I was wondering how many people have their babies on a schedule that they stick to every day and how old was your baby when you put him/her on the schedule? Ds is 11 weeks and is not on a rigid schedule at all. We pretty much feed him when he is hungry and put him down when he is tired (within reason). I am getting ready to head back to work soon and am thinking that I may need to get him more into a routine for the family that will be watching him. Is there anyone who did not put their baby on a schedule at all? Does anyone have trouble sticking to the schedule once you put them on it? I just want to make sure my baby gets fed and sleeps at the times he needs it and not because that's what the schedule says he is supposed to do at that time. I am thinking that once he gets a little older it will be a little easier...maybe? Any words of wisdom? How did everyone else do it?

With my ds I let him set his schedule. I feed him on demand and let him decide when to take a nap. Eventually he set his own schedule, I can't really remember but it was about 3-4 months old. He set a great schedule and slept every 2 hours during the day and ate every 4-5 hours. He always went to bed kind of late like around 10. But it worked for us. I think the key is to do what works for you and your baby, that is what really matters. Now that my ds is teething the schedule went OUT the window. He now wants to nurse much more often for comfort, and somedays he sleeps Long and the next he'll hardly sleep! Good luck with it and do what works for you two.

Thanks Sweetea! I was hoping ds would set his own schedule, but maybe he's a little young yet. Leave it to teething to throw everything off!:)

I think scheduling a baby is totally unrealistic, but that's just me. I much prefer to follow my instincts and read my baby's cues then to push a schedule, especially where feeding is concerned. The AAP has actually issued media alerts in response to scheduling their feedings, pointing out the risks associated with spacing them to accompany a schedule.

I have found, however, that as she gets older she seems to put herself on a schedule. I have to be careful not to get too comfortable though, because they change so much as they development. I also don't see the point in spending 2 hours trying to get her to sleep for an hour, just for the sake of her taking a nap. Some days I leave her in our bed where she fell asleep, other days she naps in her swing, and occasionally she sleep in the wrap. I just roll with the punches. It is WAY too stressful to orientate a schedule when they change on a daily basis.

My ds is 12 weeks old today and has been on a schedule since he was about 9 weeks. He did it all himself!
9:00am - get up
10 - 11 am - nap
11:30am - feed
12 - 2:30 pm - nap
2:30pm - feed
5:30pm - feed
8:00pm - feed
8 - 8:30 pm - nap
10pm - bath and feed
10:30pm - 5:30am - sleep
5:30am - feed
5:45am - 7am - sleep
7am - feed
7:15 - 8:30 - nap
8:30 - 9am - feed

This is of course give or take a few minutes on either side but I can almost set my clock to it!
I know it will change as he gets older and needs less sleep in the day and feeds less often but I will, as North says, roll with the punches. I am enjoying him sleeping for 7 hours straight at night. We have the feeds before 9am in my bed. We co-sleep from 5:30 until 9 so he can nurse while I sleep!
My first ds set his own schedule too and that was even more impressive. We just got lucky I guess.

ds set his own schedule he is 19 weeks it goes

7am wakes and has bottle
830 feed puree food
845 nap lasting between 1 and 2 hours i leave him to wake naturally
1130 bottle
12 sometimes a short nap here
2 feed puree sometimes a nap here
430 bottle
6pm bath and book
830 bottle
9pm bed

i let ds sleep when he wants and the feeding times are approx if he is hungrier earlier he gets fed hope this is of some help:)

On a schedule? My DD is 3 months + 1 week and is developing her own schedule. I can't make one for her because when she wants to feed, she REALLY wants to feed and will cry. She drinks 2-3 oz. ever 2 hours in the day. At night she wakes up at midnightish and 4amish every day for a 3-4 ounce bottle! She used to sleep until 7:30am but now gets up at 6am. (Mommy is SO tired).

Paula you should try to get 4 oz. into her and go 3-4 hours between feeds if you can.... I know "if you can"... the babies wont eat more if they don't want it!:dizzy:

man... that is a tough schedule at 3 months of age.... wow.

My DD has been on a 4 hr. schedule pretty much since 3 months. when she would hit growth spurts of course it could be 3 hour eating times....

Right now she is on 4 hour time periods and is 6 months and eats 7-8 oz. only 4 bottles a day... NICE!

friday13, you're right. I can't get more in her. She sticks her tongue out so I can't get the bottle in. She drank every 4 hours the first month, but I was breastfeeding and supplementing with a bottle of breastmilk. She's on formula now. (Long story). I could try to make her wait, but she'll cry and throw a fit if I don't feed her when she wants it. In fact, she's too impatient for me to make the bottle. It's always a scramble. LOL

Hello
A-iden is 15 weeks and his schedule changes every day so i dont really have one for him!! ON a good day he will wake at
8.30 - have a feed
feed again at 12 noon
if i am lucky he will have a half hour nap (but this is VERY rare)
then he will feed at 4pm (note that the first 3 feeds are only about 120mls at a push as he just doesnt want much during the day)
then he will have a bath at 6pm and another feed (here he takes 180mls)
then feed at 8pm then sleep
feed again at 10pm (both full feeds as he wnats more this time of night)
then sleep anywhere to 4am - 8.30am.

I feed him when hungry and let him sleep when tired. He rarely sleeps during the day. The other day he was up for 13 hours straight!No matter what i did he did not want to sleep.::eek:

But now he is teething so last night i was up every 1.5 hours!!!! :yawn: sleepy today I just go with the flow and dont worry about getting him to a strict schedule apart from his bath which is always at 6pm.

A lot of babies will fall into their own routine (I prefer that to schedule) by themselves around 3-4 months. My dd, Maggie, pretty much started a routine that I LOVE around 2 months. The only "scheduling" I actually do for her is that I give her her last bottle of the night at the same time every night.

Last bottle 9:30pm, bed 10-10:30pm
Up & bottle 7-7:30am
LONG nap around 9-10ish
Bottle 11-12ish (usually wake her for this bottle)
Nap around 2pm
Bottle around 3-4pm
A couple of little catnaps
Bottle 8pm
Last bottle, bed

This is a really loose routine that changes slightly everyday time-wise, but I pretty much know when she's going to want her long nap or catnap, etc. It also changes depending on how many errands I have to do and what's happening that day for big brother. Like someone said before, if it changes (and I'm sure that teething and growthspurts will change it) I'll just roll with the punches.

Also, as she gets older I'll try to manipulate the time of her last bottle/bed earlier and earlier and see how that goes. I can't wait until she's in bed around 8ish and then both of my kids will be in bed and I'll have some ME time before I go to bed!

Thanks ladies! That makes me feel better about not having ds on a schedule. We haven't seen much consistency with him yet, but I'm sure it will come with time when he is ready.