How to Start a Baby on a Schedule

A new baby usually means a lot of sleeples nights for new parents. Many parents think putting a baby on a schedule can be too rigid, yet most babies enjoy the predictibility of a routine. Having a set schedule helps the baby know what to expect every day and lets the parents plan their days around naps and wake times. Having a schedule may even help a baby to sleep through the night.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Ask your pediatrician to recommend a feeding schedule. Most healthy newborns should be fed every 2 to 3 hours.
2. Compose a schedule of feeding times in a notebook. Make a chart with the times you would like to feed your baby. Most newborns can't stay awake for long and they sleep longer than they stay awake. Schedule a short 10 to 20 minute awake time after the scheduled feeding, and then a plan on a nap until the next feeding.
3. Start your schedule with a feeding. Plan a short awake time when you may talk or read to your baby, and then have a nap time. If you're feeding your child every three hours, the schedule would start over again every three hours with a feeding. Repeat until the final feeding.
4. Keep to the schedule. Keep your baby awake to finish the whole bottle. If breast feeding, keep him awake for the minimum amount of feeding time recommended by your pediatrician. The key to getting your baby to sleep well is making sure he gets enough food to fill her up. If he drinks just a little milk and falls asleep, he may just take a cat nap, and then wake up again from hunger.
5. Keep the baby awake after the feeding for a little while. At first, it may be a few minutes.
6. After the feeding and awake time, let the baby nap and see how long she sleeps. Let her sleep until the next feeding. If she awakes early and you feel she is hungry, feed her and start the routine over again. If she sleeps well and is still asleep when it is time for the next feeding, wake her up. This establishes a routine.
7. Follow the routine or schedule during the daytime hours. At night, let the baby sleep as long as she will, but not longer than 4 or 5 hours. Feed her if she wakes up hungry and put her right back to sleep without any awake time. Again, follow a pediatrician's advise on how long it is advisable to let your baby go without a feeding.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't rock your baby to sleep. When it is time for bed, cuddle your baby, start a bedtime or naptime tradition like reading or singing and put your baby down tired but awake. If the baby starts to cry, pick him up, cuddle and talk to him until he's calm and try it again. Babies who are rocked to sleep don't learn how to go to sleep on their own and may need parents to help them get to sleep for years.