Schedule

whitneyshay

When should I start trying to get my baby on a somewhat schedule? I'm a FTM and I'm not sure when I should try to get her on a schedule. Right now she is two weeks old and she doesn't have much consistency with her daily schedule. I feel like a somewhat schedule would help us both!

chillypenguin

We started a bedtime routine pretty early with DD1 (although not quite this early). Not a schedule, but just the routine that we would do every night. She eventually settled into a schedule of her own when she was a few months old and followed it every day pretty much.

MrsT2008

At this age, there really are no schedules. DD2 eats and sleeps whenever she wants. Usually after she eats, i get 1.5-2 hours before I know she will want to eat again soon. That's as close as we are to a schedule at this point. With DD1, it was at least 4 months before things were predictable by a clock vs her daily routine.

meli1025

You've got until at least 6-8 weeks before even trying to get on a schedule. Right now it's just responding to baby's needs on demand.

spinsoffresonance

We started a routine when DD1 was around 4months old. But we didn't have a schedule with predictable times until around 9months. We had a set routine: nap, eat, awake for 2 hours, repeat but naps were anywhere from 30min to 2 hours so it took a long time to actually get into a schedule.

hbird0723

The only routine things we do is give a washcloth bath around 7 every night. I picked this time because she's awake so I'm not startling her and because I'd like to start a bedtime routine around then when we can. I also do the 90 minute baby sleep schedule which at this age just means she's not up longer than 90 minutes at a time. Not real hard to do since she usually falls back asleep before then but if she's not asleep I start trying to get her to sleep. It's a good read. A friend of ours did this with her second and loved it.

Lisababy14

I agree with Hbird05 on the 90 min awake time. I didn't do this with DS1, but am doing it this time on advice from a friend and it is working out really well.

cnbean

We do a routine more than a schedule. Eat, awake, sleep...repeat. 

usernewname

Our is a routine. Diaper change, eat then awake or sleep depending on time of day. DS actually got mad at me when I diaper changed but didn't feed before putting him down on his play mat. Gee 17 days old and knows how t goes

lildarling76

We have a schedule and I did with all 4 of my kids. She eats at 8,11,2,5,8,12,4,then repeat the next day. After the 11 feed she goes in her bassinet to sleep instead of swing or chair so she understands that's when naps will be. Do what's best for you and if you want a schedule set one.

sthomas1222

If you're breastfeeding there really is no way to schedule since feeding on demand is what is needed right now. With DD we didn't see any sort of pattern until at least 3-4 months and then it switches up on you anyways with the 4 month sleep regression. Then you get teeth around 6 months so that all goes to hell again... Yeh so the lesson is don't worry about it now and even once you get settled into a routine/schedule it freaking changes anyways! If you work a schedule will just come out of necessity and what works for you and baby. If you SAH then baby kinda picks their own schedule and things work themselves out, at least this was my experience. I have a good napper and a semi-early riser. Other of my SAHM friends have kids who sleep late and so they get out in the afternoon when my DD is sleeping so we always miss each other...