Making a Schedule

Posted: Tue, Jan 04 2005, 4:30 pm Post subject: Making a Schedule

When and how do you make a schedule for a baby? Or does it happen "by itself?"
I have a 6 month old... He eats about every 3 hours, it doesn't work out the same time every day.
Also with napping and bedtime at night...although he naps several times a day, it isn't always the same time. He goes to sleep between 9:45 and 11 at night....and wakes up every 2-3 hours lately....is that normal for his age?
Should I and when should I make him a schedule? How?
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Gold Member Joined: Aug 18 2004 Posts: 1352

I follow my kids for the most part for the first six months. Than I work at slowly creating a schedule. Zu fell into one on his own around than. I am always careful about bedtime and aiming at the same time every night and doing the same thing to get them ready... read a book, 12 pesukim, shema, kiss, in the crib... night night. The consistancy helps them. I know my 5 month old still usually wakes up twice in the middle of the night I would say. Sometimes he skips one. He is already starting to fall into a routine I can see. A rountine I was told is healthy, but a flexable one is healthier. You need to be able to say, my kid is sleeping a little longer than an hour this nap, so let him. Or tonight is special cause tatty is going to be home a little late, so you can stay up an extra 30 mins. I have friends who were very rigid with their schedules and now if they deviate at all their kid is out of wack. I was at first and Zu was like that. As I became more flexable, so did he.

Sara

Silver Member Joined: Nov 09 2004 Posts: 873

My baby is the same age. He is on a pretty good schedule, but I really have to thank the babysitter for that. he eats during the day every three hours, but sleeps at night for longer stretches. He goes to sleep at 6:30 PM, and basically sleeps through the night.
I would try putting him down in his crib for a nap, at times that are nap times, even if he doesnt fall asleep, he can play and get used to settling down at this time.
Try and schedule feeding times for specified times too, dont make drastic changes.
Once you get on a schedule you'll find yourself a lot more relaxed.

Gold Member Joined: Aug 18 2004 Posts: 1352

with nursing I was told for you milk supply its best not to feed on a schedule. Better to follow your child's cues.

Posted: Tue, Jan 04 2005, 4:45 pm Post subject:

I think you should try for at least some schedule, and it probably will have to come from you, not your baby. I also have a 6 month old, and while he eats and naps at his own pace, I have instituted a bedtime for him, generally between 7:30 and 8:00, but it can be as early as 7:00 or as late as 8:30. Anything is this range is fine.

The way I set the bedtime (this was about a month and a half ago) was to create a bedtime atmosphere -bathe the baby if I plan to, change him into his pajamas, then lower the lights and either read to him or sing to him, or nurse him. He gets the idea right away and turns quiet and peaceful. Then I sing Hamalach Hagoel as I put him in the crib, and he curls right up and goes to sleep, b"H! He is much happier since he has a bedtime and so am I, since I now have the evening in which to get my work done and share a quiet dinner with my husband.

Posted: Tue, Jan 04 2005, 4:46 pm Post subject:

Gold Member Joined: Aug 18 2004 Posts: 1352

because your child know when it needs more or less. A baby if you follow their cues will build up your milk supply when needed for a growth spurt, and will not nurse as much when they are actually growing (because they are getting more each nursing from building up your supply). Last week my son nurse every hour- this week he is eating every 4... he built up my supply and is now habing a growth spurt. When we put them on a nursing schedule, or try to hold them off a little longer than we are hurting our own milk supply.

Sara

Posted: Wed, Jan 05 2005, 12:00 am Post subject:

I think that unless you're unhappy with the baby's own schedule, you don't need to do anything about it (assuming that the baby does an opportunity to develop a schedule, meaning that you help him go to sleep as soon as he is tired, before he gets to the point of being overtired, at which point it will take him another few hours to unwind).

My oldest developed a schedule on her own. I can't remember when, but I think by 6 months she had two regular naps at 12 and at 4 and went to bed at 9.

With my younger daughter, it's kind of interesting -- when she was a baby, I tried to get her to go to sleep together with her sister. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. But at some point, they kind of synchronized their schedules. They've been going to sleep at the same time for a while. Now it got to the point where my younger daughter, now 18 months, refuses to go to sleep without the older one. I haven't decided yet if this is a problem or not Smile

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Guest

Posted: Mon, Jan 10 2005, 3:06 pm Post subject:

Yes, he does eat on demand....which is usually around 3 hours, but sometimes less....
I'm glad to be making him a "bedtime" lately....it's not 7:30 yet, but slowly I"m trying to make it earlier (10:00 is better than going when I was at 11!). However, he does get fussy when he's tired....doesn't fall right to sleep... I have to hold him and give him his pacifier and can only put him in his crib when he's almost asleep....
I let him "cry it out" for 10 minutes last night but can not do it for more than that! (and he smiled after crying hysterically!)....
He's also been waking every 2 hours during the night Sad

sometimes he falls back asleep with the pacifier...sometimes he needs to nurse ....
and this is a 6 month old who is NOT starving! he is kn'h 18 pounds! (and HAS been started on solids)