Sample baby schedules for 3- and 4-month-olds

Getting into a routine with your baby is a personal thing. You'll learn to read your baby's cues to develop a pattern of eating, sleeping, and playing that meets your little one's needs and works for your family.



That said, it can be a big help to see what other moms and dads are doing. We asked parents of 3- and 4-month-olds to share their baby's daily schedule, then picked the seven below as a helpful representation. (If you have a baby this age, share your routine in the comments section at the bottom of this page!)



As you're creating a schedule for your baby, keep in mind that at 3 and 4 months most babies need:



• 12 to 24 ounces of breast milk or formula in a 24-hour period, though this amount may be as high as 36 to 40 ounces. (Get specific tips on how to tell whether your baby is getting enough breast milk or formula.) Some parents start solid foods like rice cereal when their baby is 4 months old.



• About 15 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period — this includes nighttime sleep and naps. Three naps during the day (morning, afternoon, and evening) is typical. Read more about sleep needs at this age.



• Time for playing, developing important muscles, working on new skills, and interacting with you. Try reading to your little one, giving your baby a massage or bath, or going for a stroller walk.

Schedule 1: A breastfeeding stay-at-home mom of a 4-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a parent-led routine



5 a.m.: Wake up, change Chase's diaper, he nurses, and we fall back asleep.



7 a.m.: Wake up, he nurses and falls back asleep.



9 a.m.: He wakes up. I bathe him, change his diaper, and get him dressed.



11 a.m.: He nurses, then sits in his bouncer while I do laundry and dishes, then I change his diaper.



Noon: Tummy time, then we play with his toys.



1 p.m.: I change his diaper, then it's nap time.



2 p.m.: He wakes up and nurses.



2:30 p.m.: He plays in his entertainment center while I clean.



3 p.m.: He sits on my lap while I watch TV or go on the Internet. I change his diaper.



4 p.m.: Chase's dad comes home. I make dinner while Dad holds Chase and plays with him.



5 p.m.: Nurse, then nap time.



6 p.m.: I change his diaper, then he sits in his swing.



6:30 p.m.: Playtime.



7 p.m.: Nurse.



7:30 p.m.: Tummy time.



8 p.m.: Change diaper, get into pajamas.



8:30 p.m.: Sit in bouncer seat.



9 p.m.: Nurse.



10 p.m.: Change diaper, go to sleep.

Schedule 2: A formula-feeding working mom of a 4-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine



5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.: He wakes up smiling. I hold him for a while and try to feed him a bottle. He usually has about an ounce. He won't eat for the first two hours that he's up. (I guess he won't be a breakfast kid!)



I get ready for work and play with him at the same time. We look in the mirror and laugh. He does some tummy time. I usually have CNN on so he looks at that on occasion — I turn him away from the TV, though, or he stares at it.



6:30 a.m.: We leave for daycare. He smiles all the way there (this baby does not cry). We have a mirror in the backseat near his car seat so he laughs at himself. Once there, I hand him over. (Sad.) Throughout the day he eats, does tummy time, takes naps, plays with other babies, and so on. They have no TV there, so he doesn't watch television. He just plays and naps all day.



4:30 p.m.: I typically pick him up by 4:30. (I get to work early so I can get home early.) He is usually smiling. We go home.



4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: He wants to eat, then we play — he likes singing and patty-cake. He sits in his activity saucer, does tummy time — whatever he seems to be in the mood for.



5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Bath time! His favorite part of the day! My husband usually gets home around this time. After his bath, we play some more. I just try to spend a lot of time with him.



6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: We usually read to him, talk to him. Usually he gets hungry again. He eats a lot between 4:30 and 7:30 at night.



7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: He usually falls asleep by 8 p.m. He likes to chew on his toys until he drifts off.



11 p.m.: He wakes up to eat. My husband takes night duty and gets up with him until 5 a.m., when I take over.

Schedule 3: A formula-feeding night-shift-working mom of a 4-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine



My little man is a creature of habit. Break his routine by too much and watch out — all hell can break loose!



6:30 a.m.: Mommy gets home from her night shift at the police department and quietly gets into bed next to her dear husband. (Our son just started sleeping in his own room this week, so I don't have to be as quiet.)



8 to 8:30 a.m.: Baby wakes with big grins for a very tired Mommy, making it very worthwhile for her to get up after only sleeping one and a half hours!



9 a.m: Diaper change, 8-ounce bottle.



9:30 to 10:30 a.m.: Playtime either in Mommy's lap or the bouncy seat.



10:30 a.m.: Swing goes into Mommy's bedroom, baby goes into it, and Mommy and baby sleep until 12:30 or 1 p.m.



1 p.m.: Baby wakes up a happy little man, gets a diaper change and an 8-ounce bottle.



1:30 to 3 p.m.: Playtime in his activity saucer and tummy time and back time on his play mat.



3 p.m.: Nap time for Mommy and baby.



4 p.m.: Mommy gets up to get ready for work. Little Man sleeps another 30 minutes to an hour, usually.



4:30 p.m.: Diaper change. Daddy gets home and takes over.



5:30 p.m.: Mommy leaves for work, baby gets an 8-ounce bottle and playtime with Daddy.



7:30 p.m.: Nap time in swing.



9 p.m.: Baby wakes up, every other night gets a bath.



10 p.m.: Baby gets an 8-ounce bottle and is in his crib for nighty-night. He sleeps soundly until he wakes in the morning.



I work four nights a week, so I go on about four hours of sleep on those days but try to catch up when I can. My husband is really good about watching our son so I can get a little extra sleep on my nights off. Our son is such a pleasure, though, that it's hard for me to sleep knowing he's awake and having fun with Daddy in the next room! I want to play, too.

Schedule 4: A breastfeeding stay-at-home mom of a 4-month-old and a toddler

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine



7 a.m.: Wake up, nurse, get dressed. Amaya plays with Mom while her older brother watches Sesame Street.



8:30 a.m.: Down for her morning nap except when her brother has preschool.



10 a.m.: Wake from nap, nurse, and we leave for some activity.



12 p.m.: Come home. Amaya has tummy time while her brother eats lunch.



1 p.m.: Get her brother ready for nap, read lots of stories.



1:30 p.m.: Amaya nurses, then naps.



4 p.m.: Everyone is up, although Amaya typically wakes up earlier. She nurses and we either go to the gym or to the playground.



6 p.m.: Daddy comes home. He plays with our son or Amaya so each child has some one-on-one time with a parent.



6:30 p.m.: Family dinner. (I do most of the prep work during nap time, so it's easy to make.)



7 p.m.: Bath time, stories, bed. Amaya nurses.



She still wakes up somewhere between 2 and 4 a.m. to nurse. Also, if she takes a short afternoon nap, she may close her eyes for an hour sometime in the late afternoon.

Schedule 5: A breastfeeding and pumping working mom of a 4-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine



6:30 a.m.: Wakes up and babbles to his mobile, Mommy gets ready for work.



7 a.m.: Nurse, pack bottles for daycare.



7:30 a.m.: Head out the door and commute to daycare.



8 a.m.: Drop off. He loves the daycare ladies and smiles at them every morning. He usually plays in the activity saucer first.



9:45 a.m.: He eats 2 tablespoons rice cereal with 4 ounces breast milk.



10 a.m. to noon: He naps. Mommy pumps at work sometime during this period.



Noon: He wakes up and plays in the bouncy chair, saucer, or swing.



12:45 p.m.: He eats 2 tablespoons rice cereal with 4 ounces breast milk.



1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: He naps. Mommy pumps at work sometime during this period.



2:30 p.m.: He wakes up and has play time.



4 p.m.: He eats 2 tablespoons rice cereal with 4 ounces breast milk, Mommy pumps at work.



4:30 p.m.: He takes a short nap. (Mommy always wakes him when she picks him up.)



5:15 p.m.: Pick up at daycare.



5:30 p.m.: Home, put pumped milk in fridge, try to start a load of laundry, baby catnaps.



5:45 p.m.: Playtime with Daddy. Mommy picks up the house, pays bills, folds laundry, and so on.



6:30 p.m.: Nurse.



6:45 p.m.: Playtime with Mommy, tummy time.



7:30 p.m.: Start bedtime routine: Bath, lotion, change into pj's, sing, give reflux meds. He nurses. We used to read, but he was always fussy by that point and wanted to nurse.



8 p.m.: In bed, awake but sleepy, falls asleep watching the mobile.



8 to 10 p.m.: Mommy prepares bottles for the next day, freezes extra milk, does laundry and starts the dishwasher, and picks up the house while Daddy cooks dinner. We eat, talk, and watch TV. We're in bed by 10 p.m.



12 a.m.: Wake, nurse, right back to bed.



4 a.m.: Wake, nurse, right back to bed.



6:30 a.m.: Start all over again.

Schedule 6: A breastfeeding stay-at-home mom of a 3-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine



Addie and I have fallen into a natural routine. She nurses every two and a half hours or so during the day and will sleep through the night without waking up to be fed.



5 a.m.: Addie wakes up. I lift her into bed with me where I nurse her in a side-lying position. She usually falls back asleep beside me, but if I get up then she will too.



8:30 a.m.: Nurse Addie again in the nursery and wash her face with a warm washrag, put on lotion, take off pj's, sing some songs, and have tummy time. I lay her in the crib in the nursery while I get dressed and beautified. This is Addie's most talkative part of the day — she babbles a lot.



10 a.m.: I carry Addie around with me while I pick up the house. She's usually ready to eat again by 10:30, so we take some time out to breastfeed and listen to the radio.



11:30 a.m.: Addie is getting sleepy — time for a mid-day nap in her swing. I eat lunch and do a load of laundry. Or I take her out and she sleeps in her car seat while we run errands in town. It's much easier to grocery shop while she sleeps.



Between 12:30 and 1 p.m.: She wakes up hungry and nurses again. We usually read a book or two after this feeding, then have playtime if she's up for it.



2:30 p.m.: She eats again, then goes into the front carrier for a while.



4:30 p.m.: She eats again. Addie takes a nap, but no sleeping past 6 p.m. or she won't sleep at night! Usually I vacuum the house because the hum of the vacuum always puts her to sleep. Then I lay out clothes for bedtime and get things ready for the bath (towels, tub, lotion, and hairbrush).



6 p.m.: My husband and I eat dinner. It's a team effort — one cooks and the other cleans. Usually I cook while he holds Addie, then he washes dishes while I give Addie a bath.



Between 6:30 and 7 p.m.: She has half a feeding (on only one breast) then bath time for 30 minutes. We give her a quick massage with lotion, put her pj's on, and brush her hair. She nurses on the other breast at about 8 p.m. My husband dims the lights and turns the television down.



8:30 p.m.: The whole family begins to wind down and relax. We read a book with Addie.



9 p.m.: My husband rocks Addie in the rocking chair and sings along to mellow music.



10 p.m.: She nurses again for the last time. After she nurses on one breast, we change her diaper and swaddle her. Then, while I'm nursing her on the other breast, my husband turns on the vacuum in the other room. I lay her in the bassinet beside our bed, and she falls asleep by about 10:30. I crawl into bed shortly thereafter, and we begin the whole routine again at 5 a.m. the next day.

Schedule 7: A formula-feeding working mom of a 3-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine



Landon usually gets up between 5:30 and 7 a.m. and has a 5-ounce bottle. He plays in his bouncy seat while I get ready for work.



I run a day care, so Landon is in the nursery there, just down the hall from my office — a perfect setup. He generally drinks 5 ounces every three to four hours. He takes two naps while we're at work. The afternoon nap is anywhere from two to three hours long.



We get home between 5 and 6 p.m., and I feed him a bottle. Then he has playtime and tummy time on the floor. He'll usually take a cat nap around 7, then will get up for some time with Mommy and Daddy. Around 9 p.m., Landon gets a bath and then his bedtime bottle of 5 ounces. We rock and cuddle until he goes to sleep. He generally sleeps through the night but occasionally gets hungry in the middle of the night and will wake for a bottle and then go right back to sleep. He's an excellent baby, and my husband and I both know how blessed we are.

Schedule 8: A formula-feeding stay-at-home mom of a 3-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a baby-led routine



Our 3-month-old is in a great routine (I prefer that word to "schedule"). He wakes each morning at 6:30 a.m. and has a 6-ounce bottle. He's awake for about an hour and a half and then takes a 45-minute nap. He has another 6 ounces at 9:15 a.m., then we play for about an hour. He goes down for a nap in his crib around 10:30 a.m. and sleeps until noon or so.



He has another 6-ounce bottle at noon or 12:15 p.m. Then we get out of the house for a little while to do errands, visit friends or family, and so on. He will usually sleep for about 30 to 45 minutes in his car seat. At 3 p.m. he has another 6-ounce bottle. Then it's playtime for an hour or so and down for a nap in his crib at around 4:30 p.m.



He usually sleeps until 6 p.m. I've been concerned that this is a late long nap compared to other babies, but it's when he's tired and it works for us. After waking up, he plays with us until about 7:45 p.m., then gets a bath, has a 4- or 5-ounce bottle, and sleeps until morning!

source: babycenter

Sample baby schedules for 1- and 2-month-olds

Getting into a routine with your baby is a personal thing. You'll learn to read your baby's cues to develop a pattern of eating, sleeping, and playing that meets your little one's needs and works for your family.

That said, it can be a big help to see what other moms and dads are doing. We asked parents of 1- and 2-month-olds to share their baby's daily schedule, then picked the eight below as a helpful representation. (If you have a baby this age, share your routine in the comments section at the bottom of this page!)

As you're creating a schedule for your baby, keep in mind that at 1 and 2 months most babies need:

• 12 to 24 ounces of breast milk or formula in a 24-hour period, though this amount may be as high as 36 to 40 ounces. (Get specific tips on how to tell whether your baby is getting enough breast milk or formula.)

• About 15.5 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period — this includes nighttime sleep and naps. Three naps during the day (morning, afternoon, and evening) is typical. Read more about sleep needs at this age.

• Time for playing, developing important muscles, working on new skills, and interacting with you. Try reading to your little one, giving your baby a massage or bath, or going for a stroller walk.

Schedule 1: A formula-feeding mom of a 2-month-old and an older child

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine

5 a.m.: Early-morning feeding. Chad gets 4 to 6 ounces of formula. He tends to fall back to sleep after this bottle, which lets me get more sleep!

8 to 9 a.m.: He wakes up and gets another bottle.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Playtime. I try to spend as much time playing with my daughter as possible. She's going through a baby stage right now and likes to be rocked, which is really tough, especially when I'm feeding my son. She doesn't understand that I need to focus on him because he's a baby.

What works best is putting my son in the front carrier so I have my hands free to play with my 2-year-old, especially when my son is fussy and won't lie down or sit in his swing. He loves to be held and close to me.

12:30 p.m.: My daughter and I eat lunch. Chad gets a bottle and falls asleep. My daughter takes her nap after lunch as well.

4 p.m.: Chad gets a bottle.

4:30 p.m.: Playtime. After my daughter wakes from her nap, I usually take her outside with the baby so we can all play for about an hour before dinner. My husband gets home around this time, and he will usually play with both kids while I clean up around the house, do dishes, and so on.

6 to 7 p.m.: Dinner.

7 to 8 p.m.: Chad gets a bottle and sleeps. My daughter is usually watching one of her shows or playing in her room by this time.

8 to 9 p.m.: Bath time and bedtime for my daughter.

12 a.m.: Chad gets a bottle, then it's time for me to go to sleep.

3 a.m.: Chad gets a bottle.

Schedule 2: A breastfeeding mom of a 5-week-old and an older child

Editor's note: This schedule is a baby-led routine

My daughter and I take our days as they come. She nurses whenever she seems hungry. I have no idea how much she eats at a time; I just let her nurse as long as she wants.

She takes little catnaps throughout the day (mostly while being held, which I know is bad, but she wakes up whenever I put her down), and we put her down for the night whenever she looks tired, anytime between 8 and 11 p.m.

She'll usually wake up for a feeding twice at night and then sleep till around 8 a.m., then after another feed, she'll go back to sleep for a couple more hours.

I hate living on a routine. It bores me to tears. So during the day I often ask my 3-year-old what she wants to do or where she wants to go. Off we go with the baby in a front carrier (she cries in the stroller or car seat, but loves the carrier). I don't pay much attention to the clock, just feed my kids when they're hungry. The only thing I stick to is bedtime for my older daughter at 8 p.m. Then Daddy takes the baby so my older child can have one-on-one time with me for her bedtime routine of jammies, teeth brushing, story, and kisses. I'm sure life will be tough when school starts, but right now the unstructured approach works for us.

Schedule 3: A formula-feeding mom of a 2-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine

7:30 to 8 a.m.: Wake up.

8 a.m.: He gets 6 to 8 ounces of formula.

9 a.m.: He falls asleep and naps until noon or 1 p.m.

1 p.m.: He gets 6 to 8 ounces of formula.

We play on his activity mat, I walk around the house and tell him about things, I sing, or we sit outside on the porch or go out shopping. He really enjoys lying on his changing table while we "talk." I try to read to him, but he gets squirmy, so it usually lasts for only a couple pages.

4 p.m.: He gets 6 to 8 ounces of formula.

After his really long morning nap, he'll take one or two 15-minute catnaps. We struggle around 5 p.m. This is when he starts to get fussy if he hasn't dozed back off in the afternoon.

Bath time is at 7 p.m. or a little earlier if he's really fussy. He gets a bath every night because he really relaxes in the water. I only use soap every other night, though. On the days we don't use soap, I call it his "bird bath." After his bath, he gets a baby massage with lotion while we sing "Hokey Pokey" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes." I like to teach him about body parts.

7:30 or 8 p.m. He gets another 6 to 8 ounces of formula. After his bottle, I hold him up over my shoulder and pat his back and we sing "You Are My Sunshine" a few times. I lay him down in his crib still awake, tell him I love him, and turn on his womb sounds bear. He "talks" himself to sleep.

We are on the verge of sleeping through the night. Just recently I tried not feeding him and only giving him the pacifier — and it worked! For about a week now, he has just gotten the binky. All I do is give him his pacifier and turn his womb sounds bear back on and he falls back to sleep.

Schedule 4: A breastfeeding mom of 7-week-old twins

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine

Wake-up time is between 5 and 7 a.m., depending on what time they've gone to bed the night before.

They eat every one and a half to two hours, or on demand. They nurse for ten to 20 minutes and alternate breasts at each feeding. It's best if I feed them at the same time, because that's the only way to get any "me" time. If one isn't awake for a feeding, I wake them up.

The twins were born prematurely, so they still like to sleep a lot. They nap about three or four times a day for one to two hours at a time. When they aren't sleeping, they have tummy time to strengthen their neck muscles, I sing to them, we go for a walk, or we go to the neighbors' and visit.

There's no real bedtime routine. Whenever their last feeding is for the night — usually between 10 or 11 p.m. — we put pj's on after the diaper change and swaddle and cuddle until they fall asleep. I sleep beside the crib in the nursery. Sometimes they sleep straight through until 5 a.m., or they'll get up once at about 2:30 or 3 a.m.

Being the mother of twins has been nothing but a blessing, and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world.

Schedule 5: An exclusively pumping mom of a 10-week-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine

I get up at 6 a.m. to pump. I try to go back to bed, but my baby usually wakes up for the day around 7 a.m. and has a feeding. We feed him on demand, so if he's hungry, we give him a bottle and let him eat till he starts to play with it or spit out the milk. He usually drinks about 6 ounces at a time. He refuses to drink formula, and he won't nurse, so he gets breast milk from a bottle 100 percent of the time.

Naptime is between 8 and 9 a.m. He'll sleep in his crib anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. Following his morning nap, we play for a little while, usually with him in my lap (head at my knees, feet against my belly). I sing, wave his arms around, talk to him, and imitate the faces and noises he makes. He gets a bottle and I pump. Sometimes I give him a bath. Other days, I wait until he wakes up from his evening nap.

Around 1 p.m. he gets another feeding, I pump, and I try to get him to take a nap. It doesn't always work. When it does, he'll sleep for 45 minutes to an hour and a half. This nap is usually in his swing, but sometimes he'll sleep in his crib. Other times he flat out refuses, even if he can barely keep his eyes open.

If he's really cranky and won't sleep, I'll take him for a walk (which almost always puts him to sleep). Around 4, I feed him and then I pump again. If we didn't take the earlier walk, we'll go now. Otherwise, we just play or snuggle while I watch TV.

He'll usually nap again in the late afternoon, almost always in his swing. He won't do this one in his crib, but occasionally he'll sleep in his car seat or in his stroller.

When he wakes up, I give him a bath if he hasn't had one in the morning. After the bath, we play a little more, and I put him in his pj's so that when he's done eating, I can put him to bed. I feed him between 7:30 and 8 p.m. and put him to bed between 8 and 9 p.m. I take him to his room with the lights off, and I'll give him a pacifier while we rock in the glider for five minutes or until he starts nodding off. I put him in his crib groggy but awake, shut the door, and let him sleep. He sleeps for about six hours. I pump again at 9 p.m. and midnight, then I head to bed.

He wakes up at 2 to 3 a.m. to get a diaper change and a bottle, then goes right back down for the rest of the night. My husband usually gets up with him so I can get some rest. Then we get up and do it all over again the next day!

Schedule 6: A formula-feeding mom of a 7-week-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a parent-led routine

6 a.m.: He has 6 ounces of formula and falls back to sleep.

8:30 a.m.: We hang out and cuddle, watch TV, and play. I talk and sing to him while we watch Regis and Kelly.

10 a.m.: He has 5 ounces of formula.

10:15 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.: We have playtime. He lies on the activity mat or tummy mat. He holds a toy now if I put one in his hand!

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Naptime.

2 p.m.: He has 5 ounces of formula.

After eating, he swings in his swing, watches his mobile or sometimes TV, and then falls asleep for a short nap.

4 p.m.: The fussiness begins. He's cranky for the next several hours.

6 p.m.: He has 5 ounces of formula and sits in his bouncy seat. The vibration helps him to digest, but crankiness continues until he falls asleep for short nap.

7:30 p.m.: Playtime with Daddy.

8:45 p.m.: Bath time and bedtime routine. I massage him with lavender lotion and put him in pj's. He gets really happy and giggly while I'm doing all of this, so I sing and talk to him. Then we have mommy and baby quiet time together. I dim the lights and speak very softly. I do all I can to make his surroundings soothing. We listen to lullabies. This time is really special to me.

9:30 p.m.: He has 6 ounces of formula and then goes to bed. I stand by the crib holding him until I get one more burp before putting him into his crib. I turn on his nightlight, give him a kiss, leave the room, and he's asleep in minutes and sleeps until 6 a.m.

Schedule 7: A breastfeeding and pumping mom of a 2-month-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine

Our little one wakes up around 6:30 a.m., but I give him his pacifier so he'll rest until 7. I really don't want his wake-up time to be before 7 a.m.

He nurses seven times during the day and night: At 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m., 10 p.m., and whenever in the middle of the night — usually between 3 and 4 a.m. He'll usually spend ten minutes on each breast, or drink 3 to 4 ounces if I pump.

He always takes a good nap in the morning from about 8 until 11 a.m. I try to do the eat, then play, then sleep cycle. He usually gets really sleepy or fussy about an hour after he eats and falls back to sleep for half an hour to an hour until his next feeding.

Between eating and napping times, we do things together. He just started to grab the toys hanging above his bouncy seat. I hold him and sing to him. He loves to "talk," but he only speaks whale right now. He also loves to stand and he "walks" up my belly. He loves to go for rides in the car.

After his 7 p.m. feeding, I give him a bath and a massage with lotion. We read a story, then I put him to bed. This usually begins his fussy time. He will eventually fall asleep around 8 or 8:30. I wake him up at 10 p.m. to change him and feed him. He always goes right back to sleep without crying and is out for five or six hours until his 3 or 4 a.m. feeding. I love that I can count on that.

Schedule 8: A formula-feeding dad of a 7-week-old

Editor's note: This schedule is a combination (parent-led and baby-led) routine

Just for the record, I'm the proud daddy. I've been able to take advantage of paternity leave and have stayed at home two days a week with our baby girl. She's our first, and we have been blessed.

She wakes up between 8 and 9:30 a.m. and has a bottle. Unfortunately we're exclusively formula-feeding now. Due to misinformation and our own lack of knowledge on the subject, my wife lost her milk after a few weeks. Our little girl eats about four to five times a day and has about 6 ounces at each feeding.

Until a couple of weeks ago, she was asleep more than awake. She still naps a lot, but while she's awake she has Mom, me, Grandma, and Grandpa all vying for her attention. There's a lot of singing and story-reading going on.

She goes down for sleep at about 11 p.m. Prior to this we feed her, change her, and give her a bath. After the bath, we use lotion and give her a little massage. We have some CDs that are supposed to help with sleep. I don't know whether they work, but the classical music is very relaxing.

She's like me — as soon as her head hits the pillow, she's out. She usually wakes up once at about 4 a.m., and we feed her and change her.

Sample baby sleep, feeding, and play schedules for your child's first year

Figuring out a daily routine for your baby is no easy thing. How can you fit in all those feedings, naps, and diaper changes and still make it out of the house? How much should your baby be eating and sleeping — and when should this happen? How do other parents manage to shower, make meals, and spend time with their partner?



To get the answers to these questions and more, we asked parents of babies of all ages to share their daily schedules: the whole deal, hour by hour, from sunup to bedtime and the middle-of-the-night wake-ups that can come afterward. We also had pediatricians weigh in with age-by-age guidance on feeding, sleep, and activities.



See sample schedules and expert advice for:



• Your 1- or 2-month-old



• Your 3- or 4-month-old



• Your 5- or 6-month-old



• Your 7- or 8-month-old



• Your 9- or 10-month-old



• Your 11- or 12-month-old

source: babycenter

The basics of baby schedules: Why, when, and how to start a routine

Why should I have a schedule for my baby?

A baby's needs aren't that complicated — food, sleep, play, and love pretty much sums it up. But knowing what your baby requires when, and how much of it, can be a real challenge. Not to mention balancing your baby's needs with your own and those of older children and other family members.



Many parents find that getting into a regular routine or schedule with their baby makes life much easier: It's almost like developing a personalized how-to manual for your child. As a parent, you'll have a predictable pattern for your days with your little one. And your baby will know what to expect — for example, that she gets a bottle after her morning nap, then playtime or an outing.



"Babies like to know that [certain things will happen] at a certain time each day," says pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, editor-in-chief of The Wonder Years: Helping Your Baby and Young Child Successfully Negotiate the Major Developmental Milestones.



"When they're not sleep-deprived or hungry, it makes for a much happier baby. By meeting your baby's basic needs, you put her in the best frame of mind — and body — to learn about and explore her new world."



An added bonus: When you're ready to try leaving your baby with a sitter or caregiver, the transition will be easier. Your baby will be reassured by her usual routine, and your caregiver will be able to anticipate her hunger, sleepiness, or desire to play or go out.

When can I start?

Experts disagree on when and how to establish a routine — and even on whether you need a set schedule for your baby. (See "What are my options?" below.) But many pediatricians, including Altmann, say that babies are ready for a general schedule between 2 and 4 months of age.



Most infants' sleeping and feeding habits become more consistent and predictable after three or four months, says pediatrician Marc Weissbluth, author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. You may want to take this opportunity to encourage your baby to follow a more defined schedule.



Your baby may fall into fairly predictable patterns long before this, however — even four or five days after birth. At this point, you can gently encourage your baby's emerging routine.



Tracking your child's eating, sleeping, and alert times can give you an understanding of his natural rhythms and enable you to pinpoint developing patterns. In the days following delivery, many parents begin to note when their baby feeds, when he poops and pees, when he sleeps and for how long, and so on.



To log your baby's daily routine, you can use a notebook and pen, a computer spreadsheet, or an online service like Trixie Tracker or Baby Insights.



Some experts advocate starting a schedule much sooner. British maternity nurse Gina Ford, author of The New Contented Little Baby Book, offers a clock-driven schedule to begin when your baby is 1 week old. And "Baby Whisperer" Tracy Hogg offers a loose routine for parents to begin at birth.



No matter which approach you take, it's essential that your baby's well-being come first. That means following the advice of your baby's doctor, plus your gut feeling and common sense, to determine what your baby needs when — no matter what the schedule says.



During the newborn period, it's especially important that your baby get enough breast milk or formula to avoid problems like poor weight gain and dehydration. You should never withhold food or sleep when your baby seems to need it because it's "not the right time yet."



"Parents should follow their instincts about what their baby is trying to communicate," says Kathryn Akin, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler.



"Even though your baby may have eaten one or two hours ago, if she's crying as though she's hungry, you should follow that direction. If your schedule indicates that it's time for your baby to sleep, but she's fussier than normal and needs comforting before going down, then she should be comforted. No schedule should supersede the needs of your baby."

What are my options?

To make things easier, we've grouped baby scheduling methods into three main styles: parent-led, baby-led, and combination.



Parent-led schedules are the most strict. They may specify exactly when (and sometimes how much) your baby will eat, when he'll sleep and for how long, when he'll play or go out, and so on. The schedule may be one you create based on your baby's natural patterns or a suggested routine from an expert, but once it's set, it's very consistent — even down to the minute — from day to day. Well-known advocates of this style include British nurse Gina Ford and Gary Ezzo, author of On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep.



Read more about parent-led schedules.



Baby-led schedules are the least defined kind of routine. You follow your baby's lead, meaning you'll look for his cues to decide what he needs next rather than imposing a timetable for feedings, rest, or play. This doesn't mean your days will be totally unpredictable: After the first few weeks, most babies form their own fairly regular patterns of sleeping, playing, and eating. But your baby's schedule may vary from day to day depending on the signals he's giving you. Well-known advocates of baby-led scheduling include attachment parenting gurus William and Martha Sears (a pediatrician and registered nurse, respectively) and famed pediatrician and author Benjamin Spock.



Read more about baby-led schedules.



Combination schedules bring together elements of both baby- and parent-led methods. With this approach, you'll have a timetable for when your baby will eat, sleep, play, and so on, and you'll generally stick to a similar pattern every day. But you'll have more flexibility than with a strictly parent-led routine. A nap can be pushed back if your baby doesn't seem tired yet, and lunch can be postponed if a trip to the store takes longer than expected. Well-known advocates of this style include Tracy Hogg and "Supernanny" Jo Frost.

source: babycenter

Seven keys to creating a successful baby sleep, feeding, and play schedule

Getting into a regular schedule for sleep, feeding, and activities can make life easier for you and your baby. But how to start? Below, find seven great guidelines for establishing a routine that works.

Get your baby used to a bedtime routine early on

Once you have a consistent bedtime worked out, a daytime routine will fall into place, says Tanya Remer Altmann, a pediatrician and editor-in-chief of The Wonder Years: Helping Your Baby and Young Child Successfully Negotiate the Major Developmental Milestones.



And the easiest way to establish a regular bedtime is to start a predictable bedtime routine that you and your baby can depend on night after night.



"The bedtime routine is the most important thing to consider when establishing a schedule," says Altmann. "You can't force it in the first few months, but you can start practicing at around 2 months."



Altmann says to keep it simple: a warm bath, jammies, a feeding, then lights-out. It's fine if feeding lulls your baby to sleep in the early months, Altmann says, but by 3 or 4 months you may want to try putting him down awake so he'll learn to fall asleep on his own.

Teach your baby the difference between night and day

Many babies mix up their days and nights at first, sleeping long stretches during the day only to perk up once the sun goes down. Helping your baby learn to tell day from night is a key first step to getting into a workable routine.



Amy Shelley, mom to 8-month-old Alex, offers these tips: "During the day, keep the house bright. Do the exact opposite at night: Keep the house dim and quiet. Don't talk to your baby much during night feedings. Let him learn that night is for sleeping and daytime is for socialization and playtime."

Learn to read your baby's cues

Websites, books, your baby's doctor, and other parents can all help as you figure out an appropriate schedule for your baby. But your child will be an important guide, and he'll tell you what he needs — if you learn to read his cues.



"When parents take the time to be with their baby, the information they receive gets sifted through their own experience. 'Instincts' come from learning about your baby's temperament and what works for him," says pediatrician Daniel Levy, president of the Maryland chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland.



Mom Liana Scott says paying close attention to 9-month-old Keaton has helped her anticipate his needs, which makes life easier and more fun for both of them.



"Now I'm able to feed him before he's really hungry and put him to bed before he's overtired and fussy," says Scott.



Learning what your baby needs when takes time and patience. But you'll see patterns emerge over time. And if you log your baby's naps, feedings, playtime, and so on in a notebook or on the computer, you can use this record to come up with a timetable for doing things.

When starting out, put your baby's schedule first

If you're encouraging your baby to follow a schedule or observing his patterns to figure out a routine that works, make this process a top priority for at least the first couple of weeks. Avoid deviating from the routine with vacations, meals on the go, outings that push naptime back, and so on. Once you establish a pattern for your baby's sleeping, awake, and feeding times, changing things for an afternoon isn't likely to undo his habits. But it's best to keep your baby's schedule as consistent as possible while he's getting used to it.

Expect changes during growth spurts and milestones

Your child accomplishes so much in the first year. He'll nearly triple his weight and achieve some major feats like sitting up, crawling, even walking. During periods of growth or when he's working to achieve a new milestone, don't be surprised if your baby diverges from his usual routine. He may be hungrier than usual, need more sleep, or return to waking up several times a night. Hang in there — your baby may be back on schedule shortly, or this may be a sign that you need to adjust your routine.

Adjust your baby's schedule to suit his age

It may feel like just when you've gotten into a predictable groove with your little one, it's time to change it again. As your baby gets older, he'll need fewer daytime naps and more playtime and stimulation. He'll also need to eat solid foods — first just once a day, but eventually several times a day. As these developmental shifts happen, your child's schedule will shift as well. Reading up on these milestones and checking out our sample schedules for babies of all ages can help you know what to expect.

Don't expect perfection

Some parent-led schedules set the expectation that your baby's routine will always run like clockwork. And though babies do like consistency, you can expect changes from day to day and as your baby grows. Sometimes, for whatever reason, your baby will want to skip a nap, have an extra snack, wake up before dawn, and so on. And life happens as well — vacations, older siblings, plans with friends and family, errands you need to take care of, and other factors will all come into play in your daily life with your baby. Variation is okay, as long as your baby is getting the sleep, play, food, care, and love he needs to thrive.

source: babycenter

Your 11-month-old's development: Week 4

First steps

If your baby isn't walking already, she's likely to take her first independent steps soon. (If she doesn't, don't worry. Some perfectly normal babies are 16 or 17 months old before they start walking.)



You can encourage your baby to walk by standing or kneeling in front of her and holding out your hands. Or hold both her hands and walk her toward you. If she's like most children, your baby will take those early strides with her arms out to the side (for balance) and bent at the elbows, her feet turned outward, and belly out in front while her bottom sticks out behind (for balance).



As always, make sure your baby has a soft, safe environment in which to hone her new skills. Follow standard childproofing guidelines and never leave your baby unattended. Most important, keep the camera ready!

Pass on the pacifier

You might feel like it's mean to make your baby part with something she's grown so fond of, but experts say now's a good time to start weaning her away from her pacifier.



The longer your baby uses a pacifier, the harder it can be for her to stop, but another reason to make the break now is that it's the beginning of an exciting speech development phase. Your baby may be less likely to chatter away with something in her mouth all the time.



Taking away a pacifier can be tough. Go gradually: Limit daytime use and then work your baby up to not using it at night. You can also try exchanging her pacifier for a stuffed animal or toy.

New kinds of play

Around now your baby's play will probably start shifting from mastering her fine motor skills (she's got that thumb-and-forefinger grasp down pat) to exercising larger muscles. Some children this age have an attention span of two to five minutes for quiet activities — though your baby's favorite games may not be all that quiet.



Your baby probably thinks it's fun to push, throw, and knock everything down. She'll give you a toy as well as take one, and she likes games where she can put things in containers and dump them out again. This works well with blocks in buckets or boxes and with pots and pans, which she can nest inside one another. She'll thrill to the loud sounds of those pots and pans banging together, too.

Remember, your baby is an individual

All babies are unique and meet milestones at their own pace. Developmental guidelines simply show what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then soon. If your baby was premature, keep in mind that kids born early usually need a bit more time to meet their milestones. If you have any questions at all about your baby's development, ask your healthcare provider.

source: babycenter

Your 11-month-old: Week 4

How your baby's growing:



If your baby isn't walking already, she's likely to take her first independent steps soon. (If not, don't worry. Some perfectly normal babies are 17 or 18 months old before they start walking.)



You can encourage your baby to walk by standing or kneeling in front of her and holding out your hands. Or hold both her hands and walk her toward you. If she's like most children, your baby will take those early strides with her arms out to the side (for balance) and bent at the elbows, her feet turned outward, and belly out in front while her bottom sticks out behind (also for balance).



As always, make sure your baby has a safe environment in which to practice her new skills. Follow standard childproofing guidelines and never leave your baby unattended. And keep the camera ready!



• Learn more fascinating facts about your 11-month-old's development.

Your life: Beating parenting insecurity

Almost every mom and dad feels insecure about their parenting chops at one point or another. Try to trust your instincts, but also remember that much of your skill (and confidence) comes from experience and education. Everybody makes mistakes sometimes — it's how we learn. Ask questions or look things up when you're unsure about what to do. With time, you'll feel more confident about your ability to recognize your baby's needs and how to meet them. The angst may never go away completely, but that, too, is part of parenthood.



One great way to get support and relieve stress about being a good parent is to join a moms' group (or dads' group). There you're likely to find others with similar doubts and concerns. Just hearing and seeing how others fret and fumble can give you a helpful perspective. And if it seems like they're all perfect, that's only because you're letting your own insecurities color what you see. Stick around to get to know them better, open up a bottle of wine or make a pot of tea, and you'll eventually discover that every parent has vulnerabilities.

3 questions about: Chicken pox

Can my baby get chicken pox?

Yes, although it's unlikely. It's a good idea to know the symptoms, though. Watch for red dots, especially if you know your child has been exposed to another child with chicken pox. (It takes from ten to 21 days after exposure for symptoms to appear.) You'll see an itchy rash of small red bumps that develop into clear blisters full of fluid on a pink base, then into dry brown crusts, first on the body and scalp and then spreading to the face, arms, and legs. Your baby may also seem extra tired, not particularly hungry, and have a low-grade fever.



What should I do if my baby gets chicken pox?

You can consult your doctor, although if your baby is otherwise healthy, the illness will just run its course. To avoid infections (and scars), help sores heal by trimming your baby's fingernails and by keeping her from scratching or picking at sores. Some parents try cotton mittens. You can relieve itching by giving your baby cool baths with baking soda or oatmeal and applying calamine lotion afterward. Treat a fever with acetaminophen (but never aspirin).



Let your doctor know if symptoms seem worse than you'd expect (such as a great many sores, or sores inside the mouth or eyes), if your baby has a fever for several days, or if her skin is swollen, tender, or very red.



If you have a baby with a weakened immune system and you suspect she has chicken pox or has been exposed to it, call the doctor right away.



Should I have my baby vaccinated against chicken pox?

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends the varicella (or chicken pox) vaccine at 12 to 15 months if a child hasn't had the disease by then. (A second booster shot comes between the ages of 4 and 6.)



The vaccine causes few side effects in healthy children and keeps more than 95 percent from getting a serious case of chicken pox. The shot isn't recommended if your child has had a severe allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin, or — when she's older — a previous dose of the vaccine.



If your baby has cancer or any disease that affects her immune system, has recently had a blood transfusion, or is taking high doses of oral steroids, her doctor will carefully evaluate whether receiving the vaccine would be a good idea.

source: babycenter