If there’s one thing I learned as a new mom, it’s that sleep and food are everything. They go hand in hand and when done right, you have a happy baby.
The old saying “babies sleep when they are tired” didn’t work for us. It’s a fine line between a baby who’s ready to sleep and one who’s overtired. And let me tell you, once they cross into overtired territory, good luck getting them to sleep! It happens fast, and it’s not always easy to spot the signs (rubbing eyes, yawning, lack of energy). My baby didn’t come with the skill to put herself to sleep; we had to help her figure it out by sticking to a schedule.
Once we got on a solid sleep and feeding schedule, everything changed. My baby went from cranky to content during the day. Following a schedule made all the difference and even helped her development as she grew. I can’t emphasize enough how key this was for us. So here’s what worked for my baby, in hopes it might help you find your way to a happy, more peaceful day.
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Wake window & number of naps
If you choose to follow only one thing then choose to follow the wake windows and the rest will come. See here wake window, nap numbers and identify sleepy or overtired cues.
Below you can see an example of a full day schedule, including feeding.
Total sleep by age
Here’s a table with the total daytime sleep, nighttime sleep, and total sleep per day by age range:
| Age Range | Daytime Sleep (hrs) | Nighttime Sleep (hrs) | Total Sleep per Day (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn to 3 Months | 4-6 | 8-10 | 12-16 |
| 4-6 Months | 3-4 | 10-11 | 13-15 |
| 6-9 Months | 2.5-3.5 | 10-11 | 12.5-14.5 |
| 9-12 Months | 2-3 | 10-11 | 12-14 |
| 12-18 Months | 2-2.5 | 10-11 | 12-13.5 |
| 18-24 Months | 1.5-2 | 10-11 | 11.5-13 |
| 2-3 Years | 1.5-2 | 10-11 | 11.5-13 |
| 3-4 Years | 0-1.5 | 10-11 | 10-12.5 |
Daytime feeding and sleeping schedule from newborn to 35 months
If you want to go more advance int a fixed schedule, here is a combined schedule for sleeping and feeding:
| Time | 1-3 Months | 4-5 Months | 6-8 Months | 9-10 Months | 11-14 Months | 14-36 Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00am | Wake up and milk feed | Wake up and milk feed | Wake up and milk feed | Wake up and milk feed | Wake up and milk feed | Wake up & Milk (if wanted) |
| 7:30am | Breakfast | |||||
| 8:00am | Milk feed | Breakfast (solid meal) | Breakfast (solid meal) | Breakfast (solid meal) | ||
| 8:30am | Nap 1 (1-1.5 hours) | Nap 1 (1.5-2 hours) | ||||
| 9:00am | Morning Nap | |||||
| 9:30am | Snack | |||||
| 9:45am | Morning Nap | |||||
| 10:00am | Milk feed | Morning Nap | ||||
| 10:30am | Nap 2 (1-1.5 hours) | Wake up | ||||
| 11:00am | Milk feed | Wake up and milk feed | ||||
| 11:30am | Wake up & Milk Feed/Snack | Lunch | ||||
| 12:00pm | Milk feed | Lunch (solid meal) | Lunch (solid meal) | Lunch (solid meal) | ||
| 12:30pm | Nap 3 (1-1.5 hours) | Nap 2 (1.5-2 hours) | Nap | |||
| 1:00pm | Afternoon Nap | |||||
| 1:30pm | ||||||
| 2:00pm | Milk feed | Milk feed | Afternoon Nap | Afternoon Nap | ||
| 2:30pm | Nap 4 (1-1.5 hours) | Wake up and milk feed | ||||
| 3:00pm | Wake up | Wake up & Snack | ||||
| 3:30pm | ||||||
| 4:00pm | Nap 3 (1.5 hours) | |||||
| 4:45pm | Power Nap | |||||
| 5:00pm | Dinner | Dinner | ||||
| 5:30pm | Wake up | Dinner | ||||
| 6:15pm | Pre-Bath milk feed | Pre-Bath milk feed | Pre-Bath milk feed | |||
| 6:30pm | Bedtime routine starts | Bedtime routine starts | Bedtime routine starts | Bedtime routine starts | Bedtime routine starts | Bedtime routine starts |
| 7:00pm | Sleep time | Sleep time | Sleep time | Sleep time | Sleep time | Sleep time |
| 9:00pm | Wake for milk feed | Might wake for feeding | ||||
| 12:00am | Wake for milk feed | Might wake for feeding | ||||
| 3:00am | Wake for milk feed | Might wake for feeding |
My daughter schedule from 1-3 months
I personally follow the schedule below loosely in terms of exact hours. However, if anything changed I just watch the wake windows. For the schedule below the wake window is 1.5h. The biggest secret is that if baby is well rested during the day they can sleep better at night. (Sometimes an overtired baby will have hard time sleep during the night!)
| Hours | Activity | Details/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 am | Feed | #1 Feed + diaper change + Activity |
| 8:00 am | Nap #1 | 45-90 minutes (swaddle, close drapes, sound machine, 3-minute feed or paci or offer finger to suck if “suckey,” slow dancing or bounce and put in crib/bassinet drowsy and use shhh/pat or forehead massage to help to sleep) |
| 9:30 am | Feed | #2 Feed + diaper change + Activity: errands, play time, infant massage (5-10 min) |
| 11:00 am | Nap #2 | 45-90 minutes (swaddle, close drapes, sound machine, 3-minute feed or paci or offer finger to suck if “suckey,” slow dancing or bounce and put in crib/bassinet drowsy and use shhh/pat or forehead massage to help to sleep) |
| 12:30 pm | Feed | #3 Feed- 2 sides + diaper change + Activity: outing, errand, walk (stroller, B’jorn or sling), play-time |
| 2:00 pm | Nap #3 | 45-90 minutes (swing/car seat/crib/sling) |
| 3:30 pm | Feed | #4 Feed- 2 sides + diaper change + Activity: outing, walk, play time, cooking dinner together |
| 5:00 pm | Nap #4 | 45-90 minutes (swing/car seat/crib/sling) |
| 6:00 pm | Feed | #5 Feed- diaper change |
| 6:10 pm | Short Nap #5 | Activity or Short nap (30-45 min if baby didn’t nap at all for #4 Nap- you can start this nap with a feed to sleep). FYI, look to be down to 3-4 naps by 3-4 months (so this nap will get dropped, and no naps past 5:30pm) |
| 7:00 pm | Feed | #6a Feed (cluster feed- one-sided or short feed at breast) |
| 8:00 pm | Bed time routine | Bath time with Daddy, diaper, swaddle, feeding (2-3 oz bottle if daddy is in charge) |
| 8:30 pm | Night Sleeping | Using pacifier/swaddle/sling if necessary |
| 11/11:30 pm | Feed | #7 Feed- Dream Feed with Daddy or breastfeed |
| 3 & 5:00 am | Feed | #8 Feed- 1 side + diaper change and then offer second side after diaper change & re-swaddle |
Notes & tips:
- Adjust schedule 30 mins earlier if baby is awake at 6:30am.
- Total day-time sleep 3-5 hrs and night-time sleep 10-11 hrs. Total sleep 13-16 hrs.
- By end of 3 months the last nap should be by 5:30pm so it won’t interfere with bedtime.
- Feed baby every 2-3 hrs during the day – usually some babies cluster feed between 5-8pm
- If you need to feed for a few minutes before putting down for a nap (to settle) feed for 1-3 minutes, remember to get room ready for nap before putting baby to breast, remember to swaddle before putting baby to breast, avoid baby falling asleep on breast, transfer baby to crib when baby is drowsy. (I let baby fall asleep at breast though, but the advice is not to do this so baby doesn’t wake up frightened of being in a new location compare to where he fell asleep. Always follow your gut feeling and your baby!)
- Drop night-time diaper change at 3 months unless baby has a diaper rash or runny bowel movement
- Aim for 1-2 naps/day “solo sleeping” naps without movement and in crib- this usually works best in the morning
- Remember, babies circadian rhythms are continuing to develop until 3-6 months- you can help development by avoiding long naps lasting more than 2h during the day, and feeding at least every 3h during the day – going outside/sunlight also helps baby figure out the difference between day and night.
- Transition to crib by 6 months, and start crib naps (Nap #1 & Nap #2) in crib by 3 or 4 months to help baby get used to crib
- Starting at 3 or 4 months, start to swaddle more loosely for morning naps to help baby to prepare for not being swaddled
- Sleep training is not recommended before 4-6months old.
- Remember, patience, patience, and enjoy – this too shall pass, and baby will be a great sleeper!
My daughter sleep schedule from 4-6 months sleep
Again if things got shifted I just made sure I follow the wake windows.
| Hours | Activity (Nap #, Feed, Playtime, routine x) | Details/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30am | Wake up! #1 Feed | Feed + diaper change |
| 6:50 | Playtime | Tummy time, singing (or play lullaby songs), books, infant massage, upright sitting practice. Remember to give him time to play on his own – very important! |
| 7:45am | Pre-nap Routine | Telling/reading story, cuddles, gentle singing (no clapping or tickling), short feed |
| 8:00am | #1 Nap | Nap (45-90 min). Use swing, eventually move to crib. If baby pops up, use patting, rocking. Try to put him down drowsy but not asleep. |
| 9:30am | #2 Feed | Feed + diaper change |
| 11:15am | Pre-nap Routine | Telling/reading story, cuddles, gentle singing (no clapping or tickling), short feed |
| 11:30am | #2 Nap | Nap (45-90 min). Use swing, eventually move to crib. If baby pops up, use patting, rocking. Try to put him down drowsy but not asleep. |
| 12:30pm | #3 Feed | Feed + diaper change |
| 2:15pm | Pre-nap Routine | Telling/reading story, cuddles, gentle singing (no clapping or tickling), short feed |
| 2:30pm | #3 Nap | Nap (45-120 minutes). No sleeping past 5-5:30pm. Use swing! |
| 4:30/5:00pm | #4 Feed or short #4 Nap if #3 Nap was short. | Wake baby by 5-5:30pm if putting down to sleep at 7-7:30pm. Remember 2-2.5 hrs from end of last nap to bedtime. |
| 6:15pm | Start bath/bedtime routine | You can start a #5 Feed (first few ounces). |
| 6:45pm | #5 Feed | Feed – last few ounces. |
| 7:00pm | Sleep for the night | Transfer to crib drowsy. Use patting, shushing. |
| 10:00pm-12:00am | #6 Feed (Dream Feed) | Drop this feed between 5-12 months. |
| 3:00am-5:00am | #7 Feed | Drop this feed between 5-12 months. |
Notes & Tips:
- Total day time sleep 3-4.5 hrs, total night time sleep 10-12 h, total sleep in 24h. 13-16h
- Spread feeds out to every 3-4h by 6 months
- You could introduce sleep training if your baby doesn’t sleep well at night.
My daughter sleep schedule from 6-9 months
Same as the 4-6, with the following changes:
- Drop down to 3 naps/day between 6-9 months. Here is a guide to nap transition
- Introduce solids at 6 months and sippy cup of water at 6 months. Here is a guide on starting solids and best first foods.
My daughter sleep schedule from 9-12 months
Same as the 6-9, with the following changes:
- Drop down to 2 naps/day. Here is a guide to nap transition
Comments from my experience
Feeding: Because I exclusively breastfed my baby until 5 months, she wanted to feed more often than the recommended ~3-hour window between feeds. Sometimes, it was still 1-2 hours between feeds. What I learned is that exclusively breastfed babies eat less and more often than formula-fed ones. I stressed so much about this, and I wish I had known this beforehand. I went to one lactation consultant who suggested that maybe she eats less because she has a tongue tie. I’m glad I didn’t take immediate action and went to the pediatrician to double-check.
If only I had known that exclusively breastfed babies eat less and more often, I could have saved myself a lot of stress!
Napping: Because many people were watching the baby at any given time, I soon realized that everyone was asking me about the schedule: “Hey, when does she need to go to sleep?” “Did she eat?” “When is it time to eat?” “How long should we play?” etc. These questions stressed me because I felt a lot of responsibility and only I knew what was going on. I couldn’t sleep or nap because someone always had a question. So what did I do about it? Two things:
- I put the schedule on the fridge. You can print it or write it on a board. I actually wrote the desired schedule and next to it, the adapted one—because sometimes the baby slept more and we needed to adjust it.
- I used the app Baby Connect because our night doula had it and was used to it. After we stopped having the doula, I installed the Huckleberry app, which was much better because it also gave suggestions on when the next nap and feed should be, rather than just tracking.
Resources
The sleep scheduled is inspired from Dr Angelique Millette.
I really like the Huckleberry app for tracking and for personalized AI sleep assistant. Let me know which one you like.