Some parents believe in a strict schedule for their baby. There is nothing wrong with that; it is their child.

There are two simple scheduling tweaks that boost sleep for your baby.

1. You can wake your baby up for a special “dream feed” somewhere between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and midnight.
2. If your baby cries during the night, respond by holding for a few minutes and then a diaper change before you feed.

1. The tips for setting up a baby schedule are everywhere, and everyone does have their own opinion. But, if you are trying to schedule your baby, you should probably wait until he/she is a month old; after feeding is going well. It will be essential to do the following:

1. Make sure you carry your infant a lot during day hours to let him/her learn the day and night contrast.
2. During daylight hours, let your baby eat every 1½-2 hours, then down for a nap. (It is essential to put the baby down for a nap before he/she starts looking droopy eyed and yawning.)
3. If your baby sleeps over two hours, wake him/her up for the next feed/play period. Long naps can cause less daytime eating and being more hungry at night.
4. Feed your baby in a quiet area so there won’t be any distraction and cause him/her not to eat.
5. Twenty minutes before bedtime and naps, turn on your white noise, and the lights down. It will give a clear signal that sleep time is near and quieten down your baby’s nervous system. You can use the sleep-and-wake technique and help him/her learn to self-soothe.
6. Don’t forget to wake him/her for that “dream feed” between ten p.m. and twelve p.m. each night to fill his/her stomach and prepare him that longer sleep time.

This flexible sleeping and eating routine can be helpful if you happen to have twins, more kids, a single parent, or work away from home. The key word here is flexible.

The benefit of a baby schedule that is flexible shouldn’t be a huge surprise since babies born today are the learning experts! Before birth, your baby already recognizes your favorite music and voice. Learning the pattern of sleeping and feeding is definitely not above their pay grade.

A Bedtime Routine Will Help You With Your Baby Schedule:

• Background soft white noise
• Warm bath
• Low lighting
• Warm milk for bedtime feeding
• Massage with some warm oil
• Soft lullaby
• Cozy swaddle

You will find that before a week is up, these changes will work a lot like hypnosis.