Daily Routines + Samples: 0-9 Months
Children need a balance of awake time, to eat and be active, and sleep time. (See “What Is a Wake Window? + More” for information on this topic!) When we’re working toward building the skill of independent sleep, creating a rhythm that sets them up for success during the daytime—ensuring full feedings, plenty of time for activity, and consistent wind-down routines before sleep—is a big piece of the puzzle.
To help you find a predictable routine that works for your family, we want to consider three things:
Your child’s age
The recommended amount of feeds, awake time, and sleep your child needs at their age/stage
Your family’s rhythm and needs
Below you’ll find recommendations and sample schedules for ages 0-9 months that you can tailor for your individual child and family.
Daily Routines + Samples: 10-18 Months | Daily Routines + Samples: 19 Months - 4 Years
Ages 0-3 Months
During the newborn stage, flexibility is the name of the game. Our days center on a steady routine of Eat, Play, Sleep—when your child wakes in the morning or from a nap, we offer a feeding, allow for some play time and activity, and then offer sleep again.
We’re focusing on offering full feedings, age-appropriate amounts of awake time, and avoiding overtiredness. We pay attention to sleepy cues to help us decide when to offer naps and bedtime, and we can practice laying baby down awake in a bassinet, crib, or pack-n-play once or twice a day for a nap (usually the first nap of the day is easiest) and at bedtime.
We’re not applying formal sleep training at this age (not until 12 weeks at the earliest!), but we can use some hands-on methods to gradually and gently extend sleep (called “sleep shaping”) to lay a healthy foundation for when baby is a bit older. Newborns will not ever follow a schedule to the letter, but we can certainly establish a rhythm during these first few months. Leaning into wake windows, assisting with naps, and feeding in response to true hunger cues are the keys to success. This stage is all about learning your child.
If you need more help during the newborn stage, please check out Sleep Shaping for Newborns, a service offered specifically for parents of babies 0-3 months.
Ages 3-6 Months
Once children reach 3 months (12 weeks) of age, we want to begin following a more consistent routine and promoting independent sleep. How consistently and promptly we do this will be unique to each family, but my professional opinion that the sweet spot for both creating a solid routine and applying sleep training is often in the 12-16 week range.
At this age, or before a baby transitions to a 2-nap routine, I highly recommend following age-appropriate wake windows versus set nap times and bedtimes to avoid an overtired, cranky child. We balance sleepy cues with the time on the clock and continue to prioritize full feedings and appropriate wake windows.
Here are sample routines for babies who are 3, 4, 5, and 6 months old.
Note: These samples are not meant to serve as cookie-cutter schedules for each age and must be tailored to your individual child’s needs.
Ages 7-9 Months
At this age, we often see babies transition from a 3-nap routine to a 2-nap routine. Check out “How Do You Know It’s Time to Drop a Nap?” to learn more about the timing of this transition.
After a baby transitions to 2 naps (which can be a process lasting 2-4 weeks), we move away from watching sleepy cues to guide our daily rhythms. It’s helpful to stick with a solid wake-up time, nap times, and bedtime the majority of the time, using wake windows as a guide. Every child is different in this area, so it might take some experimenting to see what works best.
Most children this age are also eating 1-3 meals of solid foods (even just a few bites), but we still want to prioritize breastmilk or formula as their primary source of nutrition for the entire first year.
Here are sample routines for babies who are 7, 8, and 9 months old.
Note: These samples are not meant to serve as cookie-cutter schedules for each age and must be tailored to your individual child’s needs.
A Final Note
Remember that all of the above are simply examples, not meant to be followed to the letter. No child will ever follow a schedule to the minute (or even the hour!). The more you can allow for a balance of flexibility and consistency, the better your child will adapt to any routine.
If sleep seems like the impossible mountain you cannot climb, and you need an experienced guide to help, please know that I am here to help you. For help with nap transitions, consider an Ask Me Anything session with me anytime, or reach out to find out what service might best fit your needs.
Please note that I am not a medical professional, and this blog post is not meant to serve as medical advice, a diagnosis, or any form of treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with your child’s pediatrician.
