The 4-month mark is pretty special. It’s when most people tell you that the whole motherhood thing gets easier (truth: it doesn’t get easier, it gets more rewarding), and it’s also when you can start putting your baby on more of a schedule, rather then letting them call the shots as newborns. It’s also, however, a time when a lot of babies go through a sleep regression — and Izzy has been no exception. Her naps have become much shorter and it’s a lot harder to get her to sleep than when she was just a couple of months old. Gone are the days when she’d drift off to sleep peacefully after eating; now, it takes a lot of rocking, shushing, and patience.
That said, one of the things I’ve discovered is that instead of adapting my life to accommodate her, she’s become easier to fit into my life. With longer wake windows, I can take her out to complete errands (she loves Target), and I don’t feel entirely chained to my apartment.
Again, all routines are different because all babies are different. But, if it helps to find out what other people are doing (and I think it does), here’s an example.
4-Month Old Routine
Wake & Eat: 6:30 a.m.
Nap 1: 8:00 a.m. — 9:00 a.m.
Eat: 9:30 a.m.
Nap 2: 11:00 a.m. — 11:45 a.m.
Eat: 12:30 p.m.
Nap 3: 1:45 p.m. — 2:45 p.m.
Eat: 3:30 p.m.
Nap 4 (Catnap): 4:45 p.m. — 5:15 p.m.
Mini-Feed: 5:30 p.m.
Bathtime: 6:30 p.m.
Bedtime & Feed: 7:30 p.m.
Number of Night Feeds: 1-2 on average, all dream feeds
Some Notes:
• During Izzy’s wake windows (which are usually 1.5-2 hours), she will either: play, go on errands/walks, have story time, etc.
• Most nights, Izzy will fall asleep on her own by 8:00 p.m.; sometimes, however, she needs to be rocked to sleep and it can take an extra hour.
• She usually doesn’t wake up at all between 8:00 p.m. & 6:30 a.m., but she will root in her sleep when she is hungry. She doesn’t wake up during her dream feeds.
• Our bedtime routine consists of: changing into pjs, going into her Halo SleepSack Swaddle, reading 1-2 books, and then her final feed of the day.
Other Routines On My Blog:
• Newborn Routine (0-3 months)
In the comments, tell me: Do you have a routine/schedule by 4-months? What’s your favorite part of it?
Featured image: Courtesy Unsplash
Edits From Motherhood 