Sleep routines for your baby

Guidelines for different sleep routines at different ages. Every mom and baby is different and a routine that proposes to be a one fits all is not realistic. Here are guidelines for different routines at different ages:

Routines for newborns

Your newborn is too little to have a fixed routine and routines at this age generally do more harm than good. Here are the principles:

Don’t aim for routine at this stage
Feed on demand
Expect your baby to wake as frequently day and night • Aim to settle your baby to sleep after an hour of awake time during the day

Routines for 2 – 4 months

Patterns begin to emerge, with your baby guiding the way; a routine may be possible in this age band:

Feed 3-4 hourly
At nights your baby will begin to stretch the time between feeds
Put your baby to sleep during the day after 1 ½ hours of awake time

Routines for 4-6 months

Routines begin to emerge in earnest and most babies do well with the predictability of when to sleep and when to feed:

Feed on schedule with flexibility – 3-4 hours between milk feeds. Solids may be introduced during this time, if your baby needs solids
Introduce a consistent bedtime routine that calms your baby for sleep. Do not leave your baby’s bathroom and room during this time
Suggested day sleep routine:
- Wake between 5 and 7am
- Wake +1 ½ hours = morning nap – 45 minutes
- Wake +1 ½ hours = late morning nap or sleep
- If this sleep short – wake +1 ½ hours = afternoon nap and another cat nap at 5pm (4 sleeps)
- If this sleep is long – wake + 2 hours = afternoon nap
- Wake from naps by 5pm
- Bedtime routine starts 1 hour before bed
- Bedtime by 6:30

Routines for 6- 9 months

At this age, routines can make the difference between a good eater and sleeper or poor habits:

Day sleep routine:
- Wake between 5 and 7am
- Wake +2 hours = morning nap – 45 minutes
- Wake +2 hours = midday sleep
- Wake + 2 ½ hours = afternoon nap
- Wake from naps by 4:30pm
- Bedtime routine starts 1 hour before bed
- Bedtime by 6:30

Routines for 9-12 months

A good day sleep and feeding routine assists good night sleep habits:

Day sleep routine:
- Wake between 5 and 7am
- Wake +2 ½ hours = morning nap – 45 minutes
- Wake +2 ½ hours = midday sleep
- From 9 months – drop afternoon nap
- Wake from naps by 4pm i.e. very short cat nap if needed
- Bedtime routine starts 1 hour before bed
- Bedtime by 6:30

Routines for toddlers

By now a routine should be a way of life and will free you up in many ways:

Day sleep routine:
- 6-7am Wake
- 11:30 lunch
- 12pm – one midday sleep
- Wake from sleep by 3pm
- Bedtime routine starts 1 hour before bed
- Bedtime by 6:30- 7pm

Routines are not a priority

If you are a go-with the flow, laissez-faire type person you may not want a routine at all and that is perfectly good, particularly if you have a settled baby.