Cubby reader Kenzie writes, "The 7 a.m. 'eat' time in your example is at the start of a feeding, correct? Also, can I start this with my 9-week-old or is it too late?? Should I be adjusting the 2.5-4 hour range? Not sure how long a baby is considered newborn."
Thanks for commenting Kenzie! Yes, you are correct; in my example on the "How to do a Schedule" post, 7 a.m. is the start of a feeding, which should be pretty immediate upon baby waking up. You can absolutely start this with your 9-week-old!! The 2.5-4 hour time window will still apply to your baby.
So, mamas, here's a look at the schedule for a 9-week-old baby:
At this age, and until your baby is about 12 weeks old, he/she will sleep for about 14-17 hours a day/night, and take 4-5 naps a day. Remember, from the day your baby is born (or whenever you start this schedule), it is VERY important that your start time (first feeding of the morning) stays relatively the same each day (give or take about 20 minutes).
Between 7-10 weeks, babies will drop their night feedings and sleep eight hours a night. When your baby does this, you will also want to have a consistent last feeding. So first AND last feedings should be about the same time each day once your baby sleeps 8 hours at night.
Kenzie, if your baby is still waking up at night, you may want to try following the newborn schedule first, then merging into the 9-week-old schedule. It shouldn't take more than about two weeks. Once your baby sleeps through the night, make sure your last feeding of the day is consistent each day.
Between 7-10 weeks, your baby's schedule will look like the following. Note, this is JUST an example, and times will adjust between 2.5-4 hours between feedings. If you need more details on this, read here. Also, the only time you would feed your 9-week-old baby less than 2.5 hours between feedings is if your baby has a growth spurt (waking up more frequently and starving), or if you feed your baby closer together in the evening. For instance, your late-night feeding may be around 11 p.m. But your baby woke up from his/her last nap at 9:00 p.m. Do you wait until 11:30 p.m. to feed your baby? Nope, still wake your baby at the 11 p.m. feeding time, and keep that time consistent each day.
So here's an example:
7 am: Eat, diaper change, and awake time
7:30 - 8 am: Down for a nap
9:30 am: Baby wakes up at the 2.5 hour mark, feed him/her and start your cycle over (eat, diaper change, awake time). (Remember, if your baby sleeps until 4 hours, which would be 11 a.m. at this point, everything is totally fine. Just make sure to wake your baby up at 11 a.m. to feed him/her.)
12:30 pm: Eat, diaper change, and awake time
1:00 - 1:30 pm: Down for a nap
3:00 pm: Eat and awake. **Baby could keep sleeping until 4:30 p.m. for this example.**
3:30 - 4 pm: Down for a nap
5:30 pm: Eat, diaper change, and awake time
6 - 6:30 pm: Down for a nap
8 pm: Eat and diaper change. NOTE: NO AWAKE TIME NOW. Put baby back to sleep as soon as his/her needs are met.
11:00 pm: Remember, this time is consistent now, so even if your baby didn't wake up, wake him/her up. Baby will eat and have a diaper. NOTE: NO AWAKE TIME NOW. Put baby back to sleep as soon as his/her needs are met. And YOU get in bed too and enjoy a good 8-hour stretch of sleep as your baby starts sleeping through the night.
Kenzie, and also to you other amazing mamas, if this didn't make sense, just comment below again! Otherwise, enjoy your sleeping babe!
- Mama Jackie
*Sleep is essential. We need sleep to function, to take care of our children, to keep up on every single task life throws at us, to keep our sanity. Are you getting your 8 hours or do you have a baby who is keeping you up? Let’s remedy that! In the “Rested Mamas are Happy Mamas” series of our blog, sleep expert Jackie answers all of your sleep woes. Have a question or problem that needs fixing? Comment on the series and Jackie will address your specific issue!*
81 comments
I’ve sent you an email with a longer reply than I can post here! Jackie
Jackie:
My 9 week old was sleeping through the night fairly consistently starting at 7 weeks. Then, last week she started waking between 2 am and 4 am for an additional feeding. Now it seems to be a regular occurrence. How do I get her back to sleeping through the whole night?
Her schedule give or take 30 minutes:
7:30 wake, eat, play
8:30 sleep
10:30 wake (I have to wake her), eat, play
11:30 sleep
1:30 wake, eat, play
3 sleep (maybe)
4:30 wake, eat, play
6 cat naps of about 30 minute until 7:30 wake, eat, bathtime, sleep
10 dream feed
2:30 the dreaded wake and eat
She has then been waking again around 6-6:30. I’ve been treating that as the first morning feeding when she does this. Thank you!!
01.30 feeding 4oz
03.30 feeding 1oz
06.00 wake up, feeding (only finish 1oz), back to sleep til 07.30
07.30 wake up time
08.30 feeding the leftover (2oz), play
09.00-09.45 nap (cat nap only, wake up several times if i put in his crib.. need to be carry if wants him to sleep longer)
10.00 feed n play (i give 3oz)
10.30 nap (i need to hold/carry him to put him to sleep.. sometimes if he cries too long i give 2-3oz milk and he fall asleep)
12.30 feeding 4oz, diaper change —>no awake time because he cries and back to sleep
15.00 feeding 4oz
16.30 nap, feed another 2oz because he cries and rooting
18.00 feeding 3oz (rooting n crying)
21.00 feeding 3oz, sleep
23.30 feeding 3oz, sleep
02.30 feeding 3oz, sleep
I know u said do everything in our power to keep the 2.5-4 hours window, but i failed to do so esp if baby cries out loud for so long :( :(
I’ve sent you an email! Jackie
Hi Jackie! This all sounds great but my exclusively breastfed 9 week old baby won’t take a bottle and wakes up, eats, and is asleep in 1 hour cycles. For instance: She wakes up at 9am, change diaper/eats plays, is back sleep by 10, then wakes up at 11, diaper change/eat, and sleep again by noon. It goes on like this throughout the day. She cosleeping with us at night and sleeps a longer stretch between midnight and 4:30ish. How can I get her on this schedule? She also won’t sleep without being held. HELP!!!.