How do i get my baby on a feeding schedule

For most parents, a flexible eating and sleeping schedule is super-helpful. But the key word is flexible. If you’re planning a 1pm nap, but your little one is exhausted at 12:30pm, it’s fine to bend the “rules.” Just feed your baby and put them down early. And if your bub gets hungry before their “scheduled” feeding time, try distracting them, but respond with promptness and love if the fussing persists…and return to the schedule later. Rigid and strict schedules where you never deviate even if your baby is crying with hunger are contrary to our natural instincts. It makes us constantly watch the clock and can lead to underfed babies.

Getting into a predictable daily rhythm has been shown to be good for Baby’s sleep. A study of breastfed babies featured in the journal Pediatrics found that two simple scheduling tweaks yielded a big improvement in sleep in the first two months:

• Scheduling hack #1: Implement a dream feed. Between 10pm and midnight each night, gently rouse your baby—without fully waking them up—to feed them one more time before you turn in for the night.

• Scheduling hack #2: Responding to nighttime cries this way. When your baby wakes and cries in the middle of the night, always hold or change them a few minutes before feeding them.

Within three weeks, 100% of the breastfed babies studied were sleeping five-hour stretches with these two steps, versus 23% of infants where no scheduling was tried.

Some experts advise an “eat, play, sleep” baby schedule. The idea here is, when your little one wakes up from a nap or night sleep, you feed them, play with them…then when the time comes, put them down for sleep again. You continue with this pattern throughout the day. The hope is that having a little play time separating the eating from sleeping will help babies learn to fall asleep without a feeding when they wake at 2am.

While this sounds logical, the “eat, play, sleep” baby schedule actually goes against your baby’s biology. Infants get sleepy after feedings, no matter how much you prod and play with them. Also, before bedtime, you want to fill your little one’s tummy to prolong their sleep!

Most babies are very receptive to a bedtime routine at around 6 to 8 weeks. Establishing a bedtime routine for your new baby helps to calm them and ease them into a good night’s sleep. Follow the same reassuring sample baby routine every night:

1. Dim the lights. Exposure to bright light in the hour or so before night-night makes falling asleep more difficult.

2. Play soft white noise in the background. White noise is not bird sounds, waves, or lullabies. White noise is continuous, monotonous, and low pitch. And the ideal white noise mimics the loud rumbly sounds Baby heard in the womb. (SNOO and SNOObear both feature the best white noise for sleep.)

3. Offer a toasty bath. A baby’s body temperature drops a few degrees post-bath, which signals the body that it’s time for night-night.

4. Give a loving massage. Research shows that baby massage can improve the quality of baby sleep—even more so for a little one who has poor sleep quality. I like to use warm massage oil, too, like coconut, grapeseed oil, or safflower oil. Warm the oil by leaving it at room temperature and rubbing your hands together.

5. Swaddle your baby. I like to swaddle babies before a feed, but some babies prefer to be swaddled afterward…so see which works best for you! Either way, swaddling is an important S in the 5 S’s that helps bring on sleep.

6. Feed your baby. Babies are designed to snooze after drinking yummy milk!

7. Play a soft lullaby. A 2021 Harvard University study found that when babies listened to lullabies, they became more relaxed than when they listened to other music. While lullabies should not replace white noise, they are a great addition to a calming bedtime routine. (Here are some great: lullabies for babies.)

Within a week, this bedtime routine will begin to work like hypnosis. Soon, you’ll find that both you and your baby will be getting more sleep!

• A Sleep Schedule for Your Baby's First Year
• Baby Feeding Schedule for the First Year
• Learn About Baby’s Sleep Cycles
• When Do Babies Start Sleeping Through the Night?
• Wake Window Need-to-Know

About Dr.

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

Tips for the First Year

Eat, sleep, pee, poop, repeat. Those are the highlights in a day of the life of a brand new baby.

And if you’re a new parent, it’s the eating part that may be the source of many of your questions and worries. How many ounces should your baby take? Do you wake a sleeping baby to eat? Why do they seem hungry all the time? When can your child start solids?

Questions abound — and, despite Grandma’s insistence, the answers have changed since you were a tot. It’s now recommended that newborns, even formula-fed ones, eat on demand (consider it good preparation for the teenage years) and that babies wait to start solid foods until they’re 4 to 6 months old.

On day one of life, your baby’s stomach is the size of a marble and can only hold 1 to 1. 4 teaspoons of liquid at a time. As your baby gets older, their stomach stretches and grows.

It’s hard (or impossible, really) to know how much milk your baby is taking in while breastfeeding. But if you’re bottle feeding due to any number of valid reasons, it’s a bit easier to measure.

Here, from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a typical feeding schedule for bottle-fed babies.

Age	Ounces per feeding	Solid foods
Up to 2 weeks of life	.5 oz. in the first days, then 1–3 oz.	No
2 weeks to 2 months	2–4 oz.	No
2–4 months	4-6 oz.	No
4–6 months	4–8 oz.	Possibly, if your baby can hold their head up and is at least 13 pounds. But you don’t need to introduce solid foods yet.
6–12 months	8 oz.	Yes. Start with soft foods, like one-grain cereals and pureed vegetables, meats, and fruits, progressing to mashed and well-chopped finger foods. Give your baby one new food at a time. Continue supplementing with breast or formula feedings.

Every baby is unique — but one thing that’s pretty consistent is that breastfed babies eat more frequently than bottle-fed ones. That’s because breast milk is easily digested and empties from the stomach a lot quicker than formula.

Breastfed babies

There’s no rest for the weary. According to La Leche League International, you should begin nursing your baby within 1 hour of birth and provide about 8 to 12 feedings daily in the first few weeks of life (yeah, we’re exhausted for you).

At first, it’s important not to let your baby go more than 4 hours without feeding. You’ll likely need to wake them up if necessary, at least until breastfeeding is well established and they’re gaining weight appropriately.

As your baby grows and your milk supply amps up, your baby will be able to take in more milk in less time at one feeding. That’s when you might start to notice a more predictable pattern.

• 1 to 3 months: Your baby will feed 7 to 9 times per 24 hours.
• 3 months: Feedings take place 6 to 8 times in 24 hours.
• 6 months: Your baby will feed around 6 times a day.
• 12 months: Nursing may drop to about 4 times a day. The introduction of solids at about 6 months helps to fuel your baby’s additional nutritional needs.

Keep in mind that this pattern is just one example. Different babies have different paces and preferences, along with other factors that influence the frequency of feedings.

Bottle-fed babies

Like breastfed babies, bottle-fed newborns should eat on demand. On average, that’s about every 2 to 3 hours. A typical feeding schedule may look like this:

• Newborn: every 2 to 3 hours
• At 2 months: every 3 to 4 hours
• At 4 to 6 months: every 4 to 5 hours
• At 6+ months: every 4 to 5 hours

For both breastfed and bottle-fed babies

• Don’t give liquids other than formula or breast milk to babies under a year old. That includes juices and cow’s milk. They don’t provide the right (if any) nutrients and can be upsetting to your baby’s tummy. Water can be introduced around 6 months when you start offering a cup.
• Don’t add baby cereal to a bottle.
  • It can create a choking hazard.
  • A baby’s digestive system isn’t mature enough to handle cereal until about 4 to 6 months of age.
  • You could overfeed your baby.
• Don’t give your baby any form of honey until after their first birthday. Honey can be dangerous for a baby, occasionally causing what’s called infant botulism.
• Do adjust your expectations based on your baby and their unique needs. Premature babies are likely to follow feeding patterns according to their adjusted age. If your baby has challenges like reflux or failure to thrive, you may need to work with your doctor on the appropriate feeding schedule and amount they should be eating.

Schedules are the holy grail of every parent. Your child will naturally start to fall into a feeding pattern as their tummy grows and they can take in more breast milk or formula at one sitting. This may begin to happen between 2 and 4 months of age.

For now, though, focus on learning your baby’s hunger cues, such as:

• rooting around your chest, looking for a nipple.
• putting their fist in their mouth
• smacking or licking their lips
• fussing that can escalate quickly (don’t wait until your baby’s hangry to feed them)

Once your baby is a few months old, you may be able to introduce a sleep/feed schedule that works for you.

Let’s say, for example, your 4-month-old wakes every 5 hours for a feeding. That means if you feed at 9 p.m., your baby wakes around 2 a.m. But if you wake and feed the baby at 11 p.m., just before you go to bed, they may not rouse until 4 a.m., giving you a decent chunk of nighttime winks.

In general, if your baby seems hungry, feed them. Your baby will naturally eat more frequently during growth spurts, which typically occur around 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age.

Some babies will also “cluster feed,” meaning they’ll feed more frequently during certain periods and less at others. For example, your baby may cluster feed during the late afternoon and evening and then sleep longer at night (yay!). This is more common in breastfed babies than bottle fed babies.

Worried about overfeeding? While this isn’t really possible to do with an exclusively breastfed baby, you can overfeed a baby who’s taking a bottle — especially if they’re sucking on the bottle for comfort. Follow their hunger cues, but talk to your pediatrician if you’re worried your little one may be overeating.

Your baby is probably ready for solids if they’re 4 to 6 months old and:

• have good head control
• seem interested in what you’re eating
• reach for food
• weigh 13 or more pounds

Which food to start with? The AAP now says it doesn’t really matter much in what order you introduce foods. The only real rule: Stick with one food for 3 to 5 days before offering another. If there’s an allergic reaction (rash, diarrhea, vomiting are common first signs), you’ll know which food is causing it.

As your baby grows, move from pureed baby food to ones that have more texture (for example, mashed banana, scrambled egg, or well-cooked, chopped pasta). This generally happens around 8 to 10 months of age.

Your supermarket offers a variety of baby food products, but if you want to make your own, keep it sugar and salt free. Additionally, at this stage, don’t feed your baby anything that could be a choking hazard, including:

• hard foods, such as popcorn or nuts
• hard, fresh fruits, like apples; cook to soften or chop into very small pieces
• any meat that isn’t well cooked and very well chopped (this includes hot dogs)
• cheese cubes
• peanut butter (though talk to your pediatrician about this one — and the benefits of introducing diluted peanut butter before the age of 1)

As your baby nears their first birthday, they should be eating a variety of foods and taking in about 4 ounces of solids at each meal. Continue to offer breast milk or formula. By 8 months, babies are drinking about 30 ounces a day.

Oh yeah, and buy some stock in a company that makes stain-fighting laundry detergent. It’ll pay for college.

Babies aren’t cookie cutter. Some will gain weight easily, while others will have problems. Things that can affect a baby’s weight gain include:

• having a birth defect like a cleft lip or palate, which creates problems feeding
• having a milk protein intolerance
• being premature
• being fed with a bottle versus the breast

A 2012 study of more than 1,800 babies found that the infants who were fed with a bottle — regardless of whether the bottle contained breast milk or formula — gained more weight in the first year than babies who nursed exclusively.

Your baby’s doctor is the best one to advise you on a healthy weight range for your baby.

How, when, and what to feed a baby are top worries of every parent — but there’s good news: Most babies are pretty good judges of when they’re hungry and when they’re full — and they’ll let you know it.

You just need to present them with the right choices at the right time and pay attention to their cues. If you have any questions or concerns, your pediatrician is there to help you along the way.

Daily routine for a child under 1 year old

Daily routine is a system for distributing periods of sleep and wakefulness, meals, hygiene and health procedures, activities and independent human activities throughout the day.

Compliance with a rational daily routine corresponding to the age characteristics of the child contributes to his healthy growth and development. Getting used to performing various types of activities at the same time, the child is prepared for the upcoming type of activity at every moment of time, which ensures their easier and faster implementation. Compliance with the correct daily routine provides a good mood for the child and maintains a keen interest in the study of the world around him, contributing to his normal motor and psychoverbal development. nine0003

The child's daily routine includes the following obligatory elements: diet, time spent outdoors during the day, frequency and duration of sleep, mandatory classes to develop skills in accordance with age, free time.

In the first months after birth, a healthy newborn baby sleeps for most of the day, since all external stimuli are very strong for the nervous system of a child, accustomed to a cozy intrauterine environment, and cause its rapid exhaustion. As the child grows older, the duration of sleep gradually decreases and the time of wakefulness increases. nine0003

Age	Daytime sleep mode	Night sleep	Wake mode
From birth to 2 months	6 x 2.5 hours	6 hours	During feeding
2-4 months	5 times 2-2.5 hours	6.5 hours	4 x 1.5 hours
4-6 months	4-5 times for 2 hours	7 hours
6-9 months	3-4 times for 1. 5-2 hours	8 hours	4 x 2.5 hours
9-12 months	2 x 1.5-2 hours	9-10 hours	4 times for 3-4 hours

Closely related to the sleep-wake mode is the feeding mode of the baby. The sleep of a child in the first months of life is very sensitive and is easily disturbed under the influence of various extraneous stimuli, including hunger. nine0003

A child's stay in the fresh air is essential in the daily routine. The total duration of stay in the open air for children under 1 year of age should be at least 5-6 hours a day. Fresh air has a calming effect on the baby, improves metabolic processes, and increases the body's defenses. In the summer, all games and activities should be held outdoors; in the cold and transitional seasons, two one-time walks of 1.5-2 hours are provided. nine0003

Fresh air also has a beneficial effect on sleep. By acting on the skin and mucous membranes of the nose and upper respiratory tract, it provides a faster fall asleep of the child and a higher quality of sleep. Sleeping outside can replace a walk, especially during the cold season.

The child's daily routine is generally individual, but ideally, one should strive to ensure that the child eats after waking up, and then stays awake until the next sleep. A well-slept baby eats with appetite and then calmly and actively plays or engages, and tired of games, easily goes to sleep. nine0003

When your baby is awake, try to keep him active and cheerful. It is necessary to dress the child in loose clothing that does not hinder movement, provide access to toys appropriate for his age, and most importantly, actively participate in games and activities with the baby as a whole family.
Author - Physiotherapist - DMITRIENKO T.G.

newborn sleep and feeding schedule

02/26/2019

13

Your baby is almost 5 weeks old, and do you remember how the first month was filled with new emotions, doubts and discoveries for you and your baby? But now you better understand your monthly baby and strive to organize a comfortable daily routine for your child. “What is important to consider at this age? How many hours of sleep and wake is enough for a child? How to properly organize the approximate regimen and feeding of a newborn this month? Frequently asked questions by new parents. Let's explore them together! nine0003

Baby's daily routine

1 month

In the first month of life, sleep is extremely important for the development of children, their growth and mood. Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to organizing the rest of the crumbs.

The baby sleeps approximately 17-20 hours a day. At the same time, some children of this age sleep more, others less.

Usually night sleep is 7-10 hours with awakenings for feeding, and daytime sleep is about 8-9 hours. With this mode, you will notice that the baby sleeps 4-6 times a day. It is important to remember that a newborn's daytime sleep can be both short (20-40 minutes) and long (up to 3 hours). nine0003

This is due to the fact that the brain of a newborn is not yet physiologically mature, the biological clock is not formed, so the child does not have any clear regimen. It turns out that you will not be able to achieve one schedule daily yet. Also, leaving at night can change and be quite late. You will also notice that the baby during the rest gurgles, moves and does not seem to be actually sleeping. The fact is that now the child sleeps mainly in the fast phase, so now children's sleep is quite restless. nine0003

Waking time - is the second important point that should be taken into account when forming the routine of a monthly child. On average, the baby should be awake for up to 60 minutes. Focus on the time that the child slept in the previous daytime sleep - as much as possible he can hold out in the waking state. This will also help organize the baby's routine this month.

Avoid overwork and keep track of the time of activity between sleeps. Do not be afraid to soothe a newborn baby by any means. nine0003

What can you do to make your baby sleep better:

• Swaddle your baby so that he calms down faster and does not wake himself up with his arms and legs.

• Organize sleep in your stroller. Babies tend to sleep longer outdoors. How long it takes to walk depends on the time of year. In summer it is possible up to 2-3 hours in a row, in winter - depending on weather conditions. If it's too cold outside, the best way out is to put the child on the balcony. nine0003

• If the baby has difficulty falling asleep in the evening, dim the lights in advance, turn on white noise.

• Use a sling or chaise longue if the baby is completely capricious.
• Start bedtime when you see the first signs of fatigue in the child - this is exactly the time when he wants to sleep.
• Remember that a change of bed can wake up your baby. If you decide to transfer a sleeping baby from your arms to the crib, do it 20 minutes after falling asleep, when the baby is fast asleep. nine0165
• Bathe your baby before bed. Soon, bathing for him will be a signal to end the day and prepare for bed.
• Give your baby a pacifier if he can't sleep. Just remember that it is better to start using a pacifier when breastfeeding after lactation is established.
• Use a weak night light during night feeding.

Causes of poor sleep in a 1 month old baby can be:

1. Physical discomfort. In the evening, the baby may begin an attack of colic, which lasts from 2 to 6 hours. Support the baby in every possible way on such days - by 6 weeks relief will come. Also remember that the baby takes over your state. A calm mother is a calm baby. Therefore, try not to forget about your rest too and do not worry if the regime is violated. nine0003

2. Confusion of day and night. Due to the not yet formed circadian rhythms, a 1-month-old baby may sleep more during the day than at night. But already by 1.5 months, the baby will begin to sleep at night for up to 3-5 hours in a row. Take your child out to bright light during the day and dim the lights at night. So the baby's body will quickly adjust the internal clock. Try to start the morning early so that the child understands that the day has come. Carrying out hygiene procedures will become for him an association with the morning.

The table shows the sleep norms of a baby in the first month of life:

Baby's feeding schedule

1 month

A newborn baby basically eats every 2-3 hours, regardless of the time of day. Therefore, do not worry if the child often wakes up at night now.

IV babies eat less frequently because formula takes longer to digest than breast milk.

Modern pediatricians advise in the first weeks of a child's life on breastfeeding to organize meals on demand in order to establish lactation. Night feeding also occurs on demand. nine0003

Gradually, you will learn to understand when the baby is hungry and asks for breasts. Also during this period, breasts are a way for children to satisfy the sucking reflex, calm down and relax.

When breastfeeding, the baby does not need water or other fluids for the first 6 months.

After the first month, the intervals between feedings will gradually increase. This will allow you to establish a more flexible mode when breastfeeding.

After a month, the break between feedings will increase, and you can move on to establishing a flexible regimen.

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