What is a Wake Window?

A “wake window” is the amount of time your baby is awake between sleep periods, either their next nap or bedtime. I count a wake window from when the time the baby wakes up to the next time they fall asleep. Even if you don’t get your baby up for 15 minutes, I recommend you use the time they actually woke up to set your next sleep period.

For example, if your baby wakes up at 7:00 AM and has a wake window of two hours, they should be asleep BY 9:00 AM.

Why Do Wake Windows Matter?

Have you ever been so tired that you can’t sleep? You feel restless and on edge. This is because our bodies release hormones to fight fatigue and give us a “second wind.”

Babies go through the same thing and when they are awake too long, they can’t fall asleep, cry, or seem to fight sleep. Or, they fall asleep but wake up a lot because they can’t seem to get settled. Many times, babies will wake up and cry a lot for several hours, and then they might get into a deeper sleep.

If babies aren’t awake long enough, they may take short naps. Although short naps are more commonly caused by a baby being overtired by being awake too long, there are some babies who take short naps due to under-tiredness.

Getting your baby’s wake windows correct will usually help your baby nap longer, sleep better at night, and not wake up too early in the morning.

Newborn Wake Windows

Newborns can’t stay awake for long periods of time so they have short wake windows. Your newborn’s schedule should reflect very short awake periods in the beginning. Most of the time, newborns will only be awake long enough to eat and get a diaper change before you need to put them back to sleep. Therefore, a newborn’s wake window is often just 45-60 minutes.

Newborns are taking in a lot of information and so much is new to them. Life in the outside world is very stimulating and they are also growing very quickly so they need a lot of sleep. The most notable thing about newborns, in the beginning, is that they often have days and nights confused. But, don’t worry! Your newborn will sort out their days and nights within a couple of weeks. As your baby reaches 6-8 weeks old, they can begin to stay awake for 1-2 hours at a time.

Are Wake Windows The Same All Day?

Have you noticed your baby seems really sleepy first thing in the morning but then stays awake longer later in the day? If so, you’re not alone and it’s actually very common!

Although it’s counter-intuitive, the first wake window is often one of the shortest of the day. This seems backward since they just slept all night, right? However, babies often get sleepy again soon in the morning and have longer awake periods later in the day.

In addition, many babies have their shortest wake window first thing in the morning and again right before bed. For example, a 4-month-old might stay awake 90 minutes before the first nap, then stay awake 2 hours before the other naps, and then 90 minutes before bedtime. Since the last nap of the day is often a catnap, consider it a short “bridge” to bedtime.

On the other hand, if your baby is very consistent and stays awake a consistent amount of time throughout the day, that’s also normal. A 6-month-old might stay awake two hours before each sleep period all day. If this is the case, consider yourself lucky that you have a predictable routine. It’s also normal!

All babies are different so it’s okay and even encouraged, to customize your baby’s schedule to follow their natural pattern.

Wake Windows Chart – From Newborn to 5 Years Old

Babies go through many changes throughout the first few years especially when it comes to sleep. There are a number of sleep regressions and schedule changes. Be sure to download one of our free e-Books to help your baby sleep better.

As far as how long your baby should be awake, here is a chart with wake windows by age. However, be sure to use the overtired signs to determine if they are too long for your unique baby.

Average Wake Windows By Age

I hope this chart has helped you decide on the wake windows that are best for your baby or toddler. If you need any help, please feel free to contact us today!

You May Also Be Interested In…

• Baby Nap Chart: How Many and How Long?
• How Do I fix My Baby’s Early Waking?
• Best Age for Sleep Training Baby
• Sleep Training a Baby: 5 Methods Explained and Essential Tips

The post Wake Windows by Age Chart: Help Your Baby Sleep Better With The Right Schedule appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Why is Back to School Difficult?

First, let’s review quickly why getting back to school schedule-wise is so difficult.

Our bodies have internal clocks and light stimulating our eyes is what signals our brain to wake or sleep. So, when we start to go to bed late, we signal our brain to move our internal clock later. Then, we start to sleep later and our entire “clock” shifts forward. This is what happens with Daylight Saving when we Fall Back or Spring Forward. It takes a few days to a week to adjust to the 1-hour time change.

During the summer, however, many of our children (mine included) get more off-schedule than just one hour. In fact, my sons have often gotten about 4 hours off schedule since they are teenagers, now. Therefore, it’s going to be more difficult than Daylight Saving to get them back to school schedules.

Here’s how to adjust your child’s schedule back to a school schedule:

2-3 Weeks Before School Starts: The Gradual Method in 2 Easy Steps

If you have time, it is best to start 2-3 weeks before school starts and ideally, they would be on the school schedule at least 2-3 days before school starts. They will have a much smoother first week of school if you put in the time and effort now. If you don’t have 2-3 weeks, please see below. I got you covered!

Step 1: Add Structure Back to Your Day

No need to create an entire faux school day, but try to add at least one or two things back into the structure of your day if things have slipped significantly. For example, if you let your kids set their own bedtimes in the summer, start having a bedtime again even if it’s initially “too late” for a school schedule. Similarly, if you’ve been letting them sleep until whatever time they want, start getting them up at the same time every day. Again, even if it’s “too late” for school, this gives you a starting point.

Try to make sure you set the initial schedule such that they are getting enough sleep. Most school-aged children need an average of 10 hours of sleep at night. However, keep in mind that sleep needs range from 9-11 hours depending on the age of your child and their unique needs. So, your starting schedule might be 11:00 PM bedtime and wake up for the day at 9:00 AM, for example.

Step 2: Start Waking Them Up Earlier…Gradually

If you’re starting 2-3 weeks early, you can make a more gradual change to keep the fatigue and crankiness away. This also allows you to enjoy a few more late nights, too!

But, you can’t just start going to bed earlier if you still sleep late. That’s just not how it works. We can’t force ourselves, or our kids, to fall asleep by a certain time but we CAN make ourselves wake up at a certain time. So, it’s easier to start there. So, wake them up a little bit earlier every day.

Here’s an idea of how it would work for a 2-week adjustment:

• Days 1-2: Wake up at 8:45 AM and Bedtime at 10:45 PM
• Days 3-4: Wake up at 8:30 AM and Bedtime at 10:30 PM
• Days 5-6: Wake up at 8:15 AM and Bedtime at 10:15 PM
• Days 7-8: Wake up at 8:00 AM and Bedtime at 10:00 PM
• Days 9-10: Wake up at 7:45 AM and Bedtime at 9:45 PM
• Days 11-12: Wake up at 7:30 AM and Bedtime at 9:30 PM
• Day 13: Wake up at 7:15 AM and Bedtime at 9:15 PM
• Day 14: Wake up at 7:00 AM and Bedtime at 9:00 PM

On the other hand, you can also shift in 30-minute increments instead like this:

• Days 1-3: Wake up at 8:30 AM and Bedtime at 10:30 PM
• Days 4-6: Wake up at 8:00 AM and Bedtime at 10:00 PM
• Days 7-9: Wake up at 7:30 AM and Bedtime at 9:30 PM
• Day 10: Wake up at 7:00 AM and Bedtime at 9:00 PM

IMPORTANT NOTE: Even though you are waking up your child earlier every day, they may or may not actually fall asleep “on time.” Still, stick with the correct bedtime and wake-up time the next day. You are signaling their internal clock if they are in bed even if they aren’t sleeping just yet.

Video About School Schedules

See me talk about this on the NBC News here:

1 Week Before School Starts: The Faster Method

Some of us aren’t so good about preparing ahead of time or maybe we don’t want to. Maybe we are enjoying the late nights!

If you have a child who isn’t prone to crankiness as much or you’re willing to brave a few rough days or, frankly, you have no choice, you can simply shift to a school schedule faster like this:

• Days 1-2: Wake up at 8:30 AM and Bedtime at 10:30 PM
• Days 3-4: Wake up at 8:00 AM and Bedtime at 10:00 PM
• Days 5-6: Wake up at 7:30 AM and Bedtime at 9:30 PM
• Day 7: Wake up at 7:00 AM and Bedtime at 9:00 PM

Go much faster than this and you might have a few really long and tiring days, plus your child is likely to be very tired by the time school starts. This is similar to jet lag while traveling. So, if possible, try to change your child’s schedule at least a week leading up to school starting.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Even though you are waking up your child earlier every day, they may or may not actually fall asleep “on time.” Still, stick with the correct bedtime and wake-up time the next day. You are signaling their internal clock if they are in bed even if they aren’t sleeping just yet.

Be sure to hear me talk about getting back to a school schedule on the No Guilt Mom Podcast!

Can I Let Them Stay Up Late on the Weekend?

With school schedules, we often have late bedtimes on the weekend. Can you do that when you’re adjusting their schedules back to school?

While you might be able to allow a late bedtime, I recommend you don’t let it shift by more than 30 minutes. Unfortunately, you run the risk of having to start all over if you do that.

What About After School Starts?

Once school starts, remember that they are likely to be extra tired. They are learning the new teacher’s rules, learning new information, meeting new friends, etc. And, if you have athletes, they are also expending energy playing their sport(s).

So, make sure you plan to have extra patience AND an early bedtime!

If your child normally needs 9 hours of sleep at night, consider allowing for 9 1/2 hours for the first week or two of school. Make sure you have some downtime on the weekend and don’t overbook yourselves, especially if your schedule doesn’t allow for enough sleep during the week due to outside activities, homework, etc.

What Is a Good Bedtime?

During the school year, make sure you have a bedtime that’s appropriately early for the amount of sleep they need. And, allow some downtime and fall-asleep time. Here are a few sample schedules to consider:

School Schedule Bedtime Chart

How to Stop Sleeping Through the Alarm

As our children get older, we want them to be more independent. Therefore, you might want to start having them set an alarm to wake themselves up. You might need to help them set it and make sure they do while getting them on their school schedule, of course. Unfortunately, we still have to parent sometimes but the more you put the job in their hands, the more independent they will become.

If you or your child is sleeping through their alarm, you or they are deep sleepers. You might be going to bed too late but you might also just need a louder and more vibrant alarm. I bought my teenage son the Sonic Bomb Alarm which is very loud and vibrates the bed. Works like a charm!

Conclusion

Getting enough sleep for your child can not only help them get better grades but also help avoid behavior problems and depression among other things. Sleep is vitally important for children and entire families to thrive. I hope these tips help you and your family, and you have a GREAT school year!

The post How to Get Back to School Schedule and Maximize Sleep appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

2 Month Old Baby Sleep and Development

At 2 months, your baby is moving past the newborn stage but is still considered a newborn. Your baby is likely extending their wake windows and staying awake longer during the day. They might also be starting to smile more at you and show some personality. It’s such a wonderful time of development!

By 2 months old, your baby’s sleep is likely still a bit erratic as sleep begins to organize. Your baby may sleep in longer stretches at night within the next few weeks, and be awake more during the day. It may take some time to get there, so if your 2-month-old is still very sleepy, that’s normal!

Most 2-month-olds sleep 9-12 hours at night and 4-6 hours during the day broken into several naps. Many 2-month-olds are still eating several times a night or every 3 hours. Bedtimes aren’t always very early at this age given babies aren’t yet sleeping 11-12 hours, yet, as they will at 4 months old. As your baby grows and matures, he or she will consolidate sleep and transition to just 3 naps by 5-6 months old.

You May Also Be Interested In…

• 7 Common Napping Mistakes
• Night Feedings by Age, and When Do You Try Night-Weaning?
• 5 Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

How Many Naps for a 2 Month Old?

Most 2 month old babies take 4 to 5 naps each day that total 4 to 6 hours of sleep. They take so many naps because babies this age stay awake just 1 to 1 1/2 hours at a time. There are a few babies who organize their sleep earlier and will gravitate toward a 4-nap schedule similar to a 4 month old schedule. However, if your baby doesn’t and is taking short naps, this is considered normal. Since they can’t stay awake very long during the day, they often “spread” their total daytime sleep across the day.

2 Month Old Baby Feeding

Your baby will likely also start to consolidate feedings beginning around 2 months old, especially if formula-fed. Your baby’s stomach capacity is getting bigger, so your 2-month-old baby will begin to be able to go for longer stretches between night feedings. Do remember, though, that if you are breastfeeding, you’ll want to continue to breastfeed at least every few hours during the day, and your baby will continue to need night feedings at this age, which also maintains your milk supply.

Most babies this age will eat every 3-4 hours during the day.

If your baby is still waking frequently at 2 months old, you may start to wonder about introducing solid food, in order to help your baby sleep. However, keep in mind that starting solids doesn’t usually improve sleep, and 2 months old is still considered too young to begin solid food. It’s best to stick exclusively with breastmilk or formula unless your healthcare provider indicates you should do otherwise.

You May Also Be Interested In…

• 12 Hours By 12 Weeks Old: 10 Important Cautions
• 2-3 Month Old Baby Sleep Guide
• Baby Feeding Chart: How Many Ounces By Age

Sample 2 Month Old Baby Sleep and Feeding Schedules

Putting it all together, all babies are unique, but here are sample schedules you can use to make your own for your unique baby.

Breastfeeding 2 Month Old Baby Schedule (or Babies with small, frequent feedings such as babies with reflux)

This first sample schedule is primarily for breastfed babies (or formula-fed babies who have reflux or similar) who eat more frequently during the day. These babies often do better eating before their naps so they will sleep longer at nap time. This is NOT an Eat-Play-Sleep, schedule, though. See below for Eat-Play-Sleep.

+ 2-3 night feedings

* We recommend you make these fixed points in your baby’s schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

Formula-Fed 2 Month Old Baby Schedule (or Breastfed babies who can go longer between feedings)

This second sample schedule is for babies who can go longer between feedings and can follow an Eat-Play-Sleep Scheudle.

+ 2-3 night feedings

* We recommend you make these fixed points in your baby’s schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

Note: This schedule follows the eat-play-sleep routine, however, it is sometimes hard to do at this age when the amount of time between naps is not long enough and your baby wakes too early from his nap because of a feeding.

If your baby has already lengthened their nighttime sleep, please consider using one of our 3 month old schedules.

Looking for more sample 2-month sleep schedules?

We have over 40 sample schedules for all ages in our e-Book, Mastering Naps and Schedules. Banish naptime battles and regain control of your day (and your sanity) starting today!

You May Also Be Interested In…

Want FREE sleep help that you can put to use right away? Download a copy of our free guide, 7 Common Napping Mistakes! The guide is available to download instantly, which means you can start using the techniques in it as early as today. So download now, and learn why your baby is not napping – and what you can do about it.

Click here to learn more about how to get your free guide.

A better daytime schedule could be just a few clicks away. So don’t wait – download now, and start your journey to better napping today!

The post 2 Month Old Baby Sleep and Feeding Schedules appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

This article outlines the average 12-month-old / 1-year-old toddler schedule, including feedings, solids, naps, and night sleep.

Skip to the schedule

1 year old sleep / 12 month old’s sleep

At this age, almost all 12 month olds can sleep through the night, without a feeding, and take two naps for a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours per day plus 10-12 hours at night. A small percentage of 1-year-olds transition to one nap this early, but since the average is 15-18 months old, we recommend you stick to 2 naps unless your toddler is resisting one of their naps at least 4 times a week. My eldest son, who inspired babysleepsite.com did seem to transition to one nap one week before his first birthday, but I later found out I should have kept two naps.

Many toddlers this age get very overtired and sleep can spiral out of control when we transition to one nap too soon, so I typically recommend keeping two naps as long as possible. My younger son seemed to start to transition to one nap around the same time just like his older brother, but since I knew better the second time around, he went back to two naps within a week or two and continued taking two naps until 15 or 16 months. If your 1-year-old is in daycare, he or she may be required to move to one nap a day in the toddler room. We work with many families in this situation and most toddlers will do just fine after a 2-3-week transition, however, others will struggle a lot with it this young.

Your 1-year-old should be taking 2 naps per day for a total of 2-3 hours per day plus 10-12 hours at night. Wake windows at this age are usually 3-4 hours throughout the day. If you’re having trouble with naps, you might be interested in helping your baby nap and reading the 5 signs to see before switching to one nap.

Although many babies or toddlers can go all night without a single feeding, in my experience, some families choose to keep one feeding after 4 or 5 a.m. and sleep later than not feed and get an early wake-up-time. I would need to know your specific situation to make a recommendation, but just recognize that all babies are different. By this age, I would not expect more than one feeding, typically, if any at all. I would recommend at least an attempt at night-weaning because it can be a chicken and egg problem. It’s hard to encourage more eating during the day when he is eating at night and it’s hard to discourage eating at night when he isn’t eating more during the day.

All toddlers vary, but here are some approximate schedules you can use to make your own for your unique situation. I believe that milk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary, but now that your toddler is over a year old, you may want to consider moving toward milk being a beverage with a meal rather than a separate event, if you haven’t already.

Below are the amounts of solid food we recommend. The amount of food at 12 months is very similar to 11 months, but he may be eating more given he is likely running around a lot more and becoming more and more mobile.

Average Milk and Food Per Day for a 1 Year Old

Amounts per day:

• At least 3 nursing sessions per day or 24-32 ounces formula or up to 16-20 oz of milk
• 6-8 oz of water
• 2 servings (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons dry) cereal
• 2 servings grain (1 serving = 1/2 slice bread, 2 crackers, 1/2 cup Cheerios, or 1/2 cup whole grain pasta)
• 2 servings fruit (1 serving = 3-4 Tablespoons)
• 2-3 servings vegetable (1 serving = 3-4 Tablespoons)
• 2-3 servings protein (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons)
• 1 serving Dairy (1 serving = 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/3 cup cottage cheese or 1 oz grated cheese)

You may also be interested in homemade baby food recipes for 10 to 12 month olds.

The first schedule is what I call a “staggered” approach if you decide to keep milk separate from your meals:

Sample 12 month old / 1 year old sleep and feeding schedules

Sample Schedule 1

7:00 – Wake and Milk
8:30 – Breakfast
10:00 – Snack (e.g. fruit, cheese, etc.) plus Milk
10:00/10:30 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)
12:30 – Lunch
2:30 – Snack / Milk
3:00/3:30 – Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)
4:30 – Snack (e.g. fruit, cheese, etc.) plus Milk
6:00 – Dinner
7:00/7:30 – Begin bedtime routine
7:30/8:00 – Milk and Bedtime (goal to be asleep at this time)

If you prefer to combine milk and meals together, here is another approach to your 1-year-old’s schedule:

Sample Schedule 2

7:00 – Wake
7:30 – Breakfast with Milk
10:00 – Snack (e.g. fruit, cheese, etc.)
10:00/10:30 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)
12:00 – Lunch with Milk
2:30 – Snack (e.g. fruit, cheese, etc.)
3:00/3:30 – Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)
4:30 – Snack (e.g. fruit, cheese, etc.)
6:00 – Dinner with Milk
7:00/7:30 – Begin bedtime routine
7:30/8:00 – Milk (optional) and Bedtime (goal to be asleep at this time)

Note: When giving any feedings during your bedtime routine, be careful not to create sleep associations, which we saw become important at 4 months old. We see the worst sleep during the 8 month sleep regression when your baby is oftentimes sitting up and standing up.

Looking for more sample 1-year-old schedules?

We have over 40 sample schedules for all ages in our e-Book, Mastering Naps and Schedules. Banish naptime battles and regain control of your day (and your sanity) starting today!

You Might Also Like:

• Custom Schedule Maker (for members only)
• Mastering Naps and Schedules (Members Area digital e-Book)
• Chat Live with a Sleep Consultant (for members only)
• Basics of Toddler Sleep (Members Area audio tele-seminar recording with founder)
• Why Not All 12-Month Olds Transition To One Nap
• How to Nap Train (chapter in Mastering Naps & Schedules)
• Day-by-Day Nap Training Plan (Members Area article)
• Transitioning Your Toddler to Daycare or Preschool (Members Area tele-seminar)
• Toddler Sleep Regressions Explained
• 17-Month Old Toddler Sleep Coaching Case Study (Members Area case study)

Want FREE sleep help that you can put to use right away? Download a copy of our free guide, 7 Common Napping Mistakes! The guide is available to download instantly, which means you can start using the techniques in it as early as today. So download now, and learn why your baby is not napping – and what you can do about it.

Click here to learn more about how to get your free guide.

A better daytime schedule could be just a few clicks away. So don’t wait – download now, and start your journey to better napping today!

What is your 1-year-old’s schedule? Share below!

The post 12 Month Old / 1 Year Old Toddler Sleep and Feeding Schedule appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

You can peruse all the newborn sleep schedules by scrolling down or using the quick links below. In addition, you may also want to bookmark this page for future use or get more comprehensive sample schedules and sleep schedule guidance in our e-book, Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep.

1 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 1-week old will sleep upwards of 16-18+ hours in a day, but babies this age tend to sleep in “chunks” of 2 hours at a time and will need to eat that often. It is important to feed 1-week-old babies often to ensure proper weight gain and, if you’re breastfeeding, it helps establish your milk supply. So, even if your baby wants to sleep longer than 2 hours, you will need to wake him or her to feed. It’s very likely your baby will go right back to sleep after a feeding and diaper change quite a bit of the time. Or, at least, it might feel that way.

Another thing to keep in mind is that your baby’s “night sleep” will not be very long just yet. In fact, late bedtimes are common at these younger ages and many newborns mix up day and night. This means if they are awake at all, they are awake at night when you are sleeping and then sleep in very long stretches during the day. Understandably, you may be wishing they would sleep that long at night. If so, you will want to consider correcting your newborn’s day/night confusion if they don’t correct it themselves in the next week or so.

Your 1-week-old’s newborn sleep schedule will not be set to a clock, but rather, you should feed your baby on demand and put your baby to sleep when they show sleepy signs. Babies this age, can barely stay awake every 45 minutes, usually, and eat every two hours. They have very short wake windows. Here’s a bit of how your day might look but it will vary quite a bit, baby to baby as well as day-to-day, and some naps will likely be longer than others:

A newborn’s sleep patterns are a bit repetitive, but I promise things will get more interesting as your baby gets older. 😉

You May Also Be Interested In…

• 10 Things to do Before and After You Have a Baby
• 6 Reasons Your Newborn Is Not Sleeping
• Newborn Day/Night Confusion
• How Long Do Newborns Sleep?

2 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 2-week-old doesn’t differ too much from a 1-week-old in that your baby will sleep most of the day, approximately 16 hours, on average. But, again, the sleep is broken into “chunks” where some naps will be longer than others. If your baby still has day/night confusion, you may want to start trying to keep them awake for at least 45 minutes multiple times a day and avoid naps longer than 3 hours.

If your baby will only sleep when in your arms or chest, then the days may be challenging unless you have help at home. However, if your baby is sleeping in a bedside bassinet you may have more time on your hands than you thought you would after having a baby! If that’s the case, be sure to rest up for the coming weeks. 😉 Here’s a bit how your day might look but it will vary quite a bit, baby to baby as well as day to day, and some of you newborn’s naps will likely be longer than others:

3 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: At 3 weeks old, your newborn baby may begin to stay awake a bit longer during the day up to one hour or so but still will need to sleep about 16 hours in a 24-hour period. Unfortunately, he or she may also begin to become a bit fussier, in general. This is normal as babies sometimes have a hard time adjusting to the outside world. Their central nervous system is maturing and developing.

Talk to your baby’s doctor or healthcare provider to make sure you no longer need to wake your baby to feed. If your baby is gaining weight well, your doctor may allow him or her to sleep in longer stretches during the day and at night. In addition, sometimes babies still feed frequently during the day at this age but then have at least one longer stretch at night. Although a strict newborn sleep schedule is still not common, your day may look a little something like this:

Again, which naps are longer will vary from baby to baby and maybe even day-to-day for the same baby.

4 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 1 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: At 4 weeks old / 1 month old, your newborn baby will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep per day and will likely begin staying awake a bit more during the day. Sleep schedules are still relatively loose and vary day-to-day though some babies are getting into more predictable sleep patterns.

Thankfully, some 4 week old newborns start to have one or two longer stretches of sleep at night. Talk to your baby’s doctor or healthcare provider to make sure you no longer need to wake your baby to feed. If your baby is gaining weight well, your doctor may allow him or her to sleep in longer stretches during the day and at night and it will be glorious! If you are struggling to put your baby to sleep, be sure to read How to Get Your Newborn to Sleep at Night: 7 Steps.

Breastfed babies sometimes feed more frequently than formula-fed babies at this age. For example, my son was breastfed and couldn’t go longer than 2 to 2 1/2 hours during the day before he needed to eat again while some formula-fed babies start to go 3 hours between feedings. Also, cluster feeding and evening fussiness may become more common around this age. Here is a common 4 week old/1 month old sleep pattern and schedule:

As you can see, you may have one fewer night feeding and longer stretches of sleep (hopefully!)

5 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 5-week-old will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep a day and can’t stay awake much longer than an hour. Some babies need more time to be able to stay awake longer, but 1 to 1 1/2 hours is typical. All babies develop at their own pace so if your baby is still sleeping almost the entire day, as long as your doctor isn’t concerned, it’s likely just fine. On the other hand, if your baby is staying awake a lot more during the day, this is also normal. In other words, newborn sleep patterns change rapidly! Your baby will begin to stay awake more and more throughout the day as they can handle more stimulation.

Newborn sleep cycles are around 30-40 minutes so if your baby is waking up mid-way through the nap, that’s why. Unfortunately, we start to see this become problematic in the coming weeks. Be sure you are still swaddling your baby to help keep them asleep. If their moro reflex wakes them during a sleep cycle, remaining swaddled can help them drift back to sleep.

Here is what a 5-week-old newborn sleep schedule may look like, but again, it could vary quite a bit and you should still be putting your baby down based on his or her sleepy cues:

6 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: 6 week old babies typically need ~14-16 hours of sleep a day and will likely start gravitating toward a 4-5-nap nap schedule. The first nap is typically the first to organize and lengthen to become a more predictable nap. If your baby is fussy, this is typically the age when fussiness peaks. Your baby may be going through their 6-week growth spurt and will become a lot more social. Evening fussiness is still very common at this age and bedtimes often get a bit earlier but I still recommend avoiding bedtimes that are TOO early since babies this age don’t sleep 11-12 hours just yet. We start to see newborns fight sleep around this age and the upcoming weeks.

Here’s what a 6-week-old baby sleep schedule may look like:

7 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns are emerging and possibly becoming more predictable. 7-week-old newborn will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep each day and his or her schedule will likely look very similar to a 6-week-old’s. Your baby may begin to move bedtime earlier and drop one of their cluster feedings in the evening. Evening fussiness typically is going away around this age, though if your baby needs a couple more weeks, that would be within norms, too. Don’t worry! Your baby won’t likely remain so fussy unless he or she doesn’t get the sleep he or she needs. If you have any concerns, be sure to talk to your doctor and ensure proper weight gain is occurring. Here is a common daily routine and 7 week newborn sleep schedule:

A schedule is beginning to emerge! If your baby is sleeping a single 5-hour stretch, congratulations! This is considered “sleeping through the night.” Of course, you may not be sleeping all night just yet. Some babies, especially formula-fed babies, might be sleeping in even longer stretches at night. Some babies have increased their bottle sizes during the day while others haven’t. The key is that they are eating enough in a 24-hour period. Breastfed babies may still be eating three times a night.

8 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: By 8 weeks old/2 months old, many babies are sleeping longer at night and we start to see earlier and earlier bedtimes as your baby lengthens nighttime sleep to 11-12 hours and they nap 3-4 hours during the day, on average. They still need ~14-16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. However, if your baby still has a later bedtime, that isn’t too uncommon. Until your baby is sleeping 11-12 hours at night, you really don’t want an 8 PM or earlier bedtime else you will have to start your day WAY too early! In addition, your baby may have been eating just 1-2 times a night but once they lengthen their nighttime sleep, this might mean a night feeding creeps back in, temporarily.

Some parents stop swaddling around this age because baby is rolling which can become problematic for sleep. This can lead to more night-waking and shorter naps. In addition, there is commonly an 8-week growth spurt to keep in mind. This is a common age when parents begin to think about sleep training their newborn.

Here is what your 8-week-old’s schedule may look similar to:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed for 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

9 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

At 9 weeks old, your baby will need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day broken into 3-4 naps for a total of ~14-16 hours a day. This will be true for several more weeks. Your 9-week old’s newborn sleep schedule won’t likely look too different than your 8-week schedule. The frequency of schedule changes starts to slow down a bit as we approach 16 weeks. Here is a sample 9-week old sleep schedule, though as always, babies vary a lot:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

10 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 10-week-old baby is likely starting to move bedtime a bit earlier if they haven’t done so already. It’s even more likely he or she is in bed 11-12 hours at night, now. 10-week-olds need an average of 14-16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period and will likely be taking 3-4 naps a day, at this point. Here is a sample 10 week old newborn sleep schedule:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

11 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

11-week-old babies still need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 naps, but the average total sleep tends to drop a bit at this age to ~14-15 hours. As we approach 3 months old, your baby is likely staying awake a bit more during the day and some naps may be starting to shorten. This is a common age to start putting baby in the crib for naps. Here is what a day in the life of an 11-week-old might look like:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

12 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 3 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns have likely changed significantly from a few weeks ago. 12-week-olds (or 3-month-olds) are starting to approach the time when we start to see newborn sleep problems if you haven’t seen them up to this point. Naps sometimes get shorter and it may be harder to stick to your schedule or eat-play-sleep routine. Your baby still needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day, but the total average sleep is right around 14 hours. Of course, by definition, some babies will need more and some will need less. If your baby needs less, developing a 3-month-old schedule is usually more difficult. Ideally, you’d keep your baby awake no longer than two hours at a time otherwise, your 3 month old might be very fussy.

Here is what a typical 12 week old sleep schedule looks like, though not always predictable just yet:

13 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 13-week-old’s sleep schedule won’t be too different than a 12-week-old’s in that not much changes. Of course, as your baby gets older, he or she will be able to stay awake for progressively longer periods of time. Most babies this age will stay awake 1-2 hours at a time, with the first stretch being one of the shortest. However, not all babies this age have 4 naps. Typically, those who take longer naps will have fewer naps, so it depends on whether your baby has started developing a consistent morning nap, yet. Your baby’s central nervous system is maturing and your newborn’s sleep is organizing. Here is a sample 13-week-old’s sleep schedule:

14 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

At 14 weeks old, your baby still needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day. Some babies are transitioning to 3 naps around this age, though not all, depending on how long they can stay awake between sleep periods. Most babies still need to sleep within 1-2 hours of being awake. And, if they are sleeping 12 hours at night, they may not need quite as much sleep during the day. Schedules are still coming together except for regular or predictable babies who naturally gravitate toward a schedule. Here is what your schedule might look like if your baby takes a longer midday nap:

15 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 15-week-old will not sleep too differently than 14 weeks old. While not too much changes week-to-week, babies change a lot from week 1 to 16. Most importantly, keep in mind that all babies develop at a different pace. For instance, a 15-week old could look more like a 12-week-old or a 16-week-old and both would be “normal.” Not all babies will organize their sleep at the exact same time. Babies tend to be more predictable after they transition from 3 to 2 naps, but other nap transitions and schedule changes aren’t quite as predictable. Here is what some 15-week-old’s schedule looks like if they can’t stay awake very long between sleep periods and don’t take super long naps:

16 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

16 weeks is the last that we consider a “newborn.” Your baby should be awake a lot more during the day and developing some personality! By this age, I knew my son was very spirited and persistent, and I had challenges in my future! He did end up inspiring an entire website after all. 😉

At 16 weeks old or 4 months, the main sleep problem we see is the famous 4 Month Sleep Regression. Babies tend to wake up frequently at night and take short naps after this regression begins. However, keep in mind that this can occur as early as 12 weeks old or as late as 5 months old once sleep cycles change. Some babies will go back to sleeping well while others will need more help learning how to sleep in longer stretches at night and take longer naps.

If you haven’t already, this is often when visitors download our free e-Book, 5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night or consider sleep training.

Here is what a sleep schedule for your 16 week old might look like:

I hope this post gives you some ideas about an appropriate newborn sleep schedule for your baby and about your baby’s sleep patterns. But, keep in mind that all babies are unique and some are more predictable and easy-going than others. Spirited babies tend to be more challenging when it comes to sleep schedules. Take heart that all babies do eventually get into a rhythm, though not all are predictable to the clock. You’ll get to know your baby and his or her unique needs.

What is your newborn’s sleep schedule?

The post Newborn Sleep Schedules By Week, Newborn Sleep Patterns, and Tips for Better Sleep! appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Many of the families we work with at The Baby Sleep Site report trying to get their baby on this E.A.S.Y./eat- play-sleep routine and being unsuccessful. I tried it, too, when my first child was a baby. It sounds perfect, right!? But, I believe there are some very inherent flaws with this idea:

1.  While the E.A.S.Y. routine might be OK for a newborn with very short awake times and frequent naps, it often spells D.I.S.A.S.T.E.R. for older babies who need to eat before and after every nap.
2.  Breastfed infants often need to eat more often than every 3 hours.
3.  Limiting milk/formula during the day equates to MORE feedings at night.
4.  Breastfeeding moms may suffer from low milk supply as a result of going too long between feedings.
5.  Young babies do not eat or sleep on a true “schedule.” It is normal and expected for every day to look different the first 6 months of your baby’s life.

While we do promote implementing a daily routine including a nap and bedtime routine with your baby early on here at The Baby Sleep Site, we like to help the families we work with set realistic goals for their baby’s sleeping/feeding patterns. Books such as Baby Whisperer and On Becoming BabyWise have been criticized for misguiding parents’ expectations and in some cases, setting them up to “fail.”

The truth is: The E.A.S.Y. schedule can hinder breastfeeding and can actually make your baby sleep worse! Babies who go to sleep on an empty tummy tend to take shorter naps and fight going to sleep because they are hungry. Limiting daytime feedings can also mean your baby will need to wake up more often at night to feed. It makes sense.

If you have been trying to implement the eat-play-sleep schedule and are finding it impossible to achieve, you are NOT alone! If your baby is waking prematurely from naps, waking every hour at night or too early in the morning, this E.A.S.Y. schedule might be to blame! It’s best to feed your baby on-demand or approximately 30 minutes before each nap, possibly after the nap, and approximately 30 minutes before bedtime. Full babies are sleepy babies. 😉

Need help creating a baby-friendly schedule? Use our free schedule generator app to create a customized schedule for your baby or contact our team of expert Sleep Consultants to help you find the right schedule for YOUR baby!

The post Does the E.A.S.Y. schedule make sleep more difficult for your baby? appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Scheduling is a hot topic on The Baby Sleep Site^®! We have a variety of sample baby sleep and feeding schedules, but how do you get your baby on a sleep or nap schedule, anyway? Having the template in front of you is one thing; getting your baby to follow it is quite another!

In this article, we’ll lay out tips for how to get your baby on a schedule, and break them down by age. That’s simply because your strategy for implementing your baby’s nap schedule will be highly dependent your baby’s age.

How To Get Your 2 or 3 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

Your 2 or 3 month old is nowhere near ready for a by-the-clock schedule (at least, most aren’t), so it’s best not to try for one. If you push for a clock-based schedule too soon, you run the risk of keeping your baby awake too long between some naps, and that can lead to overtiredness, which in turn will make both naps and nights rough. So, it’s best just to watch your baby’s cues and put her down as soon as she seems sleepy. You can begin to work towards some predictability by setting one or two fixed points in your baby’s day, but avoid trying for too many. Similarly, you can begin to work on helping your baby fall asleep without sleep associations, by putting her down slightly awake for one or possibly two naps.

How To Get Your 4 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

Your 4 month old baby will have limited ability to be on a true by-the-clock schedule. Your best way to add predictability and structure to your day is to follow more of a routine, rather than a schedule. Your routine may be something like eat-play-sleep, like Babywise (even if you don’t use all its ideas), or something unique you create for your unique baby. Predictability not only helps you plan your day, but for some babies, particularly slow-to-adapt babies, it helps them feel more secure. On the other hand, some parents prefer to simply follow baby’s cues at this age, and not worry about a clock-based schedule at this point. Find what works for you and, most importantly, your baby.

How To Get Your 5, 6, or 7 Month Old Baby

Around 5, 6 or 7 months old, some babies can begin to get on more of a clock schedule. 6 months in particular is a good age to start working towards a predictable schedule, as this is when your baby’s sleep will start to consolidate, and naps may start to lengthen. However, it’s still a good idea to keep a good bit of flexibility build into your baby’s schedule. For example, a 5 to 7 month old may routinely take her nap around 9 a.m., but on any particular day, when she’s possibly working on a Wonder Week developmental leap or more active that day, she may need to go to sleep earlier than normal. It is often best to watch the clock AND your baby, in this age group. To put your 5, 6, or 7 month old on a schedule, you want to move slowly in extending their awake period until your baby can comfortably get to your target nap or sleep schedule. For tips on what ideal wake times look like, between naps, check out our baby nap chart.

How To Get Your 8, 9, or 10 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

Your 8, 9, or 10 month old can often be on a more regular and predictable schedule, but remember this age group is prone to the 8-9-10 month old sleep regression. For babies sensitive to being over-tired, though, you probably don’t want to be TOO rigid with your baby’s schedule. Being too rigid may land you into a cycle of chronic over-tiredness, which is sometimes hard to break. And, if bedtime is a little too late, the schedule may work wonderfully for weeks and then BAM, one “off” day sets you into a downward spiral (this can happen at any age, actually). To put your 8, 9 or 10 month old on a schedule, you’ll want to extend their awake period, just like your 5 or 6 month old, but you may be able to go a bit faster.

How To Get Your 11 or 12 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

Your 11 or 12 month old will likely have gotten on their own schedule, even if you didn’t mean for it to happen. Most babies will begin to fall into a fairly regular pattern, even if it’s not identical every day. Inconsistent babies tend to start “smoothing” out at this age, even if they aren’t strictly “consistent.” If you are still napping and setting bedtime based on sleepy cues, you may feel frustrated, if your baby/toddler is not napping long enough and still catnapping during the day. Some babies are “good” about sleepy cues and sleeping well based on them, while others need more structure and direction from you. Not enough awake time can wreak havoc in this age group. To put your baby/toddler on a nap sleep schedule, take one for a test drive to see how your little one responds. Different babies need different schedules. That’s why we offer a wide variety of sample schedules in our Mastering Naps and Schedules book.

How To Get Your Toddler On A Schedule

Of all age groups, a toddler’s schedule is often one of the easiest to achieve. As long as your toddler is napping independently and can nap long enough, your toddler will fall into a predictable schedule. You can set the schedule based on the clock and, generally, will get a good night’s sleep and a good nap out of him. Granted, over-tiredness can still lead to shorter naps or night-waking or your baby waking too early, but if you follow a standard 5 hours awake before and after the nap, most toddlers should do pretty well.

For more help in getting your baby or toddler on a healthy, age-appropriate schedule, check out these great Members Area resources:

• Members-Only Custom Schedule Generator (includes feeding times as well as nap times)
• Mastering Naps & Schedules (members enjoy unlimited access to this e-book at no additional cost)
• Shift Your Child’s Schedule (solve early-waking and late bedtime problems with this members-only e-book)
• Shifting A Baby’s Schedule case study (case study with 8 month old baby waking too early)
• How To Put Your Baby On Toddler On A Schedule tele-seminar (featuring Nicole Johnson)
• Short Naps – When, Why, and How To Lengthen tele-seminar (featuring Nicole Johnson)
• Day-By-Day Nap Training Plan (members-only article)

Baby and Toddler Schedule Help from The Baby Sleep Site

 
If you are looking for a more customized solution for your unique situation, and want plenty support along the way, please consider one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultations. Your consultation package will provide you with the chance to interact one-on-one with a trained sleep consultant, who will create a Personalized Sleep Plan™ for your family and then work to help you implement it at home.
 
Our Members Area is packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, peer support, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! As a member, you’ll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant.
 
Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep is THE newborn sleep book that will help you to not only improve your newborn’s sleep using gentle, sleep-inducing routines – it will also answer your feeding and newborn care questions. You can even buy a bundle package that includes the e-book AND a Personalized Sleep Plan™ PLUS a follow-up email to use for further support!
 
 
If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, I encourage you to explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 45 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style.
 

Need help knowing where to start? Visit our Help Me Choose page for helping choosing the Baby Sleep Site^® resources that are right for you.

Have baby scheduling questions or tips? Ask away – we’ll answer!

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3 Month Old Baby’s Sleep Habits, Development, and Expectations

At 3 months old, your baby is past the newborn stage – quite a milestone! Your baby has been doing a lot of growing and developing in the last 12 weeks, so they, no doubt, look and behave quite differently now than when they were a newborn.

Your baby’s sleep at 3 months old may have started to regulate itself somewhat. For instance, you might notice that your baby is starting to sleep longer stretches at night, and having longer wake windows during the day. This is a great sign, though if that’s not happening, you might not have to worry…yet. Some babies are still waking up quite a bit at this age and can’t stay awake very long between naps. If your baby is waking more frequently than every 3 hours, however, be sure to read below.

Best Bedtime and Total Sleep

Most 3-month-olds need 11-12 hours at night and 3-4 hours of sleep during the day. A typical bedtime at this age is around 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Consequently, 7:00 p.m. is a standard bedtime for babies this age. However, you will want to start your bedtime routine approximately 20 to 30 minutes before you expect your baby to be asleep. A baby falls asleep easiest when they are NOT overtired so keep that in mind.

You May Also Be Interested In…

• Why Baby is Very Fussy at 3 Months: 3 Reasons and 3 Tips
• Baby Feeding Chart – How Many Ounces By Age [Chart]
• Wake Windows By Age

Night Feedings at 3 Months Old

Many 3-month-olds are still eating 1-2 times a night and can do one 4-5-hour stretch of sleep without eating. However, breastfeeding babies may still be nursing every 3 hours at night at this age but that will likely change very soon. On the other hand, there are a few formula-feeding babies who eat just once a night or even night-wean this early! All babies are different but 1-2 feedings at night are the average around this age.

You May Also Be Interested In…

• 2-3 Month Old Baby Sleep Guide
• 12 Hours By 12 Weeks: 10 Important Cautions
• Baby Night Feedings By Age

How Many Naps for a 3 Month Old?

Most 3-month-old babies take 4 naps each day totaling 3-4 hours. This is primarily because babies this age can’t stay awake longer than 1-2 hours at a time without getting overtired. Pay attention to their sleepy cues and start soothing them down to sleep just as soon as you start to see them. For example, sleepy cues include yawning, staring off into space, and less activity. If your baby is fussy or crying, they are already overtired!

For many 3-month-olds, some naps are just 30 minutes. This is all normal development at this age as it’s highly unusual for babies to take four 1-hour naps. Typically, a baby will take one longer nap at this age and shorter catnaps for the remainder of the day. As your baby grows and matures, he or she will consolidate sleep and transition to just 3 naps by 5-6 months old.

Keep in mind that most babies, at this age, can’t be on a strict schedule because many babies are still taking shorter naps while their brain matures and they simply can not stay up very long to get to the next scheduled nap-time. It’s likely that your 3 month old’s naps are still on the short side but come frequently and every day will still likely be different. Don’t worry, that will change! Most babies can get down to just 3 naps around 6 months or 7 months old.

When Sleep Gets Worse at 3 Months

If your baby has recently started sleeping worse, you may want to read more about this 2 to 3 month time period in a baby’s life.

While teething could be to blame, keep in mind that one of the biggest sleep challenges families face around 3 to 4 months old is the 4-month sleep regression. During this sleep regression, your baby’s sleep has changed permanently and your baby must learn to get through their sleep cycles. Of course, this is great news that your baby is developing appropriately, and maybe even a bit earlier than expected, but it’s not always good for your baby’s sleep habits!

You May Also Be Interested In…

• 5 Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night (FREE e-Book)
• 4 Month Sleep Regression (which can start around 3 months old)
• Baby Teething and Sleep
• Does E.A.S.Y. Make It Harder?

3 Month Old Baby Feeding

Your baby will likely also start to consolidate feedings by 3 months old. Your baby’s stomach capacity is considerably larger now than it was in the early days and weeks after birth, so your 3-month-old baby will likely be able to go for longer stretches between feedings. Therefore, you may also find that your baby feeds more frequently during the day and is beginning to drop night feedings (although again, if this isn’t the case for you – don’t worry. That’s normal, too!). Do remember, though, that if you are breastfeeding, you’ll want to continue to breastfeed at least every few hours during the day, and your baby will most likely continue to need night feedings at this age too.

If your baby is still waking frequently at 3 months old, you may start to feel like you need to introduce solid food, in order to help your baby sleep. However, keep in mind that starting solids doesn’t usually improve sleep, and 3 months old is still considered too young to begin solid food. Consequently, it’s best to stick exclusively with breastmilk or formula unless your healthcare provider indicates you should do otherwise.

Breast milk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary. Average amounts per day:

• At least 5-7 breastfeeding sessions per day or 2 1/2 ounces of formula for each pound of weight (approx. 20-30 ounces)
• Water is unnecessary (breast milk and formula have plenty of water in them).

For information on starting your baby on solid food, we have a series of blog posts dedicated to the subject. We include recommendations about how and when to start solids, as well as helpful information on food allergies, recommended products, baby-friendly recipes, and more.

You May Also Be Interested In…

• When to Start Solids
• Solid Food Amounts By Age

Sample 3 Month Old Sleep Schedules

At 3 months old, keep in mind that a baby can typically stay awake just 1-2 hours TOPS before needing to sleep, again. Most importantly, overtired babies tend to wake more frequently at night and take short naps. Here are two different types of schedules to try:

• Play, Eat, Sleep Routine
• Eat, Play, Sleep Routine

3 Month Old Baby Sample Sleep Schedule: Play-Eat-Sleep (Good for breastfeeding babies, babies with reflux, babies with smaller stomachs, etc.)

+ 1-3 night feedings

* Consider adding fixed points to your baby’s schedule if you prefer a more predictable schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

** What Is a Dream Feed? Age and How to Do It.

PLEASE NOTE: Breastfed babies often need to eat more often than formula-fed babies so I set these feedings accordingly to maximize nap lengths. If your baby can go 3 hours apart between feedings, you can probably use the sample schedule below instead. You know your baby best!

3 Month Old Baby Sample Sleep Schedule: Eat-Play-Sleep

+ 1 or possibly 2 night feedings

* Consider adding fixed points to your baby’s schedule if you prefer a more predictable schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

** What Is a Dream Feed? Age and How to Do It.

Note: This schedule follows the eat-play-sleep routine, however, it is sometimes hard to do at this age when the amount of time between naps is not long enough and your baby wakes too early from his nap because of a feeding.

Help For Your 3 Month Old

Looking for more sample schedules? Become a VIP member and use our custom schedule maker by inputting your baby’s wake-up time or view over 40 sample schedules in our e-Book, Mastering Naps and Schedules!

Want FREE sleep help that you can put to use right away? Download a copy of our free guide, 5 Ways To Help Your Child Sleep Through The Night! The guide is available to download instantly, which means you can start using the techniques in it as early as tonight. So download now, and learn why your baby is waking at night – and what you can do about it.

Click here to learn more about how to get your free guide.

A better night’s sleep could be just a few clicks away. So don’t wait – download now, and start your journey to better sleep tonight!

You May Also Be Interested In…

• Meet Caitlin Who Successfully Sleep Trained Her 3 Month Old
• Night Feedings By Age
• The 4 Month Sleep Regression: What It Is and How To Fix It
• 4 Month Sleep Regression Checklist
• 2-3 Month Old Baby Sleep Guide
• Does E.A.S.Y. Make Sleep Harder For Baby?

The post 3 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedules With Feedings: For Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding Infants appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Sure, we’ve got a ton of helpful sample sleep and feeding schedules by age on our site – but since your baby or toddler presumably can’t read yet, how are you supposed to get your child to, you know, actually follow one of these sample schedules?

Having a schedule is all well and good, but how do you get your child’s day to match said schedule?

Fear not, parents – we here at The Baby Sleep Site^® are known for our awesome scheduling help. And in today’s article, we bring that scheduling help to you! Read on to learn how you can gently help your baby or toddler follow a predictably daily schedule.

How To Put Your Newborn Baby On A Schedule

Remember that when it comes to newborns, you have to use the word ‘schedule’ loosely. Your definitely don’t want to try for a clock-based schedule with your newborn – instead, you want to think in terms of shaping a loose schedule that’s based more on routine and ordering your baby’s activities than it is on the clock. You’ll also watch your baby’s sleep and hunger cues carefully – they are the single best indicator of what your baby needs.

In order to promote healthy sleep habits, we usually recommend an eat-play-sleep schedule: you feed your baby, engage him in an activity (like reading a book, playing with a soft toy, etc.) and then put him down for a nap. While it’s not based on fixed feeding and sleep times, this rhythm will support the timed schedules that come later. You can also work towards helping your baby learn to fall asleep alone by putting him down slightly awake for at least one nap of the day.

Once your baby is about 8 or 10 weeks old, you can start working in one or two fixed points into the daily schedule. This will be a step towards a schedule that’s clock-based.

See our sample newborn sleep and feeding schedules, or check out our e-book on newborn sleep, Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep.

How To Put Your 4 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

By 4 months, your baby still isn’t ready for a strict schedule, but you can work towards a semi-clock based schedule by 4 months. You’ll still want to focus mainly on establishing strong routines, as you did in the newborn stage, but you can work towards plugging in more fixed points into your baby’s schedule – at this age, the first morning and first afternoon naps make good fixed points, as well as morning wake-time and bedtime.

You can also work towards establishing strong sleep-time and bedtime routines at this age. Start by creating a predictable, consistent bedtime routine. Later on, you’ll do a mini-version of this routine at nap time.

Keep in mind that the 4 month sleep regression usually strikes at this time, and that will throw off your baby’s sleep in a big way

See our sample 4 month sleep and feeding schedules for more information, or perhaps consider becoming a Baby Sleep Site^® member. Our Members Area provides you access to over 50 sample schedules by age.

How To Put Your 5, 6, or 7 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

You can start moving to a by-the-clock schedule at this point, if you want to (although if you’re more of a go-with-the-flow parent, you certainly don’t need a rigid schedule!). By 6 months, most babies are eating solid foods, so you can start to carve out more fixed “meal” times and sleep times. Naps will also start to consolidate, for most babies, around 6 months or so, so it may be easier to have a predictable, timed nap schedule at this age.

As for how to get your 5, 6, or 7 month old baby onto your desired schedule – you will simply extend your baby’s awake time between naps (do this VERY gradually) until your baby’s naps line up with the scheduled times.

Still, plan to be flexible – while your baby’s schedule may become more predictable overall, there will still no doubt be days when your little one throws you for a loop! And often, when you try to force a rigid schedule too soon, you end up focusing on the clock instead of on your baby’s cues, which leads to a cycle of overtiredness.

See 5 month, 6 month, and 7 month sample sleep and feeding schedules here. Or, consider purchasing a copy of Mastering Naps & Schedules, the e-book designed to solve your persistent nap challenges!

How To Put Your 8, 9, or 10 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

For this stage, you’ll do the same thing you did above – you’ll gradually increase your baby’s awake time until it lines up with the 2-nap schedule you’re working towards. In general, it becomes easier to achieve a clock-based schedule at this age, simply because by this time, your baby is most likely down to just 2 naps per day, and you’re out of that “hamster wheel” of constant nap transitions that you experienced in your baby’s first 6 months of life. From here on out, your baby will have 2 naps per day for quite awhile, until she transitions to 1 nap in early toddlerhood.

Do keep in mind, though, that your baby will go through the 8/9/10 month sleep regression during this time, and that will likely mean set-backs with any schedule progress you make.

See sample 8 month, 9 month, and 10 month sleep and feeding schedules here. Or, if you’re continuing to struggle with getting your baby on a predictable schedule, you may want to consider a personalized sleep consultation with one of our expert consultants.

How To Put Your 11 or 12 Month Old Baby On A Schedule

By now, even the most unpredictable babies tend to fall into SOME kind of regular daily schedule – even if it’s not the schedule you intended! 😉 At this age, it’s actually best to start paying more attention to the clock – and it’s also best if you focus on extending your baby’s awake time. While young babies need short wake time in order to ward off over tiredness, at this stage, you’ll probably need to focus on extending your child’s wake time to ensure that your baby’s bedtime doesn’t get too late. It’s especially important to make sure that the afternoon nap isn’t too late in the day.

See sample 11 month and 12 month sleep and feeding schedules here.

How To Put Your Toddler On A Schedule

Of all age groups, a toddler’s schedule is often one of the easiest to achieve. As long as your toddler is napping independently and can nap long enough, your toddler will fall into a predictable schedule. You can set the schedule based on the clock and, generally, will get a good night’s sleep and a good nap out of him. Granted, over-tiredness can still lead to shorter naps or night-waking or your baby waking too early, but if you follow a standard 5 hours awake before and after the nap, most toddlers should do pretty well.

See our sample toddler sleep and feeding schedules for more information.

Baby and Toddler Scheduling Help That Works…Guaranteed!

If scheduling help is what you need, we can certainly help with that. We have a team of caring, compassionate expert consultants standing by, waiting to create a Personalized Sleep Plan® for your family.
 
Browse our list of consultation package options here.
 

Want more information about how personalized help works? Check out our FAQ page here, and get answers.
 

If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, I encourage you to explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 45 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style.

 
For those persistent toddler sleep struggles, check out The 5 Step System to Help Your Toddler Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your toddler sleep through the night and enjoy a better daytime schedule.
 
 

Or, join our VIP Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, peer support, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! As a VIP member, you’ll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant.

Can’t decide which product or service is right for you? Visit our Getting Started Page for help.

The post How To Put Your Baby or Toddler On A Schedule appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

When you understand your newborn’s sleep patterns and habits, you can start to establish a little more structure in your daily life and build a little more confidence in your decisions and actions during the baby’s first days.

While newborns can’t stay on a strict sleep or feeding schedule – mostly due to their many growth spurts in these early months – these sample newborn sleep and feeding schedules can guide you through these stages and make sure everyone is getting the sleep and nutrition they need.

Otherwise, you may be soothing a crying baby all day.

A newborn baby cries a lot more when they are over-tired, not sleeping enough, or hungry. In other words, getting him or her on a routine (even if it’s not a strict schedule) can be a life-saver!

Your newborn’s feeding schedule should be age-appropriate, and you should never withhold food from a newborn just to stay on schedule. A newborn sleep schedule is also often based on how long your baby can stay awake (not strictly by the clock), which is usually short in the newborn days.

Keep reading to discover what you can do to get started.

Skip to the schedules

Understanding Newborn Sleep Patterns

A baby is considered a newborn from birth until about 3 months of age.

During this period, your newborn’s sleep patterns will look nothing like yours.

Your baby will sleep in short bursts – anywhere from 30 or 45 minutes to 3 or possibly 4 hours – and then eat between periods of sleep.

In other words, the typical day/night sleep cycle doesn’t really apply to newborns. Some newborns come out of the womb with their days and nights completely mixed up!

This is called day/night confusion, and babies who struggle with it tend to sleep a lot during the day and then wake up frequently at night.

Many newborns also seem extra sleepy in the first week or two after birth and must be woken up to feed or drift off while feeding before getting their fill.

Eventually, though, your newborn will definitely “wake up” within three weeks after birth. This is when you will start to deal with more wakefulness. In fact, you may start to miss the early weeks of having a super-sleepy newborn!

Babies simply cry more often as they get a bit older (depending on temperament), but you will quickly learn how to soothe a crying baby.

Working with Newborn Feeding Schedules

Newborns feed very, very frequently, but this isn’t a problem that needs to be solved.

It’s perfectly natural!

Your newborn’s tummy is quite small. They simply need to fill it up regularly.

Formula-fed newborns may need to eat slightly less often than breastfed newborns because it takes a newborn’s tummy longer to digest and break down formula.

So babies tend to feel fuller for longer periods of time. Breast milk, on the other hand, is digested fairly quickly.

How much breastmilk or formula does your baby need?

Every situation is different, of course, but if your baby is formula-fed, you can use a fairly simple formula to determine approximately how many ounces your baby needs in a day.

Simply multiply your baby’s weight by 2.5.

For example, an 8-pound baby would need about 20 ounces of formula in a 24-hour period.

If your baby is breastfed, the general rule is that most newborns need between 20 and 30 ounces of breastmilk (and between 25-35 ounces once they’re past the newborn stage).

How often should you feed your baby?

In general, if you are exclusively nursing, it’s best to nurse on demand in the first few weeks after birth to ensure that your milk supply becomes well-established. In fact, in order to maintain your supply, you’ll need to nurse every 2 to 3 hours, on average.

Once your baby is past 3 months of age and is in the infant stage, that will slowly stretch into 5-6 hours, and then 7-8, and eventually right up to 10 or 11 hours once your baby is 9 months old or 10 months old.

Newborn Growth Spurts

Believe it or not, a lot is going on with your newborn baby.

So much growth and development is happening in that little body! Your newborn will very likely go through growth spurts at the following times:

• 7-10 days of age
• 2-3 weeks of age
• 4-6 weeks of age
• 3 months of age

During these growth spurts, it will feel like your newborn is feeding almost constantly (and like when she’s not feeding, she’s sleeping). This is 100% normal – feed your newborn as often as she needs it, as the extra nourishment is important during the growth spurt.

How to Create a Newborn Feeding and Sleep Schedule

Your unique newborn’s wake times and total sleep needs may vary from what is recommended below.

These schedules are based on averages, but your baby may need more or less sleep (or shorter/longer wake times) than what is listed here.

Remember, watch your baby’s sleepy cues closely (rubbing eyes, yawning, staring off into space, etc.), and let those guide the sleep schedule.

Remember, too, that if your baby is already fussing, he or she is already overtired. Try to get your child down for his or her nap earlier next time, before the fussing starts.

2-8 Week Old Newborn, Breast Feeding

This schedule is best for babies who consume average amounts of breast milk and for moms who have average breast milk production and storage amounts.

* – We recommend you make these fixed points in your baby’s schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

Babies who eat smaller amounts, babies with reflux, and moms who produce and store smaller amounts of breastmilk will need a different schedule. So will babies who eat larger amounts per feeding and moms who produce/store greater amounts of breast milk.

Schedules for those scenarios, as well as schedules for older, breastfed newborns, are available in our newborn book, Essential Keys To Your Newborn’s Sleep.

2-8 Week Old Newborn, Formula Feeding

This schedule recommends longer naps and fewer feedings than the breastfeeding schedule above, simply because formula is more difficult for baby to digest. So, babies tend to feel fuller longer and therefore need slightly fewer feedings.

* – We recommend you make these fixed points in your baby’s schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

For formula-feeding schedules for older newborns, see our newborn book, Essential Keys To Your Newborn’s Sleep.

Additional Newborn Sleep Articles

Want more newborn sleep tips? Check out our other newborn sleep articles:

• 7 Gentle, Natural Ways To Help Your Newborn Sleep Better
• Establishing Healthy Sleep Habits In Your Newborn (Members Area tele-seminar)
• 10 Tips To Help Your Newborn Sleep
• What You Should Know About Newborn Sleep Patterns
• Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep (Members Area digital book)
• Why Newborns Are Fussy In The Evening (Besides Colic)
• Your Top 5 Breastfeeding + Sleep Questions Answered by an Expert (Members Area article)

Want FREE sleep help that you can put to use right away? Download a copy of our free guide, 5 Ways To Help Your Child Sleep Through The Night! The guide is available to download instantly, which means you can start using the techniques in it as early as tonight. So download now, and learn why your baby is waking at night – and what you can do about it.
 
 
Click here to learn more about how to get your free guide.

A better night’s sleep could be just a few clicks away. So don’t wait – download now, and start your journey to better sleep tonight!

The post Newborn Baby Sleep and Feeding Schedule appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.