Creating my Baby's Sleep Schedule: How I Found Calm in Chaos

Jul 25, 2023

As a new mom, I was thrilled to welcome my bundle of joy into the world. Like many other well-meaning parents, I received a ton of advice on how to care for my baby. The one piece of advice that seemed to echo endlessly was to "just follow your baby's lead." They said babies sleep when they're tired, eat when they're hungry - simple, right? Well, I thought so too, until my days became an unpredictable whirlwind.

For the first five months, I embraced the "baby-led everything" approach. If my little one wanted to sleep, I let her sleep. If she wanted to eat, I fed her on demand. The result? Chaos. Some days she was up at 5 am, bright-eyed and ready for the day, while on other days, she'd sleep till 9 am. Nap times were equally erratic - some days, she'd snooze all day, and on others, she'd stay awake for what felt like an eternity. My life, once filled with routine, now resembled a jumbled puzzle.

Baby girl (4 months old) and me. Dark circles and nursing tops - classic tell signs of a new mom

As someone who thrived on structure and predictability, the baby-led approach was enough to make me want to set my hair on fire (metaphorically, of course!). I realized that what worked for some babies might not work for mine. That's when I decided to take matters into my own hands and introduce schedules to my baby's day. Here's how my journey towards a blissful baby sleep schedule began.

1. Started Her Day at the Same Time Every Day:

I knew I needed to bring some order to our lives. So, I decided to set a consistent wake-up time for my little one. No matter how the night went, we greeted each morning at the same time every day (7 am to be exact). Anything before 7 am, I didn't open the curtains and acted like it was still night time. This simple change brought some stability to our days.

2. Brought Her Outside First Thing in the Morning After a Feeding:

After our morning feeding, I made it a habit to take her outdoors. I just popped her in the stroller or carrier and went for a walk. The fresh air and gentle sunlight seemed to work like magic, calming her and resetting her internal clock.

3. Planned Naps According to Age-Appropriate Wake-Windows:

Naps were a hot mess, so I started observing her sleep cues and watched the clock. Following age-appropriate wake-windows became my guiding light. This meant that the nap timings were flexible, but the wake-windows were sacred. And boy, did this make a world of difference in her sleep patterns!

>>> Grab my FREE Printable Wake Window Chart HERE <<

4. Capped the Last Nap to Maintain a Regular Bedtime:

Ah, the last wake window of the day, always a tricky one. To ensure consistency in her bedtime, I determined the target bedtime and worked backward to know when to cap her last nap. It felt a bit nerve-wracking to wake a sleeping baby (I mean, who does that?), but it was a game-changer for our nighttime routine.

5. Did a Bedtime Routine Before Bedtime:

Bedtime needed some soothing magic. So, I crafted a gentle bedtime routine - a little massage, then a warm bath, feeding and lots of cuddles. This ritual was our signal to wind down, preparing us both for a restful night's sleep.

6. Kept Bedtime Within a 30-Minute Window Each Day:

Consistency was the key. I aimed to put her to bed within a 30-minute window every night. This simple act of predictability supported her body clock, leading to her falling asleep much quicker and peacefully.

Conclusion:

My journey towards a blissful baby sleep schedule was filled with trial, error, and plenty of determination. Introducing schedules not only benefited my little one but also brought structure back into my life. If you find yourself in a similar situation, take heart! These six simple steps can help you find calm in the chaos and bring predictability to your baby's days and nights.

And if you're struggling to have any rhythm or rhyme with your baby's day and they're taking short naps all day the you have to download my free guide - "4 Steps to Longer Naps," for valuable tips on creating the ultimate sleep routine for your little one. Say goodbye to sleep struggles and hello to sweet dreams!