Newborns wake windows are around 30-90 minutes. The younger the babe, the shorter the wake window.

Join me for an online sleep workshop June 26th at 1pm. Click link to register. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/354769413867

Tag new or soon to be moms to share.

- RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 26th. Join me for an online workshop teaching on the foundations of sleep.
Cost: $15 USD
We will be discussing...
😴Bedtime Routine
😴Sleep Environment
😴Wake Windows
😴Naps
😴Over/Under Tiredness
⭐️ Click below to register for the workshop. Even if you're unable to join us live, register and you will receive the recorded workshop and a free E-Book.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/354769413867

I look forward to you joining me!

RESCHEDULED! Join me live June 26th @ 1pm for an online workshop teaching on the foundations of sleep.
Cost: $15 USD
We will be discussing...
😴Bedtime Routine
😴Sleep Environment
😴Wake Windows
😴Naps
😴Over/Under Tiredness
⭐️ Click below to register for the workshop. Even if you're unable to join us live, register and you will receive the recorded workshop and a free E-Book.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/354769413867

I look forward to you joining me!

Ever get up to go to the bathroom, turn the lights on and try to go back to bed and suddenly you feel wide awake? Light entering your eyes decreases the melatonin in your body, therefore causing you to wake up sooner. A baby needs a dark sleep environment. Having short naps? Check and see how bright it is in the nursery during the day. You may need to make it darker in there.
We will be talking about this and so much more in my online More Than Sleep Workshop, June 26th at 1pm. Click my link in the bio to sign up. You will be sent the recording and a free E-book. Also includes a free 15 min consult to discuss any questions or concerns you have with sleep.