Having a baby is indeed a wonderful experience. Of course, it takes some time for you to adjust with your new baby, and you may need to say goodbye to your old routine, but I’m sure you’d admit that it’s worth every change! 

Once parents get settled in their home with their new addition, they find they want to create a schedule or routine for their new baby.  A schedule makes things a lot easier, more organized, and can even give you more time throughout the day.  How can you make a schedule that will be beneficial for you and your baby? Here are a few things that you can do:

1. Try to make a schedule that will suit your baby’s needs.  Keep in mind that a newborn baby has different needs than a toddler. So make sure that you consider the specific needs of your new baby.

For instance, babies that are 1-2 weeks old will usually spend a lot of time sleeping or eating. So you have to expect a lot of that. When they grow older, they become more active during the day so that would mean more interaction and play.

2. Be flexible with your schedule. As a parent, you have to adjust with your baby’s routine. Put your baby first. You need to prioritize his needs. If your baby wakes up in the middle of the night or in the wee hours of the morning, you have to change his diaper or feed him. Take note that as your baby matures, there will also be changes in his routine.

This can be very hard, and also very exhausting, but once they hit 6-8 weeks, they will reduce their feedings in the middle of the night, and also sleep for longer stretches.

3. Plan your baby’s feeding time and diaper changes. Giving your baby the right nutrition as early as infancy is essential. At 1-2 weeks, he will be feeding around 10-15 minutes every 1 ½ to 3 hours when breastfed. Babies who are fed with formula milk need 2-3 ounces every 2 to 4 hours.

When your baby reaches 1 to 2 months, he will need a minimum of 12 to 24 ounces to a maximum of 36 to 40 ounces of breast milk or formula milk.

Also include in your schedule your baby’s diaper changes. At 1-2 weeks of age, you have to change his wet diapers 6 or more times. He will likely poop 3-4 times everyday. You can monitor whether your baby has taken enough food with the amount of yellow stools that he excretes.

Try to meet these needs to ensure that your baby grows up healthy and happy.

4. Train your baby with the difference between night and day. As early as infancy, you should make your baby aware of the difference between night time and daytime. During the day, you can engage him in lots of activities like playing so that he’ll be tired at night.

Babies 1-2months old will need 15.5 hours of sleep which includes daytime naps. But as they grow older, their sleeping habits also change. You can also put your baby to bed early, around 8 o’clock or so, so that they can get lots of sleep.

Creating a schedule for your baby can be a little overwhelming at first!  Between waking up in the middle of the night, to comforting their every cry, we become exhausted!  Just take day by day, sleep when they sleep, and don’t over do yourself!