Getting your little one on a consistent routine (especially now) is important for many reasons.
It helps establish predictability in your day which creates safety and security for your child (we as humans all thrive on set routines).
It takes advantage of sleep windows throughout the day, when the body is most primed for sleep and when sleep pressure is ideal creating the best conditions for sleep.
It builds in time for rest in your day not only for your child but for you as well.
It can make a world of a difference in helping your child sleep but sleep schedules alone are not going to get you the day sleep you and your baby so desperately need.
You need to set them, prepare for them, and keep them consistent (no matter what).
Here are 3 simple ways to help achieve a great sleep schedule:
Set a wake-up and bedtime for your baby and no matter what get them up at that same time. Bedtime can vary a little based on the day but wake up time should be consistent to not only keep your day on track but help set those sleep cycles to that time.
Aim for a certain amount of day sleep. You will find here the recommended total day sleep by age. Use that as a guide and follow the wake windows that correspond to your child’s age. Remember that wake windows vary by child and they are only estimates so you have to find your baby’s “sweet spot” wake window.
Wake windows: The amount of time your baby can stay awake before needing a nap.
Set up the BEST conditions for sleep. Environment matters. Winding your baby down and preparing them for sleep matters. So expecting our babies to be able to sleep anywhere is like asking you to sleep anywhere, a crowded, stimulating environment like a mall…would you be able to do that? Some personalities might but very few and temperament will matter here.
Myth: Babies will sleep when they are tired.
Babies will not sleep when they are tired and most certainly will not sleep when they are overtired. Unless you offer them a nap, with the right conditions and at the right time.
Putting your baby down asleep will almost always cause a short nap, keeping the environment in which, they fell asleep consistent for the entire length of the nap is needed. If they are moved while sleeping as soon as they hit a light stage of sleep, they will notice the environment has changed and get up to investigate or call for the conditions in which they originally fell asleep.
Putting your baby down completely awake is the key to longer naps, along with the strategies mentioned above. This means avoid the transfer whenever possible and if your baby is under 4 months you can absolutely hold to sleep but you need to wait until they are in a deep stage of sleep (at least 20 minutes) before putting them down.
So, reach out if:
1. You need to help tweaking that schedule, so you find the right times for YOUR little one.
2. You want to teach your baby to fall asleep independently for naps and nights. So you all achieve longer stretches of consolidated sleep, feel rested, energized and ready to tackle your day.
3. Need some support (as we all do), have tried everything, and are tired of “waiting it out” - which rarely works btw.
Getting some consistent rest in your days is more important now than ever and it’s not as hard as you might think, you just have to take that first step and reach out for steps on how to do just that.
I’ll be here to guide you.
Lil xx
If you don’t take action, nothing changes and sleep is worth everything!
