Know what to expect at each age as you use a baby routine. Be prepared with knowledge so you can best help baby have a great routine.
It is always helpful to see what people do to help get great sleep and routines for their babies. Here are some guidelines followed by Babywise moms. There are some discrepancies between the chart and the book, so I have noted those differences. You can always tweak things as needed if what is listed in the book isn’t ideal for your baby. Remember, your schedule is here to serve you.
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Babywise Routine Information
Phase One: 1 – 2 months (Stabilization Period)
0-2 weeks
- 2.5-3 hour cycle
- 7-8 feedings (however, in Babywise it says 8-10 feedings in a 24 hour period)
- 6-8 naps (though I think it can be 5-8 naps)
- Nap are 1 hour -1.5 hours long
- Waketime is 15-30 minutes long (I am not sure if this included feeding time; I find it to be more like 15-45 minutes long–many two week olds will stay awake only long enough to eat, which is why there is the 15 minute length)
- Sample schedule from this age: *=no waketime after feeding
7:00 am
10: 00 am
1:00 pm
4:00 pm
7:00 pm
*10:00 pm
*1:00 am
*4:00 am
(If it were me, I would have 2.5 time intervals in the day so there are at most 2 night feedings…I consider 10 pm to be night feeding).
3-8 weeks
- 3-3.5 hour feeding cycle (However, in Babywise it says between weeks 5-8, your baby might be ready to eat every 2.5-3.5 hours. So I would say 2.5-3 hour until 5 weeks, then maybe 2.5-3.5 if baby is ready)
- 6-8 feedings (However, in Babywise it says between weeks 5-8, your baby might be able to go down to 7 feedings in a 24 hour period–but only after she starts sleeping 7-8 hours at night. It also says not to go down to 6 feedings until after 8 weeks old)
- 5-6 naps (though the exact number is going to depend on how many feedings you have in the daytime)
- Naps are 1.5-2 hours long (though I would add that they can be as short as 1 hour if you are still on a 2.5 hour cycle)
- Waketime is 30-45 minutes (though I think some might be able to go as long as one hour)
- Sample schedule from this age: *=no waketime after feeding
7:00 am
10: 00 am
1:00 pm
4:00 pm
7:00 pm
*10:00 pm
*1:00 to 3:00 am
*Additional am [possible]
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Phase Two: 3-4 months (Extended Night Period)
9-15 Weeks
- 3-4 hour feeding cycle (though Babywise says this shouldn’t happen until weeks 12-15 at the earliest. So I would say anywhere from 2.5-3.5 hour cycle, moving possibly toward 4 hour cycle at the end of this phase)
- 5-6 feedings in a 24 hour period (Though Babywise says starting at 13 weeks, your baby should be at 5-7 feedings a day)
- 4-5 naps (though exact number does depend on number of daytime feedings)
- Naps are 1.5-2 hours long (though Babywise does say 1.5 hours)
- Waketime is 30-60 minutes long (some babies might be able to move up to 1.5 hour waketime, and most should be able to do 60 minutes total at least)
- Sample schedule for this period: *=no waketime after feeding
7:00 am
10: 30 am
2:00 pm
5:30 pm
*9:00 pm
*(11:30 pm)
Sleeping through the night!!!! The goal! (STTN means Baby can gradually move to 9-10 hours of continuous sleep if breastfed, 11 hours if bottlefed. I will also add, you don’t want to extend your routine until baby is sleeping through the night. You also don’t want to extend it until that dreamfeed is dropped, so that 11:30 feeding would be gone before you dropped daytime feedings. You want long, continuous sleep at night for optimal development. So, if this were me, I would have a 7:30 feeding right before bed. I also wouldn’t have that 9 and 11:30 feedings. If baby needed an extra feeding, I would shorten the daytime schedule back to three hours to work the right number of feedings in).
Phase Three: 4-5 Months (Extended Day Period)
16-24 Weeks
- 4 hour feeding cycle (though I will point out that not all babies are there yet, so don’t stress if yours isn’t)
- 4-5 feedings (though Babywise says 4-6 liquid feedings)
- 3 naps
- Naps are 1.5-2 hours in length
- Waketime is 45-75 minutes (could possibly be 1.5 and maybe even two hours–but be aware if longer waketimes start creating shorter naps–I also think babies this age will be able t do at least 60 minutes of waketime)
- Sample Schedule for this age: *=no waketime after feeding
8:00 am
12: 00 pm
4:00 pm
*8:00 pm
Phase Four: 5 Months and Older (Extended Routine Period)
25 weeks and older
- Family Cycle (this means baby will align meals with the family. Be aware that you need 4-5 liquid feedings. Most babies will stick with that 4 hour routine until close to a year)
- 2 naps a day (however, this doesn’t happen until 6 months at the earliest. By 6 months, Babywise says most babies can drop that third nap. Babywise II says a 6 month old will need 2 naps and a catnap (short nap). I have found Babywise II to be more accurate for my children. Both Babywise II and Toddlerwise say that by 8 months, most babies will be able to drop that 3rd nap (catnap). Remember, you are the parent. If you have a big sleeper and she is still sleeping well at night, you don’t need to eliminate that nap.)
- Waketime of 60-90 minutes (though baby will be able to move to at least 2 hours and longer during this time period)
- Sample Schedule for this age:
8:00 am + solids
12: 00 pm + solids
5:00 pm + solids
*8:00 pm
Be sure to check out this post for all Babywise Milestones as listed in the book: Babywise Milestones
Also, for more sample schedules, see this post: Sample Schedules
