Useful Tips to Get Your Baby On A Sleep Schedule

Do you know what the reality of nurturing a child is? Are you feeling discouraged about having that next child because you’re having a hard time babysitting? Are you having difficulty discerning your child’s time to sleep? It would be best if you read this article. It has all the answers you need. Let’s lead you.

The joy of having a child is unexplainable. It can only be expressed. With childbirth comes the responsibility of nurturing a child, which could seem to be very cumbersome as the nursing mother tries to figure out the needs of her child. As babies, crying seems to be the only mode of indicating their need. Wikipedia has suggested that babysitting is temporarily caring for a child. However, by getting baby on sleep schedule, noting the nap time and feeding time, babysitting can be a walkover.

In this article, you will find useful tips that will help your child get better sleep. It will help in giving your child good rest when needed and a chance to plan your to-do list to fit into the free-time you will be gaining. We know you can’t wait to find out. Let’s dive in!

Drafting the Perfect Sleep Schedule

There is nothing as discouraging as having your hopes chattered. Some parents innocently hope that their child will get used to the timing of the planet a week after birth. It is a grave misconception. Babies do not have the cognitive sense developed to distinguish between day and night. A consistent baby sleep schedule will, however, help them fit better into our time zone. Let’s see what it entails!

At Birth into the Second Month

At this time, there will be quite some zig and zags to your child’s sleep time. During this period, expect that your child drifts in and out of sleep throughout the day. They could feed on breast milk (which gives a supply of good bacteria that can also be found in probiotics for babies) for up to 10-11 times in a day. There is a rough aggregate of children of this age kick-starting their days by 7 am and rounding off their days with a good night’s sleep by 10 pm.

Their daytime chart could entail 1-2 hours of nap time and about 2 hours of awakening. If your baby at two months, drifts into a nap time longer than 2 hours, it is okay to rouse him or her up. It is because more sleep time is equivalent to less of feeding time during the day, leading to a craving for food at midnight.

From the third month into the fourth month

An aggregate shows that at this age, babies begin their days earlier, at about 6 am. Waking up and not finding you, there can lead to an outpouring of a loud cry resulting from anxiety. Your baby is still expected to harness about two to three nap times daily, amounting to a vague total of about four to eight hours of sleep time. They begin to wrap up for a good night sleep by 9 pm, earlier than the previous first and second month.

Also, expect a long stretch of sleep at this age. Your baby can take a full dose of 5 to 8 hours of straight sleep time. It is still expected that they wake up for one to two breast milk refueling, though.

It is good to note that at about the third month, your child begins to enjoy more cuddling and play, beginning to roll more in sleep. It is sometimes referred to as the 3 month sleep regression.

From the Fourth to Eight-Month

At this age, your cute little one wakes up around 6 am till 8 am with a total nap time of about 2 to 3 hours a day. It is a typical case that your child begins to teeth about the fourth to sixth month. In response to this new development, your child tends to fuss more during sleep time. You might want to introduce your sleeping rituals at this time. Your routines could be a compendium of lullabies, snuggling, soft baby massages, dangling keys, a refreshing bath, and more, as you get inspired.

Eight to twelve months

Once the lifetime clock strikes this age, there is the typical report of babies having about twelve to fourteen hours of sleep. The daytime begins at about 6 am or 7 am and closes at about 7 pm or 9 pm. Your baby can now sleep for about seven to ten hours with no feeding interruptions. At this age, most infants begin to learn to crawl.

There are additional things to note as you begin to incorporate these tips on how to get baby on sleep schedule. One of which is the fact that consistency is critical in ensuring that your child gets used to the schedule. More so, one more thing to note is that as your child gets used to this schedule, there is the chance of your little one drifting into sleep in her stroller and sometimes in your car seat. It is, however, vital that you avoid such incidences, even during nap times. Try to stick with a particular spot, most preferably her crib. You should be consistent with this placement even during nap time. Also, ensure that the crib is dust-free. Maintaining sleep hygiene is of importance in supporting your child’s good health. It will get your child sleeping better.

In all, getting a perfect sleep schedule for baby does not have to be so hectic a task. On the other hand, it is to lighten the stress of worries on meeting your child’s needs. These tips are sure to help. We will love to hear your views. Leave a comment below.

Author’s bio:

Betti Wilson is a psychologist, with about 15 years of work experience, and a mother of three kids. Her best times were the months she spend nurturing her kids. She also happens to run an institute where mothers can join minds in boosting their interest in the subject.