Parenting Made Manageable: Structuring the Day

Establishing a routine for your baby can sometimes be easier said than done. Some babies naturally fall into a rhythm that works for them and is easy and predictable. Others struggle, and sleeping patterns, feeding times, etc., are more erratic and ad-hoc than you might expect them to be.

But the thing is, babies work well with structure to their day, to a schedule they can rely on that meets their needs. And for parents, this can help the day run more easily, help you to set feeding times, nap times, and windows for play, etc., meaning you create a more predictable day for you and your baby. 

So let’s take a look at some tips that can help you get into a routine that serves both you and your baby well.

Set A Predictable Wake and Sleep Window

Consistency is key when it comes to wake-up and bedtime. Your baby needs to have a set window for waking up and going to sleep to help you create a routine that works for them.

Pick a wake-up window, e.g., 7-7.30 am, and stick to it daily, including weekends. If your baby naturally wakes up earlier, then work with that and set this as their natural time for your wake-up window, or adjust evening sleep times to accommodate this and help them sleep in later in the morning.

Track your baby’s natural rhythm before committing to a wake-up and sleep window. See what they do naturally first, and then use these patterns to find the right times and windows for them to see what works for your family, as this will help you out more.

You can use cues to help you signal the start and the end of the day, for example, opening or closing curtains or blinds, turning on soft lights, using white noise or gentle music, etc. These habits can stick, and over time, your baby will learn the meaning of them and will be ready and prepared as soon as you start them.

Anchor Days Around Meal Times

If your baby is still in the newborn feeding stage, this might not be as beneficial as when they are older, but if you’re keeping breakfast, lunch, and dinner at consistent times, you can use these as anchors for the day.

For example, if your sleep window wakes up at 7 to 7.30 am, breakfast would be at 8 am, lunch at 12, and then dinner at 6 pm.

For added reinforcement, keep your feeding environment the same or as similar as possible to create consistency through the day. This can help to regulate appetite and energy levels and keep them on track. Then, as your baby gets older or their needs change, you can adjust accordingly to meet them at their developmental stage without it causing too much disruption.

If your baby is a fussy eater, this routine can help you to uncover what is going on and help them work through their issues as you move through trying different foods or an elimination diet for health reasons, for example. But a regular meal time, location, and environment can help your baby know this is what is happening and help you create a better bonding interaction, which can be beneficial to helping your baby eat better.

Adjust Nap Schedules Accordingly

Here’s the thing, baby’s sleeping patterns will naturally change as they get older: they will start needing less sleep, fewer naps, and they will be more alert for longer and more energetic as they learn to roll, crawl, walk, etc.

This is where you need to adapt to where they are instead of sticking to rigid sleep schedules. 

Again, watching for their cues for tiredness or hunger, etc., can alert you as to when they need a nap and when you might have missed your window.

This is especially important when your baby is transitioning from 4 naps to 3, as they might struggle with going too long between naps.

Again, a consistent sleep schedule and routine can be helpful here. You can use the same cues, the same environment, etc., to signal its nap time, even if you drop one nap or change the length of naps throughout the day as needed.

Have Quick Reset Moments

What this means in reality is having a moment in the day where you and your baby stop and reset the balance. It might be that you need a calm feed or cuddle after an energetic play session to bring everything back down and settle a fussy baby. You might find turning off devices making noise, and blocking light out helps to wind down activities and create a new starting point for both of you.

Or you might prefer to hit up a quiet play session or read a book to signal that the mode of the day is changing and influence the mood going forward.

Because while a consistent schedule is important, so too is flexibility, as life isn’t perfect, it’s not running to plan 24/7, and your schedule should accommodate points that help you stop reassessment and move forward when needed, so it will be more effective.

Tweak and Review Regularly

It might sound a bit like a military operation, but babies will change a lot during the first 12 months. It’s also one of the only points in their life when they will change this fast and this frequently.

This means what worked last week might be redundant now, and you need to go back to the drawing board.

So take the time to address those instances within your week where the plan didn’t work, anything different your baby needed, and how you approached it. Note what did and didn’t work and then adapt accordingly. It’s not about overhauling the routine regularly, but tweaking it slightly to account for the variables in developmental stages that you’re aiming for here.

Structuring your day with a baby can be massively beneficial, and it’s not always running to strict points minute by minute, but developing something that works for real life that you can rely on day after day.

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