A schedule or routine can make a big difference with your baby. Babies thrive on routine. Usually, whether you help guide them along or not, they will fall into a pattern of their own. I have noticed that if Jase is not on his schedule, he tends to be a bit more fussy and harder to please. When he is following his usual pattern he is a much happier baby. Introducing your baby to a schedule is a big key to getting your baby set on a good routine and sleeping well!

I knew that I wanted to get Jase on a good schedule so that I could be as productive as possible with my time throughout the day. From the moment we brought Jase home from the hospital, I put a few things into place to help get a good pattern going. It only takes a few small things to implement to encourage your baby to fall into a good pattern. I don’t usually start sleep training at this age necessarily, I just focus on getting a rhythm and schedule established.

Tips for Introducing Your Baby to a Schedule:

1. Three Hour Feedings.

2. Sleep, Eat, Play Cycle.

This just meant that I tried not to nurse Jase to fall asleep. I didn’t want him to need me to nurse him every time he needed to go to sleep. So I started a pattern of feeding him, playing with him, and then having him fall asleep.  I allowed him to fall into his own sleeping pattern, and watched about how long it was before he was ready for a nap. When he started showing signs of being sleepy, I would rock him to sleep, or take a nap with him.

3. Longer time awake at the end of the day.

I did my best to keep him awake for a longer stretch of time at the end of the day. Having a good amount of time awake, encouraged him to sleep well at night. But I was extremely careful not to keep him awake too long and cause him to be overtired.

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Naturally, after a couple weeks of doing this, Jase fell into a pattern. He began to sleep longer stretches at night because he was eating as much as possible during the day. I do want to mention it wasn’t easy sailing through the first two weeks. We still had bumps in the road like every newborn baby leaving their cozy home for the past ten months has. The first night in the hospital he screamed for three hours, until I finally caved and gave him a pacifier. Then the third night at home he screamed for two hours straight and I had absolutely no idea why. Babies cry. A lot.

I guided Jase into finding a schedule and pattern that worked for him, but I didn’t have to force it on him. I encouraged as many feedings as possible throughout the day, and watched him the rest of the time to learn what he needed. It was a very stress-free process that enabled me to be really flexible. It also helped me to know exactly what Jase needed at certain times of the day. Then when the time came for sleep training, we already had a good schedule established. This was also less stress on me because it was a gentle approach – no crying needed! I also got to soak up those newborn days with lots of snuggles, and began crib training when we were both ready!

Did you find this post helpful? Be sure to pin it to save for later. You can also find all the posts you need for Baby’s First Year in my Baby’s First Year Series.