Schedules - when?

10-4LilBuddy

The kids are four weeks old. So far, we've been doing a relaxed EASY with them. We let them wake up to feed, then play / interact, then put them back in crib to sleep when they look sleepy. Sometimes they sleep for two hours or four.

Is the three hour guideline a strict one? Feeding both at once is challenging since we do pumped milk. When can or should we do a stricter schedule with longer awake times during the day? Thanks in advance!

caden

I didn't do a strict schedule until my kids had a far more predictable routine ~ somewhere around 6m. I don't remember exactly when but it was after their awake times became fairly consistent (not necessarily the same amount of time after each feed but from day to day). Until then I just tried to read their drowsy cues. For some feeds, esp at the beginning, they had almost no awake time, for others they had a lot. They get more consistent as they get older. At 4w I didn't wake my kids at 3h, but i also wouldn't let them sleep all day and then be up all night. It's a trial and error thing to find out what your kids do best with.

pillowass

Mine were pretty much hungry every 3 hours during the day until we started them on solids at 6 months. My pediatrician was OK with us letting them sleep for 4-5 hours at night once it was clear they were growing and eating OK. I think we had this conversation at our 2 week visit.

Around 4-5 months we were in crisis mode due to lack of sleep, so I pretty much enforced a schedule. We ket them awake until 9am for their first nap, and 2pm for their second. This allowed us to phase out the late afternoon nap. It also helped with our nighttime routine. We started CIO around 5 months at night and even though we've had to re-up a few times it has been a dramatic improvement. 

I hate to say it, but you might be at their mercy for a few more months. If they will sleep long stretches at night, I think you can enjoy it as long as they are growing OK. Good luck!

10-4LilBuddy

Ok. I can handle that. I just wanted to make sure we weren't suffering needlessly and / or I wasn't doing irrevocable damage to future schedules.

Dragonfly1226

Mine are just settling into a more predictable schedule. We did EASY at the beginning too and had a lot of luck with it.

LottaLattes

Same here, I also mastered pumping while feeding them in boppies or bouncy seats, saved my brain a lot, though getting set up was stressful if I was on my own!