While it is true that circadian rhythm and biological clock play large and important rules in how and when your baby sleeps, there is much that can be done to guide them in the right direction, and get those rhythms and clocks set sooner and to a healthier tune! Older generations and some others may frown on the idea of putting baby on a schedule, but it is proven to be beneficial for both baby and caregiver. Here are some of the benefits you may see from scheduling your baby's day:
- A better rested baby means less fussing and improved ability to enjoy wake times
- Sleep quantity/quality are directly correlated to better physical and cognitive development
- Sleep begets sleep, and the more daytime sleep you can get your baby (within recommendations) the better he/she will sleep at night
- The better he/she sleeps at night, the more rest for caregivers!
- Better rested caregivers are less likely to experience depression and sleep deprivation which lead to a whole slew of other serious conditions not the least being lack of patience and irritability
- General idea of how each day might look from morning til night which for many provides a little order and control amidst the disorderly uncontrollable days with little ones!
- You may be less likely to cause your baby to miss precious nap time and healthy early bedtime
- Putting your baby on a schedule from the start will set a solid foundation for not only good sleep habits that may last a lifetime, but also their future in which schedules are an inevitable part of life
Schedules are meant to be a framework. They are not meant to be rigid and unforgiving, nor are they meant to be a bully to you, or your baby! All babies are different. All parents are different. And each day is different. Your baby will have growth spurts, fussy mornings, fussy afternoons,fussy evenings and whole days that are fussy! He/she will teethe. They might catch a cold or have some other illness. They may be gassy and uncomfortable one day or for the whole first 3 months. They may just refuse to sleep for some or all naps for a day or longer.
All of these things are great! It means your baby is normal and you are learning all the tricks and trades needed to care for him/her. Just know that your schedule, as my friend Val says, should serve you. Not the other way around. Don't be a slave to it. Some days it will go off like a dream. Other days it will go completely out the window!
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions and I will try my best to help you make a schedule as well as adjust your schedule to address any issues as they arise.
Sample Newborn Schedule #1
0-4 months
"3 Hour Schedule"
7am out of crib Nurse/Bottle
8am asleep for Nap#1
10am out of crib Nurse/Bottle
11am asleep for Nap#2
1pm out of crib Nurse/Bottle
2pm asleep for nap #3
4pm out of crib Nurse/Bottle
5pm asleep for variable cat nap
5:30/6pm out of crib
6:30/7pm bedtime routine Nurse/Bottle
* Plan for 3 middle of the night feedings (MOTN) through 2 months or longer depending on pediatrician's advice and your baby's individual needs
General Note: Most babies cannot comfortable stay awake for longer than 45-60 minutes in this age range. Your 0-2 month old will hold closer to 45 minutes TOTAL awake time. As he/she moves closer to the 4 month mark, you may see them be able to handle 55-60 minutes. It sounds unbelievable, but go ahead! Keep your baby up longer than 45-60 minutes and you will most likely have an overtired, fussy, inconsolable baby on your hands in a very short time.
Personal Note: At this age our schedule varied as far as morning wake up time due to night feedings and other factors. My daughter had some TRUE MAJOR gas/tummy issues and possibly reflux so after the 2-3 week "baby moon" period was over, her 22-23 hour per day sleep habit began to change. She was exclusively breast fed (EBF). EBF babies tend to eat a little more frequently than formula fed (FF) babies and therefore often require an extra night feeding than what is typical. However if your (FF) baby seems to be hungry before the 3 hour mark, or an extra time at night, by all means, FEED YOUR BABY!
What Our Schedule REALLY Looked Like:
6am woke for first feeding-kept room dark and quiet, changed diaper if needed and nursed back to sleep.
8am out of crib/Nurse-although only 1.5-2 hrs from last feed, always start the day with a feeding
9am asleep for Nap#1
11am out of crib/Nurse
12pm Asleep for Nap#2
2pm out of crib/Nurse
3pm asleep for Nap#3
5pm out of crib/Nurse
6pm bedtime routine/Nurse to sleep
Note 2: Around 2-3 weeks of age The Witching Hour may rear it's ugly head! This will typically only affect your schedule from about the time your baby wakes from the last nap of the day until you can get them back to sleep which could be anywhere from 7pm-11pm!
Some babies never see a witching hour at all. Some start it earlier or later. Some it lasts just a few nights, some a few months. No matter what you and your baby face in sleep and crying issues in the early weeks, you can almost always look forward to it peaking around the 8 week mark and slowly tapering off to a more comfortable routine from there on out!
Key points:
- Set a realistic schedule that both serves your family as well as is reasonable for the typical circadium rhythm and biological clock i.e. 6am-6pm, 7am-7pm, 8am-8pm
- Have your baby asleep before the one hour mark for optimal health and nap lengths
- Be prepared to adjust the schedule as needed for any and all hiccups along the way
- If your baby is hungry outside of the scheduled feed times, FEED YOUR BABY!
- If your baby wakes early from a nap, have an age appropriate plan in place. Follow your plan and adjust your schedule from there.
- Be ready for the witching hour to rock you and your baby's schedule and world for awhile.
- Look forward to the 8 week mark where many babies peak with their digestive issues and witching hour begins to fade.
- Soothing Your Fussy/Crying Baby
- Surviving The Witching Hour
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