What to Do When Your Baby Won’t Follow a Schedule
I often hear parents express that they really desire a consistent schedule for their baby and yet they’re struggling to get their baby on a schedule. This is really common and something I have helped many parents work through, it is possible to get your baby on a more predictable schedule! Keep in mind that a schedule should be flexible. I’m not a stickler for the time on the clock being the same every day for every nap and bedtime. Instead, I teach my clients to follow a cycle of routines and follow wake windows. For example the routine you cycle through may look something like eat, play, sleep. Or even eat, play, eat, sleep.
My first tip is to start with an age corresponding sample schedule and then pay attention to your baby’s own unique sleep needs.
You can view my example schedules here by age but remember that some babies don’t thrive on the average recommended schedules. Some babies have higher sleep needs (meaning shorter wake windows and longer naps), and other babies might have low sleep needs (meaning longer wake windows and shorter or less naps). I love to look at different 6 month old schedules to help paint an example of this. Some 6 month olds have high sleep needs. They may still be on wake windows of 2.25-2.75, taking 3 solid naps, and sleeping 11 hours overnight. Other 6 month olds are actually ready to drop to 2 naps! They use wake windows ranging from 2.75-3.25 hours! At any age, a baby’s sleep needs can vary like this. Look for cues about how much sleep your baby needs.
My second tip is to avoid getting stuck in a cycle of short naps and short wake windows.
Do your best to start your day off on the right foot by pushing for a full wake window, even if your baby does get a bit fussy before naptime. When adjusting to new wake windows and trying to get longer naps, it is normal to have to push through some fussiness. If the first nap of your baby’s day is less than 90 minutes you should try to lengthen the nap. If you’re assisting your baby with sleep, then rock back to sleep. If you’re in the process of sleep training then apply Crib Hour. Ultimately, if your baby’s first nap just ends up short and you can’t get him or her back to sleep, you should not shorten the next wake window a lot, do your best to entertain and distract your baby. I often see a short 30-50 minute nap followed by a shorter wake window which results in another 30-50 minute nap! If your baby can be distracted and entertained then keep them awake for close to a full wake window.
My third tip is to check on your baby’s sleep environment. Your baby’s room where he or she sleeps should be nearly pitch black!
Our circadian rhythms are determined by darkness and light so a dark room is really helpful if your baby is currently struggling with short naps. Make sure you have a sound machine that plays continuous white noise. I love the Hatch and Yoga sound machines. Incorporate some positive sleep associations into your baby’s sleep routines like using a sleep sack, reading books, or singing a song. Consider a wind down routine in your baby’s room several minutes before nap time to help him or her sleep is coming. Also, consider helping your baby learn how to fall asleep independently (aka sleep training). I see many babies successfully get on a schedule after they’ve learned how to fall asleep and stay asleep on their own.
If you need more help with finding the right schedule for your baby and you’re also interested in my programs on holistic sleep teaching, click below to get started with a free 15 minute discovery call. On the call we can chat more about the goals you have for your baby’s sleep and how we could work together!
