Baby Schedules

Once your baby is born, you may consider putting your little one on a schedule. But with various options, how to tell which type of schedule is best for you? Many parents find that getting into a regular routine or schedule with their baby makes life much easier. As a parent, you'll have a more predictable pattern for your days, and your baby will know what to expect. But experts disagree on when and how to establish a routine, or if one should do so at all. But most pediatricians say that babies are ready for a general schedule between around 4 months of age. There are several ways to create an infant schedule. One approach, known as parent-led, means that YOU set the daily agenda, which typically means creating a very specific timetable for when your baby eats, plays and sleeps. Parents who use this type of schedule seldom deviate from it, saying that timing things precisely, and being very consistent allows their baby to regulate his or her internal clock and provides the structure needed to thrive. When a baby's days are very structured and predictable, advocates of this approach say, they fall into a regular patterns more easily, and sleep through the night sooner. Parent-led schedules also make it much easier for ANY caregiver to take care of the baby EXACTLY as he or she is used to. However, The American Academy of Pediatrics warns against being TOO rigid with your baby's feeding routine, cautioning that it could possibly deprive a baby of the correct amount of food. The AAP recommends feeding babies on demand, whenever they show signs of hunger such as increased alertness and activity, mouthing or rooting. If you're baby is crying, know that it is considered by the AAP to be a "late" indicator of hunger. Parents following a baby-led schedule tend to have very loose routines. And while baby-led schedules might seem erratic, even infants who customize their own days tend to fall into fairly predictable patterns. Experts who advocate this style of parenting say baby-led schedules put the emphasis on your baby, and what he or she is communicating to you, rather than on YOUR desire for consistency, and also posit that on-demand attention fosters a secure and loving bond between parent and child. Proponents say paying such close attention to a baby's cues pays off, because parents develop an intuitive sense of what their baby needs. Some critics of this style , however, call it "one big mom give-a-thon," meaning that because you're so focused on synching up with your baby and attending to his or her every cue, you have no time or energy for yourself. Which brings us to another option, which takes components of both baby and parent led schedules, and is known as a combination schedule. With this approach, you'll set a timetable for when your baby will eat, sleep, play, and so on, and you'll generally adhere to a similar routine every day, but you'll have more flexibility than with a strictly parent-led schedule, and you'll look more to your baby's cues when deciding what to do next. For example, a nap can be pushed back if your baby doesn't seem tired yet, and a meal can be postponed if an errand takes longer than expected. Experts who advocate this approach say that combination schedules provide the consistency that babies and parents need without the hassle of a more rigid, timed-to-the-minute routine. Whatever your personal opinion, pick your scheduling method with the guidance and support of your partner, your pediatrician and, of course, your baby!