Baby Schedule?

[midaycare]

How do you get a baby on a schedule, and what does a schedule look like

I started my first infant a few weeks ago and he turns 4 months this week. I never had my son on a schedule, except I had him sleeping at night. I didn't care what he wanted to do as a baby during the day because I was a sahm for his first 8 months. So ... Where do I start?

[Unregistered]

My infant schedule looks like this:
8:00a.m.-Arrive clean and fed(very important not to allow them to bring a child wet or hungry)
8:00a.m.-8:30a.m-Play time
8:30a.m.-9:30a.m. Morning nap
9:30a.m.-10:00a.m.- Wake up,change,feed bottle.
10:00a.m.-11:00 a.m.- Tummy time,play,change diaper.
11:00a.m.-12:30p.m.- Nap
12:30p.m.-2:00p.m.- Wake up,change,feed bottle,play,change again.
2:00p.m.-3:30p.m.- Nap
3:30p.m.-5:00p.m.- Wake up,change,feed,play.
At 5:00p.m. they are ready for another nap but it's too hard with everyone leaving around that time so I usually will feed them a couple more ounces and sit them in their car seat ready to go. My infant parents arrive right at 5:00p.m. and strap them into their seats. They usually sleep on the car ride home and are up and ready to eat and then back to sleep around 7:00p.m. This is my schedule for infants 3-9 months.
After that they can usually stay awake a little longer so they start adjusting to the older kids schedule with a morning nap from 8:30a.m.-10:00a.m. and again at 12:00p.m.-3:00p.m. I try to get them on the same eating schedule too by a year.

[Cradle2crayons]

How do you get a baby on a schedule, and what does a schedule look like

I started my first infant a few weeks ago and he turns 4 months this week. I never had my son on a schedule, except I had him sleeping at night. I didn't care what he wanted to do as a baby during the day because I was a sahm for his first 8 months. So ... Where do I start?

in my experience... it really helps to have the parents on board. I just started a 3.5 month old. Great parents. First daycare. Being the only baby at home, he didn't know how to fall asleep without being PUT TO SLEEP.

First question I asked mom at interview. Where baby sleeps. HOW baby sleeps. Bedtime routine if applicable. Do they put baby in bed AWAKE? ROCK to sleep?

Most importantly, at interview I'm up front with the parents as to what my program entails. My program doesn't entail entertaining a child to sleep. My goal is to teach a child to get to sleep without entertainment.

It REALLY helps to have parents that are REALISTIC and WILLING to help.

Are you needing suggestions for general schedule? or sleep training?

[midaycare]

Are you needing suggestions for general schedule? or sleep training?

General schedule. I'm just not sure if I should keep dcb close to the kids' schedule (so they all nap at the same time), or give the baby an opposite schedule (so we do things as baby sleeps).

Of course, baby sleeps more than the others, but this one isnt a crazy long sleeper right now. 2 short morning naps (15-40 minutes), 1 longer afternoon nap (2 hours, maybe longer).

[Cradle2crayons]

General schedule. I'm just not sure if I should keep dcb close to the kids' schedule (so they all nap at the same time), or give the baby an opposite schedule (so we do things as baby sleeps).

Of course, baby sleeps more than the others, but this one isnt a crazy long sleeper right now. 2 short morning naps (15-40 minutes), 1 longer afternoon nap (2 hours, maybe longer).

I try to keep everyone to close to the same schedule. That being said, with a baby that age, it takes some time to adjust them. The goal is to get their afternoon nap the same time as the older kids and adding in the rest of their sleeping times on demand. At least thats the way I do it.

As far as FEEDING is concerned, I only feed ON DEMAND for children under 12 months of age so that can't be adjusted to the same feeding schedule as the other children.

So, while the infants are doing those "extra" naptimes is when I do the stuff with the older kids

[CraftyMom]

I get to know them first, noticing their own routine and go from there.

For example, I started a 4 month old 2 weeks ago and a 2 month old last week. I've been feeding them when hungry and giving them a nap when tired and changing them in between and I record everything. After a week I looked at the recordings and noticed they both had a bottle at 9 and a nap right after. Then another bottle around 12 and another nap.

So today I started my anticipated schedule for them.

Bottles at 9, then nap.
Change and play
Bottles at 12, then nap
Change and play
Bottles at 3, nap for younger one, older one stays awake until time to leave around 4

Lucky for me their schedules are very similar!

[Kimskiddos]

I get to know them first, noticing their own routine and go from there.

For example, I started a 4 month old 2 weeks ago and a 2 month old last week. I've been feeding them when hungry and giving them a nap when tired and changing them in between and I record everything. After a week I looked at the recordings and noticed they both had a bottle at 9 and a nap right after. Then another bottle around 12 and another nap.

So today I started my anticipated schedule for them.

Bottles at 9, then nap.
Change and play
Bottles at 12, then nap
Change and play
Bottles at 3, nap for younger one, older one stays awake until time to leave around 4

Lucky for me their schedules are very similar!

My 4mo is pretty much on this schedule too! Except she doesn't nap at 3PM, though she may doze a little on the floor. She is picked up at 4:30ish.

[midaycare]

Thanks everyone, this gives me a great starting point.

[Cat Herder]

It is going to sound crazy, but at 4 months I let the baby pick the schedule. I have a general start time based on babies last bottle and waking time from info given at at drop-off; then I just go with it... ::

Since we are in the same room, the schedules tend to meld naturally. lovethis

The only true quiet time at my house is from 1-3, so naturally they tend to do more deep sleep during that time. All naps other than the mid-day one go away on their own around 9-12 months because I get them down from their crib after 20 minutes awake.

Meal times work out that bottles fall during snack times, then slowly give way to joining in for meals and snacks as more and more table foods are introduced.

My schedule is very relaxed and allows for some variation of need.

[melilley]

It is going to sound crazy, but at 4 months I let the baby pick the schedule. I have a general start time based on babies last bottle and waking time from info given at at drop-off; then I just go with it... ::

Since we are in the same room, the schedules tend to meld naturally. lovethis

The only true quiet time at my house is from 1-3, so naturally they tend to do more deep sleep during that time. All naps other than the mid-day one go away on their own around 9-12 months because I get them down from their crib after 20 minutes awake.

Meal times work out that bottles fall during snack times, then slowly give way to joining in for meals and snacks as more and more table foods are introduced.

My schedule is very relaxed and allows for some variation of need.

This is me to a T!
Usually by the time they are 9-10 months and when table food that they can feed to themselves, is introduced, they get on the same eating schedule as the 12 months and older children. I do give bottles on demand until 12 months, but they usually tend to get themselves on a schedule.

[midaycare]

It is going to sound crazy, but at 4 months I let the baby pick the schedule. I have a general start time based on babies last bottle and waking time from info given at at drop-off; then I just go with it... ::

Since we are in the same room, the schedules tend to meld naturally. lovethis

The only true quiet time at my house is from 1-3, so naturally they tend to do more deep sleep during that time. All naps other than the mid-day one go away on their own around 9-12 months because I get them down from their crib after 20 minutes awake.

Meal times work out that bottles fall during snack times, then slowly give way to joining in for meals and snacks as more and more table foods are introduced.

My schedule is very relaxed and allows for some variation of need.

So I don't need a schedule? I'm stressing for nothing?

[BabyMonkeys]

Bottles at 9, then nap.
Change and play
Bottles at 12, then nap
Change and play
Bottles at 3, nap for younger one, older one stays awake until time to leave around 4

This is pretty much the exact schedule I follow. I only accept infants. My boys are 8 months old now, but they have pretty much been on the same schedule since they were around 4 months. Of course with infants, any schedule is loose.

[melilley]

So I don't need a schedule? I'm stressing for nothing?

You'll hear both sides to either schedule or no schedule. Personally for a baby that young, I side with no schedule, but you have to do what works best for you. I have a small group, up to 6 kids, so it's fairly easy for me to not have them on a schedule. Plus, I have a small travel sized pnp so if they need to sleep during our outside time, I can just wheel it outside so it makes it easier for me to be able to not have to have them on a schedule.

I know there have been other threads on this subject and if you can find them (sorry, I don't know how to show them) you'll see the different view points to both sides.

[Controlled Chaos]

I have a 10m and 7m old right now. I also recorded their natural schedules for a week or so before trying to "set" one. And really I more set the big kids activities around their usual naps. Thankfully now they are a little bigger (I have watched both since birth) and both nap at 11pm and again at 4pm but are both up when the big kids nap I can't wait until everyone naps at the same time again!

[Lucy]

How do you get a baby on a schedule, and what does a schedule look like

I started my first infant a few weeks ago and he turns 4 months this week. I never had my son on a schedule, except I had him sleeping at night. I didn't care what he wanted to do as a baby during the day because I was a sahm for his first 8 months. So ... Where do I start?

I'm sorry to go totally OFF topic here, but just need to say -- when your picture first catches my eye, it looks like a curled up snake. LOL. Is it just me?? ::