As parents, routine often feels like a mirage, just beyond our reach. For the first few months, we navigate the demands of feeding, sleeping, and diaper changes, lucky to find an opportunity to sleep for ourselves. And just when it feels like we’ve gotten the hang of things, the routine changes all over again!

Adults are creatures of habit wired to find efficient ways through our day using accumulated experience as a guide. This is why we're able to complete many tasks seemingly on autopilot. Baby hasn’t built these patterns yet, so the moments of everyday life we might be inclined to rush through provide an important foundation for baby’s development.

As baby grasps the concept of routine, these moments of repetition and predictability are the time that their nervous system is most calm and open to new experiences. Think of it as novelty within the comfort of familiarity. This is why everyday moments, like diaper changes, are the ideal time to slow down with baby to focus on brain-building and connection.

The science behind routines

Baby's early development is defined in large part by the rhythms and routines of their early environment and relationships with caregivers. While you're acclimating to baby’s biological routines, baby’s brain is hard at work absorbing the routines of your presence and care, forming 1 million or more neural connections per second. The brain’s neuroplasticity—its ability to wire and rewire based on different contexts—means that baby's brain is built on the quality of their environment and their connection with caregivers.

The more that experiences are repeated for baby, the stronger those neural connections become and serve as a foundation that allows them to pursue higher physical and cognitive function in the years to come. In this way, routines provide the scaffolding within which development can be shaped and supported.

This process has a lot to do with baby’s budding emotional regulation. An important part of baby’s early brain development is establishing a secure sense of self and learning to manage stress without being thrown into a state of chaos. These patterns are learned through attentive care and secure attachment to a caregiver. 

In summary, routines are a known pattern of predictability and safety throughout baby’s day, during which they're most receptive to new stimuli. The most routine parts of baby's tend to be diaper changes, feedings/meals , baths, and bedtime, which is why we pair our essentials with developmental content and activity inspiration.

Learn more about your baby with Grow with the Flow, a month-by-month guide to the first three years of your child's development.

How to elevate diaper changes

The diaper years coincide with baby's most critical window of brain and body development. Diaper changes are more than a fresh start for baby's bottom. They're the perfect opportunity to connect with baby and foster language development, emotional regulation, focus, and more. The simplest interactions can have profound benefits.

Start with eye contact

Connection begins with baby’s favorite activity, looking at you! 

Take it slow

Modeling calm and patience will help ground baby in this moment of connection. 

Narrate your actions

In your best parentese, narrate each step of the diaper change: 

• “First, we’re going to wipe you off!” 
• “Then we’re going to let you air dry for a bit.” 
• “Now we’re going to apply some cream.”
• “Time for a soft, new diaper!” 

Integrate activities

Once baby's dry and secure in a fresh diaper, it's an ideal time to integrate an age-appropriate developmental activity. The videos below have a few ideas, and you can find more at HealthyBaby TV.

References 

1. Mindell JA, Williamson AA. Benefits of a bedtime routine in young children: Sleep, development, and beyond. Sleep Med Rev. 2018;40:93-108. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.10.007
   
   
2. McNamara P, Humphry R. Developing everyday routines. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2008;28(2):141-154. doi:10.1080/01942630802031826
   
   
3. Mindell JA, Williamson AA. Benefits of a bedtime routine in young children: Sleep, development, and beyond. Sleep Med Rev. 2018;40:93-108. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.10.007
   
   
4. Çetinçelik M, Rowland CF, Snijders TM. Do the Eyes Have It? A Systematic Review on the Role of Eye Gaze in Infant Language Development. Front Psychol. 2021;11:589096. Published 2021 Jan 8. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589096
   
   
5. Gold CM. The Developmental Science of Early Childhood: Clinical Applications of Infant Mental Health Concepts from Infancy through Adolescence. New York: W. W Norton & Company; 2017.