Using A Sleep Routine For Babies

If you follow the current advice from health visitors and paediatricians, you will no doubt be doing everything for your baby ‘on demand’. Feeding on demand, letting him sleep on demand, changing nappies on demand. Only one of these three things is clearly the right way to go for all babies. Which one? Changing nappies on demand, of course! This is the one area you will never have any control over…

You can, however, help your baby be happier and more contented when he is awake, simply by helping him learn how and when to sleep.

Why use a routine?

A routine for you and your baby takes the guess-work, and therefore the anxiety, out of looking after your baby. If you understand his sleep needs, and work out a routine which meets these needs, both you and your baby will be a lot happier.

How babies sleep

In the very early days your baby will probably be asleep more than he is awake. And when he is awake, he will probably only be feeding or crying! After a few weeks, however, your baby will begin to engage with the world around him, and his awake-times will be more pronounced.

Now is the time to gently nudge your baby into a routine which will help him thrive and get the most out of his rest. Without a routine, most babies will nap on and off all day, from ten minutes to hours at a time. The problem with these patterns is that they interfere with a baby’s ability to take his longest nap at night. As a new parent, you will have a lot invested in wanting your baby to sleep for longer periods at night as soon as he is ready.

So when should babies sleep?

A young baby should ideally not be awake for more than two hours at a time. After two hours, a baby will become tired and cranky. He may seem to want to stay awake, but don’t be fooled. Many babies will fight sleep – who wouldn’t? There is so much going on in their worlds, they don’t want to miss out!

A sleep routine

A good routine is as follows: Wake your baby at 7.00am and feed him. By 9.00am he has been awake for 2 hours so take him to a quiet part of your home (his nursery is ideal) for a nap of around an hour. This will refresh him for the next two hours. Pop him down again for a longer nap at lunchtime. A 2 hour sleep now will help him get through the day without getting over tired, so wake him at around 2.00pm. If you plan to put your baby to bed at around 7.00pm, after his last feed, he may need another, shorter nap at 4.00pm. You could let him have this in his pram, getting both of you some fresh air (and some exercise for you).

If your baby has between three and four hours of sleep in the daytime, he will find it easier to have his longer sleep at night, making life easier for all of you in no time at all.

More Baby Sleep

You might also be interested in:

Read our Diary Of A New Mum and discover what happens when Jessica-Ann comes home from the hospital and during her first year at home. This fun read is perfect for new mums and experienced mums alike! New episodes weekly.
Diary Of A New Mum

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AV Baby content is for information only. If you are at all worried about your baby, please seek the advice of your midwife, doctor or paediatrician.

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