*edit to this post! So Atticus is now 18 months and sleeps 13-14 hours through the night and takes a 3-4 hour nap during the day, 11-2/3pm. We did this schedule and slowly he would sleep longer and longer and as he would sleep longer we would make his bedtime earlier! He now goes to bed at 6pm and wakes up 7/8am. He has been such a good sleeper from keeping a consistent schedule.
So first let me start by saying that I am a first time mom so I don't know what the heck I am doing most of the time and am not doing this post to "give advice" but after I posted that Atticus was sleeping though the night on my personal Instagram, I got a crazy amount of emails asking about the schedule. Since I can't answer all your emails I am just doing a quick post on it! Let me also say that I know a LOT of moms are anti-schedule... that is fine and your comments, if rude, will be deleted. This is not a forum to bash what other moms are doing because quite frankly once our kids pass the age of two who cares if they were breastfed, formula fed, co-slept, were on a schedule, slept whenever they wanted, etc. none of it matters and no kids are basing their friends off of who was on a schedule and no one is not making the football team because they were formula fed - in the end none of this actually matters. So lets all just do what makes our lives easier and works for us individually and support each other and love our babies and do what is best for them. Okay end rant and here we go.
As an intro.. Atticus started sleeping 8 hours around 9 weeks old and now sleeps 9+ hours. I started doing the schedule when he was 6 weeks so really it only took a few weeks to work although I have friends who it took longer for, obviously every baby is so different. I got the schedule from my amazing friend since birth, Jessalyn. She was a girl born to be a mom and I go to her for all parenting advice because she is just amazing. She did the schedule with her little girl and she has told lots and lots of people about it and it has worked wonders for all of them.. so obviously I was excited to try it with Atticus. She got the schedule, here, so you can read her version and do it exactly like she does but I made some (quite a few) of my own adjustments that work better for us so I will share those. And let me say that he is A MILLION times happier on the schedule. You guys, it is night and day difference.. so insane how much happier he is! Not saying your baby isn't happy if they aren't on a schedule, but just for my baby individually, a schedule worked wonders. Plus I get a full nights sleep and feel I can be a better and happier mom when I am rested! So here is our schedule..
8:30am (ish): Wake up, feed while swaddled, change diaper, play.
10:00am: Swaddle and go down for nap.
11:30am: Wake up, feed while swaddled, change diaper, play.
1:00pm: Swaddle and go down for nap.
2:30pm: Wake up, feed while swaddled, change diaper, play.
4:00pm: Swaddle and go down for nap.
5:30pm:Â Wake up, feed while swaddled, change diaper, play.
7:00pm:Â Swaddle and go down for nap.
8:30pm:Â Wake up, feed while swaddled, change diaper, play.
9:30pm: 30 min power nap.
10:00pm: Him and I take a 20 minute bath and breastfeed in the bath. I bathe every night but I only use soap every other night.
10:20pm: Get in PJ's and relax time. We also make sure to pack him full of food during this time.. I try to get him to eat a full 4 or 5 ounces so he doesn't get hungry in the middle of the night.
10:40/11:00: He falls asleep eating and we put him down.
Those are rough times but if he had woken up at 9:00am, that day I would start at 9 and he would go down at 10:30... I just do hour and a half increments adjusted to his wake up time. He also is used to the hour and a half increments so he usually wakes up on queue. The power nap, bathing together, and making sure he eats a lot before bed are the key parts to our schedule.. if the entire day the schedule goes haywire, if we do the night routine, he will still sleep though the night.
Okay so now here are the main changes I did to the schedule in that woman's blog..
-During naps I will have him sleep in his swing, or he will cuddle with me and we will co-sleep for nap time, or I will let him fall asleep on me in the rocker, or on the bed while I answer emails, or in the bassinet - literally whatever I feel like that day.
-I let him fall asleep breastfeeding.
-If I need to go somewhere or get something done I don't stress if he doesn't get a full nap or wakes up early, I will just start fresh when he wakes up from the next nap.
-If he is having a rough day, like when he recently got shots and was super sad, I ditch the schedule all together and just let him sleep as much as he wants. He will usually wake up earlier but I will start with the schedule the next day and he usually jumps right back into it and sleeps though the night.
TRAVELING ON THE SCHEDULE...
Travel days on planes or on vacay I still try to stick to the schedule as much as possible but if the schedule keeps getting messed up because I have to take him out of his carseat and wake him up to go through security or have to wake him up at 5am to make a 6:15am flight.. I don't worry I just try to make sure that day he was asleep and awake for the same amount of time. So if he only had a 30 min nap I will let him sleep longer on his next, etc. .. although I do try to have as few of those lenient days as possible.. they are inevitable though if you are traveling! He still manages to sleep though the night those days though. While we were in NYC he did really well except a couple nights where he would sleep for 7 hours and wake up and I would give him a binky or breastfeed him and he would fall right back to sleep for another 2.5 hours. One night I was really exhausted and just didn't feel like doing a bath and he WOULD NOT FALL ASLEEP so I had to give him a bath at midnight and then he slept for his eight hours. Bath is so key for him to calm down and get ready for bed so thats something I really cannot skip. It is also kind of our "special time" because he gets really relaxed and cuddly and its just really sweet :)
Anyways, so that is our schedule! I love hearing what other moms do and have benefited to so much from other moms giving me bits of what works for them. I am still getting the hang of this mom thing but this has worked really amazingly well for us so I hope maybe it helped some other new mom.
Have a great day and sorry to any girls without babies who found this post completely boring haha I have a new fashion post tomorrow!! xoxo
Love this!!! You are such a loving and balanced Mommy đ€
Hi Amber! I have a newborn and would like to use this routine. I, wondering, however, whether you nursed or bottle feed Atticus. If bottle feeding. when would you extract your milk…while he naps? I know you have mentioned bottle feeding in other posts but maybe more as a means to have option when on an outing. if so, how often and what time of day would you extract milk. Sorry of questions are too personal. I’m just feeling somewhat overwhelmed with establishing a routine.
Hi!! Starting this schedule with my 9 week old baby, I hope I didn’t want too long. I was wondering when you say you let him fall asleep breastfeeding, does that mean he falls back to sleep after waking while you’re feeding? Or is it naptime and you are feeding him again? Just wondering because my baby falls asleep by feeding, which may end up being a bad thing….. Thanks!!!
Hi Amber! Thanks for this interesting and very helpful post. I would like to know until what week/month did your baby do this schedule? How did their sleeping schedule change over the months? Thanks.
Amber I can’t tell you how much I appreciated this post! This has worked like a charm for me and my baby who is now 3 months and sleeping 8-9 hours/night! And it’s literally been my guide since the beginning so thank you. Love the flexibility that you shared and your honesty- works perfectly for my style. Question for you – around what age did you decrease the naps? My mom is going to start watching the baby in a couple of weeks when I go back to work and thinking only 2 or 3 naps is needed since baby is able to stay up for 2-3 hours sometimes ? Thanks love your blog so much!!
Hey Amber, could you give us any update on you scheduling with your two kids (:
I would love to hear what you changed over the 2 years with Atticus!
Love your inspiration.
Would you wake him up after an hour and a half? Just wondering how you get your babies to sleep an hour and a half and be up for an hour and a half.
Yes for the first little bit you may have to wake them up đ but eventually they will get used to the schedule and would wake up on their own. I hope that helps!!
Hi Amber! How has the schedule changed now having two kiddos?
Also, my little one doesn’t want to eat right after her nap. Did you find that was the case with you guys at first? She likes to eat then sleep.
Xox
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne!! Rosie is on the schedule I talked about on this post but Atticus’ schedule has changed. He takes one long nap during the day and then sleeps through the night. And that sounds pretty normal if your little one isn’t hungry right after she wakes up. It all depends on the baby đ
Thank you!! Also, I think Rosie is close to Ella’s age. She’s 4 and a half months. Has the timing changed from this post? When she goes to bed etc. Thank you for the help!
Hi Amber! I love this post and I’m going to try it with my three month old. Do you exclusively breastfeed or supplement at all with formula? Your Instagram and blog and so fun to follow!
Hey amber, what’s your schedule like now that he is older? I had a great sleeper until 4 months and a decent sleeper from 7-8 months and now she won’t take a single nap! I’d love to hear what you do!
Hi Nikki!! It is pretty similar but now he only has one long (around 3 hours) nap during the day đ I think it all depends on the baby too, Atticus needs his sleep because he is so so busy during the day! But I hear from other moms that their kids don’t need naps as much.. What helps us is just keeping to the same everyday routine so your little knows it is nap time each day (easier said than done I know!!) Sorry I can’t be more help! xo
Perfect!
You mentioned that you bathed with your little guy. Did you ever use the portable baby tub or do you hold him while taking a bath with you? I’m only 6 weeks pregnant, but I’m scoping out what other mothers prefer. Your posts about being a mother are a life saver! Much appreciated (:
This post is a little old, but I just came across your schedule and I LOVE it! I’ve been trying it with my 3 month old and it works like a charm. I really like the flexibility of it. I hope all is well!
Hi Amber! I would really appreciate some advise here cause I’m starting to feel desperate…
I have 11-week-old son and I’ve been trying to put him on a schedule for about a week now. So far he can only be awake for an hour and then asleep for almost an hour. During the day everything seems fine and in my opinion he is happy about it. We have a problem during the night though cause he started to wake up even more than he did before! I have to get up every two hours and I am totally exhausted!
Is it normal and he should start to sleep more soon or do you think I should just give up the schedule all together? And how did you manage to keep Atticus awake for 1,5 hour at such a young age?
You gave a great damily by the way! đ
Very similar to BabyWise, which we do with our 14 week old. He just slept 11.5 hours last night đ Love your blog!
I absolutely love the idea of bathing and breastfeeding baby as part of the bedtime routine! Never thought of that, and I’m on my second baby haha. My little guy only sleeps about 4 hours at a time at night, so hopefully trying more of a schedule will help. Thanks for posting this, you’re amazing! Congrats on your little sweetie!
I don’t have a baby but I found this post really interesting! I am engaged so baby things are things I can think about and KNOW that it’s coming in the future (even though I don’t want them for a long time) but this was really interesting!
I’ve never even thought about putting a baby on a schedule, I just thought everything worked out how they wanted. Now that I know I can influence his/her awake and sleep time, I am all about that because who wouldn’t like to get a full night’s rest right after baby is born?
Thanks for the advice, I will definitely be saving this!
Cynthia
http://www.sensiblysharp.com
You are an adorable new mom, and it looks to me you have fallen into mommyhood perfectly! I appreciate you sharing your schedule as I am about to pop my first own babe out anytime, and need as much advice as I can get! So thank you!! Definitely going to try this schedule thing out!!
Ha. Loved your rant! I get so sick of mom’s tearing down mom’s that do things differently. It’s almost like they try to shame you into doing what they do because they think it is “what’s best” for your kid. Uh. I hate. You just do what you feel is best for your kids and sanity and I will do the same thank you very much.
Dear Amber,
You’re my style icon, as I have accidentaly discovered your blog while I was pregnant with my second son. Keep on posting about motherhood and fashion, as this is yout target
I am pumped you posted about the schedule. My best friend turned me on to babywise at 6 weeks. My little one starting sleeping 11 plus hours at 12 weeks and at mind months he is the happiest baby because of the schedule. I hate that the bashers make the words baby wise or scheduling like you speak of the devil. They work wonders.
*Nine months
Thank you so much for sharing!!! I’m a new first time mom (baby boy is 3 weeks tomorrow) and I love your blog. I love the pics of baby A and really appreciate you sharing pics of him and advice. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I will definitely try this schedule in a couple of weeks!!
Amber, you are so sweet to do such a detailed post to help new moms! My kids are 12 & 15 so I only read this post out of interest because it really seems that motherhood suits you so well!
Great post! And a brave one! Two years ago when my youngest was a newborn I half accidentally mentioned on my blog that I was following a routine with her… The comments I received sounded as if I had committed murder! Craziness the way mothers judge other mothers, such waste of time just like you wrote too. I have two girls, both started sleeping through from 8 to 10 weeks old. And guess what… they’re now 2 and 4 years old and we have never ever had bedtime or sleeping problems. They get 12 – 13 hours sleep every night, which can’t be bad for a child. In fact I wouldn’t sometimes mind that myself, ha. I was also a keen believer of swaddling, I really believe it helped them get to a really nice, deep sleep. Well done you for getting your baba sleeping through the night and for writing this post! And hi from very sunny Dubai from an older reader đ
I have never commented on your blog before, but I just want to tell you that I so appreciated your honest and humble way you expressed your mothering and how insightful it was.
I absolutely agree that I found my children to be more content once I put them on a schedule (this exact one you do, except an earlier wake-up so we skipped your last nap/wake for a 8:30-9pm bedtime. I exclusively breastfed and didn’t want my child to cry, but I knew children thrive on regular sleep and eating. I didn’t really get babies that STTN, but I didn’t really care about it. I cared about predictability and happy babies – which I got! Thank you for the way you have expressed you love for your son and your attention to his emotional needs in such a wise way. You are not only a beautiful person, you are a beautiful mother.
And by the way, I’m pregnant with my 3rd and you are my style icon for your pregnancy style! Love SO much all your pregnancy pics!
I am getting married next month and my fiance and I will be trying right away to get preggers- although I follow you for fashion things, I enjoyed reading this as well as a little sneak peak of motherhood! I’m actually starting a blog about becoming a wife, motherhood and all my ups and downs of handling it all–I hope it’s something that resonates with other young moms! Great post.
I need to try this. My little babe is 9 weeks now and still wakes up in the middle of the night, yikes! We have our special bath time too, I couldn’t think of a better way to bond. I can’t wait to try it!
xx-Jenny
http://mondayvibes.blogspot.com
U are PERFECT..THANK U AMBER ,@ ATTICUS I tried it a 4 hour schedule..my babyboy 3 month and 3 weeks slept 5+ now he woke up at 3 gave him a soother couple times then back to sleep for 4 hours , but I had a breast proplem , I breastfeed too, so it swelled-full of milk, did u have that problem? In the 10:20 feed how much time do u breastfeed and then afterwards you change breast.?? Thank u in advance for the responseâ„
I used a schedule with my babes to and it made the lot of us so much happier. Like yours mine were just happier with it, and once I figured out a relaxed schedule that worked best for our family, it was smooth sailing. A full nights sleep makes a world of difference.
http://www.hollandsreverie.blogspot.com
I really appreciate your advice! I am approaching the first month with our new little one and am excited to hear there is hope for sleep again! I have a quick question: what are your favorite blankets for swaddling? I have the “muslin” cloth ones and they don’t seem to be very effective. Thanks!
Thank you so much for posting this! I am a second time mom and struggling with my 9 week old right now and really benefitted from this post!
This is honestly so helpful. I may not be a mom yet, but this is definitely going on my interest board for later use đ
– MeYouAndHayleyLarue.com
You have no idea how many hours I spend loocking for the right schedule for my baby, He was born almost one month after yours, so i think i have enough time to try this schedule with him. I am a new mom too, so pretty much I have no idea what I’m going most of the time.
Do you only breastfeed or you also complement with formula?
Congratulations for such a beautiful baby boy !
This is amazing. Everything I have heard from everyone are the sleepless nights. This puts the first few years into such a different perspective. Thanks so much for sharing.
He’s mega cute! I need to save this post for when Im a momma x
http://www.blondecanvas.com
Sounds pretty similar to what I do with my 4 month old. It’s a continous cycle of sleep, eat, change diaper, play and then back down for a nap until next feeding, and she too has been sleeping for 7+ hrs at night since 4 wks old (8+ in the last week). She pretty much put herself into this pattern, and we just followed her cues and stuck with it.
xo Kierra
OH yes, I can sing a song about this- even though my son is already 9 years old I can still remember those days as if they were yesterday! Keep up the feeding! LOL
Well I’m not needing this post anytime soon, it is very interesting and will refer back to this when the time is right:)
xo Adri
http://www.adrilately.blogspot.com
I am a girl (a very long way off having kids) and found this adorable! Great schedule!
Katie <3
I love this post! I’m a single momma so when my daughter was 7 weeks I had to go back to work and our “schedule” was flipped on it’s head. I worked 3rd shift and wasn’t getting home until midnight. And then on my days off the schedule would flip again. It was awful, definitely not sleeping through the night. At 3 months I got a normal 8 – 5 job and we got into a normal routine and daily schedule and within a week she slept through the night consistently. I am a huge advocate for keeping a schedule for a baby or any age kid really. She’s 3 1/2 now and life is so much easier when she knows what the day has in store for her.
I followed Baby Wise which this sounds like. My daughter is 4 and we still use the Baby Wise books. They have them thru teen years on parenting. Great books!! I started our daughter on Baby Wise when she was 2 weeks old and the doctors were wishing me luck. It worked though. She slept in the crib also and she didn’t like pacifiers or being swaddled. I did use a sleep sac on her until she was almost 2. There were times I did let her cry it out 20 minutes or so. Of course I checked on her, and made sure her needs were met. I nursed her until 14 months old. I did have to wean her. Anyways, she still sleeps thru the night. Establishing routine is key and you are so smart to know getting sleep for yourself is a priority as well. I needed a routine so that I could plan my day and work out. Also, great post for new moms. We are planning baby 2 and I’m at ease knowing I will have Baby Wise!
Congrats on getting your baby on a schedule so soon! My daughter would wake up a few times a night for almost 9 months đ She was a breastfeed baby and was ALWAYS hungry! There was a lot of missed sleep on my part the first year đ
XO Kelly
http://www.dettecakes.com
this will, undoubtedly, be so helpful one day! thanks so much for sharing!
love, arielle
a simple elegance
I know having a Babywise-type schedule works well for some moms. That said, please do your research before choosing this method for your child. While it is convenient to have your baby eating and napping on the schedule you choose, there is also a lot of evidence out there saying that babies so young need to feed on demand (whenever they want). Trying to impose a schedule to early can be detrimental to the child in some cases. This isn’t meant to bash mothers who go this route. I just think those who are new mothers should know that there are negatives along with the positives when it comes to this method.
After reading her post I actually read the babywise book… I also had heard negative things but I wanted to read it myself. That being said, the method clearly states that the schedule never trumps your baby’s hunger. If the baby is hungry, feed it. It reiterates that several times. Parents that don’t follow that rule are not doing the babywise method!
Halle- EXACTLY!!
EXACTLY Halle!
I started following your blog because we were both pregnant and I loved your maternity fashion. I love that now I can see a fashion post or a baby tip post it is literally the perfect blog for us new moms!
My son is 4 weeks today, I have never really been a bath person but I am willing to give it a try if it means a full nights sleep. Thanks fr the tip đ
Totally saving this post for when I have my first baby (hopefully soon!)! Cheers to you for being confident enough to be transparent on what you do with your little one. I think that whatever works for your baby is the right choice for you! You go lady đ
Definately will have to give this a try!! My bubby bear is only a few days older than Atticus. She was early and oh so tiny! 4 lbs! Question: are you topping bubby up at the 10:20pm feed with formula? Is that how you know you’re giving him 4-5oz? You’re doing a great job mama. Wish I looked as fabulous post baby as you!
So handsome, your baby! Congratulations
http://www.fashionistasdeplantao.tk
Great advice and he’s just the cutest! We are expecting in December and this schedule is similar to a lot I have read about sleep training your baby!
This sounds very similar to the babywise method, that is what I used with my little Teddy and he was also sleeping 9 hours at 8 weeks. It was MAGIC. I am person who absolutely NEEDS my sleep. A schedule worked for us, and if any moms struggle I think it is worth a go. However if it doesn’t work just try something different. That is the amazing part about babies, they are truly individuals from the very first time you meet them!
I don’t have a baby but am trying with my husband and am soaking in all the advice I can find! I so agree about supporting one another instead of judging… I don’t understand why women have to ve do unkind to each other as if there isn’t enough bad in the world. I so admire you still living your life with your child as a wonderful addition, but not the controlling factor… For me anyway, I just think doing that will make me a happier wife, a better friend, and a more loving mother. You’re an inspiration, even though I don’t know you, and I will for sure be coming back to this if and when we are able to have our babe. Sorry this is an epic!! Too many words.
Inspiring, I am 6 months pregnant and keep reading horror stories, I am reading several baby schedule books, but all the new mums I know keep telling me it wont work! Great to read positive stories, you look fab!
Your little one is so sweet! You seem like a wonderful mom! I don’t have kids ( just my fur babies- ha ha) but this was interesting to know and I will pass it on to my friends with new babies. Thank you for sharing! Love your style and inspiration! All the best!! Cheers- k
Love the post, though I don’t have a babe yet, it’ll be useful one day! I did have a hair question for you. I live in Taiwan so we drive a scooter everywhere. Which means I am constantly pulling a helmet on and off my head all day long, plus whatever hair isn’t covered by the helmet is blown all over the place. Any hair style ideas or ways to keep my hair curled even after a 20 minute windy right? I’m stumped. Thanks! love your blog!
That’s so great! I’ve got a 6 week old, and so far haven’t been able to get her to stick to a schedule, but I think she’s finally ready. But question, did he naturally sleep at least 1.5 hours for his nap, or did you need to let him work himself back to sleep? I can’t get my daughter to sleep more than 45-60 min. most of the time. She wakes up happy! But really won’t get back to sleep. Because of it, we are on a 2 hour schedule, rather than 3hr.. But she’s already sleeping 6-8 hours, so can’t complain
Great post! I love that you share your personal experience with your baby. He is so cute!
Miri
http://currentlywearing.com
My babe is slightly older but I’m going to try a modified version. Thank you for the help. I wish I looked as restful as you!!!!! Ha ha.
I am 32 weeks and in the process of reading The Baby Wise book. Reading your post was helpful and encouraging. Thanks for sharing!
wow! i will totally come back to this when i have my baby. i’m due christmas eve, so this will definitely come in handy! thanks!