schedules

When did you start to notice a pattern to when your babies ate, slept, and were awake? When were you able to get a schedule going? The twins are a month old and becoming more alert. But I still haven't gotten them on a schedule. I figure they're just a month old. Really I just haven't kept track of when they eat. Except they eat at 6-7ish in the morning. I can't remeber when the other kids got on a schedule. I think I am going to keep track the next couple days and see if there's a pattern and maybe try to get started on some type of schedule. I am usually anal about schedules but have been going with the flow. It's a new thing to me. But I think that's why I haven't had such a hard time this past month. I am not expecting too much of myself. I am just trying to survive basically. But now I am starting to feel like it would be good to get on some type of schedule.

 

We didn't have any sort of schedule at a month old. As best I remember, we didn't really start to have a schedule until about 2.5 months. Even then it changed a bit from day to day. And around 3.5 months, we dropped the night feeding and went down to five feedings, so it changed again. At that point, we were on approximately a 6-10-2-6-10 schedule until we were able to drop the 10pm feed around 7 months.

 

The only schedule we were on at that age was a bottle every three hours. By 2.5 months they'd dropped the 3am bottle on their own. They went down for naps after having their bottle - at 1 month old they couldn't stay awake for very long. By 3.5-4 months they were staying awake for at least an hour (but not much longer). It wasn't until they were around 6 months old that we got on something resembling a nap schedule. They took 3-4 naps until they were about 7.5 months old after which they seemed ready for a 2-3-4 schedule which they been on since about 8 months and are still on. I never really worried too much about it and just tried to follow their cues. Don't worry about schedules at this age - I was just focusing on surviving!! Good luck :grouphug:

 

Okay, I have to ask - what is a 2-3-4 schedule?

 

Number one, it is awesome. But more specifically, they go down for their morning nap 2 hours after they wake up, then go down for their afternoon nap 3 hours after they wake up from their first nap, and then to bed for the night 4 hours after they wake up from their second nap. It is simple but ingenious and has been working really well for my girls!

 

You know, when the boys were first born I was on here reading all about these schedules they were supposed to have and freaking out! There was no schedule whatsoever! LOL! I was always worried I was doing it *wrong*. But, I also knew, by reading on here, that a lot of things seemed to fall into place by six months or so(I think). So for me, I didn't worry too much about a schedule, until they were six months old. I'm sure there was some form of a schedule in relation to their feedings, etc. But bedtime wasn't set in stone, there was no set routine for bedtime, etc. That said-we are a more "go with the flow" type of family.

And with not having a schedule, you are free to do more. We went out to dinner whenever, or shopping, or visiting, etc. Once we worked in the schedule of naps, it was all over! :laughing: I personally wouldn't worry about one now, but you most certainly can work towards one. It is nice to know what is going to happen in the next 30 minutes and be able to plan your day accordingly. But, I also found out, when you do that-they totally go off their schedule! :laughing:

 

Yea - this was similar for me. We didn't really have a schedule per say maybe until 5 months old. It was more that we knew how long they would stay awake before needing a nap. And until 6 months old, they couldn't really stay awake more than 2 hours. So, reading about the 2-3-4 schedule probably wouldn't have worked for us if i had even tried. But, i have to say that having a schedule now has helped because I can plan better. we usually go places when the boys are ready for a nap - so they nap in the car and then are refreshed for when we get to our destination. So, all in all - i would say you have some time before a true schedule. imo, just be aware of how long they can stay awake before needing a nap, and how long in between feedings (which i would guess at 1 month is about 3 hrs between feedings at the most.)

 

So I guess they are taking two longer naps? Our guys still need 3 shorter naps most days. I can't seem to get them to nap more than an hour at a time.

 

about 6 weeks or so, "bedtime" became fairly set at 8-8:30 pm (it gradually got earlier over the next few weeks). About 10 weeks, the first nap settled in about 8-8:30 am (after wakeup at 6-6:30)...then I got her onto the 3 nap schedule ( about 4.5 mo) ...about 6 mo (once the first 2 teeth came in, the weeks prior were hellish) we went to 2 naps on a 2-3-4 schedule (napping about 9 am and 1 pm, bedtime 6:30 pm). However, now at 7.5 mo she's been having problems napping in the afternoon so I moved the bedtime to 6 pm ( :wacko: hope she's not up at 5!)

I'm using Healthy sleep habits, happy child. Definitely don't let them cry until they can burp themselves...about 4 mo or so.