How to Put a Baby on a Feeding & Sleeping Schedule
Bringing a new baby into your can be one of the hardest things you will ever have to do. Your home's previously calm environment can quickly be turn upside-down and become a nightmare reliant upon the baby's idea of when he or she wants to eat and sleep. Getting your baby on a schedule will not only help the child get into a good rhythm, but it can also help bring the order back to your life.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Follow your baby's natural routines and rhythms. Record this data in the journal.
-
2
Start waking up your baby at the same time every morning by picking her up or changing her. Play with her for a bit to make sure she is awake.
-
-
3
Look for clues as to when bedtime should be. If your baby naturally falls asleep around 8:00 p.m. every night, make sure he is ready for bed and in his crib by that time.
-
4
Let new routines build on existing ones. If the baby is going to bed at a certain time, figure out when dinner needs to be, and then afternoon nap, and then lunch. Work backward to determine what will happen when.
-
5
Make sure that events in your baby's life always happen in the same place. Always change your baby and get him ready for bed in the nursery. Place him in the same high chair or sit in the same place for feeding.
-
6
Don't run to your baby every time she cries. You must let her know that you make the schedule. If your baby is crying for more than 10 minutes, check on her to make sure she is still safe.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
More than likely your schedule will get messed up if your baby gets a cold or is traveling for any reason. Try to keep up the schedule as best as possible and then get fully back into it when things are normal again.
Don't try to get your baby on a schedule until he is three or four months old. Not only will it not work, you may also slow his development.
