Hey there! Have you thought about establishing routines for your little ones? It’s actually super helpful for them because it makes them feel secure and gives them a sense of stability. Plus, it’s a great way to encourage healthy sleep habits. As your trusty sleep consultant, I’m here to help guide you through all the essential elements of establishing a healthy routine for your little one. Keep on reading to learn more!
When should you start your baby’s daily routine and schedule?
It’s important to understand the difference between a routine and a schedule. A schedule is all about timing, while a routine is about the order of events. When it comes to babies and their sleep patterns, it can be tough to stick to a consistent daily schedule. Most babies are not ready for a set schedule until they are consistently taking two naps per day. But don’t worry! You can start a daytime routine as early as day one to help establish some consistency.
How to establish your baby’s daily routine
1. Find your baby’s wake window
To help your little one avoid getting too tired, it’s essential to figure out their wake window. This simply means the amount of time they can stay awake before getting too sleepy. To determine it, just pay attention to your baby’s cues for dozing off. And when you notice them starting to yawn, that’s a sure sign that their wake window is closing.
2. Pick a pattern
Keeping your wake window in mind, establish your daily routine. A great routine typically involves feeding your baby first, followed by some playtime, and then nap time. During playtime, you can even run some errands or take a nice walk with your little bundle of joy.
3. Time the feeds appropriately.
As your sleep expert, I just wanted to share that it’s not a good idea to feed your baby right before bedtime or nap time. Instead, it’s best to give them a feed when they wake up, rather than as the last thing before sleep. It’s also a good idea to avoid fixed feeding schedules. If your baby is younger than three months old, it’s recommended that you wake them up from naps if they haven’t eaten in the past three hours.
4. Consistency, consistency, consistency.
Maintaining consistency is really important for your baby’s learning and development. If you make it a habit, it will help your little one to anticipate what’s coming next, and this will make it easier for them to transition between activities. Plus, they’ll be more likely to drift off to sleep peacefully when it’s time for their nap or bedtime.
Creating a good sleep routine for your baby is an extremely important piece of the sleep puzzle, and it all starts with having routines that match their age, developmental stage, and individual needs. At Not A Peep, our Bay Area sleep consultants and Philadelphia area consultants are here to lend a hand in crafting a healthy daily routine that will benefit your little one, no matter where you are. We give virtual services around the world! Contact us today to book your intro call!
