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An Easy Peasy 2-Year-Old Routine That Works Every Time

Here’s a 2-year-old routine for make more peaceful days with your little one. 2-year-olds are so active, precious, and fun. They have much more time to play, but still need some independent play, a good nap (for most of the year, anyway), and an age-appropriate bedtime to make sure they aren’t waking at night or waking up too early in the morning. Know that these samples take into account “optimal” meal times and nap times according to common wisdom.

I love me some 2 year olds. I mean… they’re just *that* much easier than 1-year-olds (the hardest age for me) and they are so busy.

Developing skills, personality, and vocabulary.

two year old toddler walking on the beach

They also need to be occupied well, supervised constantly, and stimulated more than their younger siblings.

This 2 year old routine is also generally the one I use for my 3-year-olds as well, but this is the age where they come into their own.

They’ve dropped their morning naps, are able to go with the flow a bit more, and can even play by themselves without constant monitoring for longer periods.

Read: The Common 2 Year Old Sleep Regression: How To Overcome

Basis of a Schedule or Routine for 2 Year Olds

Here are things to take into account when creating a good 2 year old routine.

Wake times
Nap times
Bed times
Play times
Meal times
Snack times

Read: The Crucial Elements of a Rock-Solid Toddler Schedule

Needs of a 2-year-old

2-year-olds are their own breed.

Whew.

They are a lot of work, but they say the dangdest things, don’t they?

Repetition | Toddlers need repetition and consistency. This is the easiest way to teach them to follow their routine without nagging.
Boundaries | Your 2-year-old will push the envelope, test the waters, and find out where the family boundaries lie. This is good all around, but does require consistency on your part.
Emotional help | There are big emotions going on at this age. You’ll need to both hear them out, make them feel understood, and teach them how they are allowed to express their emotions and how they are not.

Sleep | 2-year-olds still need a nap. They’ll try to pretend they don’t and will even go a few weeks at a time where they lay in the crib talking to themselves instead of sleeping. Persevere, don’t give up because of a 2 year sleep regression, and they’ll nap again soon. Also, lack of sleep will contribute to night terrors so, we want to avoid that.
Routine | Never is a routine more helpful than when your child is growing so much developmentally. Again, you don’t have to be hampered by the clock, but find something that works and stick with it. And know that not having a routine can result in over-tiredness and even bedtime battles in the evening.

Sample Routine / Schedule for a 2 year old

7:30 am – Wake up and eat breakfast
8:30 am – Free play or sibling play
9:00 am – Independent play in location chosen by mom (Quiet Time)
10:00 am – Outside play and snack (snacking tips here)
11:00 am – Indoor activity, reading, crafts
12:00 pm – Lunch
12:30 pm – Wind down to nap

Boundaries & Behavior

Loving Authority

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1:00 pm – Afternoon nap
3:30 pm (or when nap is over) – Afternoon snack
4:00 pm – Free play, calm activity, screen time
5:30 pm – Dinner
6:15 pm – Bath and bedtime routine for whole family
7:15 to 7:30 – Bedtime

Now, let’s break it down.

Now, if you are not a “clock oriented” person you’ll be very interested to read my post on how South Africans manage their time.

This will give you all the benefits of a schedule, but that may better fit your own personality.

Because, no matter how good a routine is for your child, if you can’t manage to keep the routine, then you’ll be the one who’s frustrated!

Read These While You’re At It

2-Year-Old Sleep Regression – Common Signs & Guaranteed Solutions

Bedtime Battles: How To Avoid Stalling, Tantrums, & Constant Questions

Nightmares, Night Terrors, & Sleep Walking In Kids: Strategies For Relief

7:30 am | Wake Up

Even if my toddler wakes up a bit early, he stays in his crib until this time. This is breakfast time.

Awesome tip: when you serve breakfast is when their metabolism signals them to wake up.

It’s the easiest way to get them to sleep later.

If you feed them at 5:30 am they’ll wake then.

I’m a stay-at-home-mom so I know this time won’t work for everyone. This clock might help if they are an early riser.

8:30 am | Free play

We do breakfast leisurely. We eat slow, put dishes away slow, and mosey away from the table slow. After that I let the kids free play for a bit to ease into the day.

I try not to let this go on long enough they start fighting and going nuts.

But, I let them figure out what they’d like to do next whether it’s riding bikes, playing with the bunny, or just messing around with toys.

You can find age appropriate bestselling toys here.

9:00 am | Independent play

Now, depending on the season, this time slot may change. Independent play is essentially letting your child play alone with their toys uninterrupted by you or siblings.

I try to have this happen daily. If your kids don’t know how to play on their own, this will help you teach them how.

Introducing a scheduled Quiet Time may be good idea at this time.

two year old playing on the floor as part of his daily routine

10:00 am | Outside play and snack

If we skip snack time, things go haywire. I am okay with letting the kids go hungry on occasion.

However, without a proper fulfilling snack they may stand by your side begging for veggie sticks or grapes until you want to bang your head against the wall.

I love sending them all outside.

We have a designated fenced play area, but if it’s summer we’re by the pool all morning or in the front yard with the hose and the dirt.

There is usually a lot less fighting outside and the squeals seem less… grating. (Here are 7 things to do when it gets too noisy)

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5, 13-18, 6-12

Sticky Routines System

Giving you a step-by-step guide to overcome barriers and stick to the healthy routines you’ve committed to. Learn the mindsets and secrets disciplined moms use to run a tight ship🚢 (think, mornings, chores, homework, bedtime, self-care, etc.)

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10:45 am | Indoor activity

I don’t do an indoor activity every day. And, the days I do, “activity” is loose over here.

This can mean building together, reading a book, or even doing chores.

There will be a time during the day when you need to do something structured or – at least – led by you.

This is character building, helps teach them to obey instructions, and means they aren’t trying to find something to get into or throw in the toilet.

11:15 am | Free play

I let my son (who is currently 2) find something he likes to do and either let him at it or join in if I’m able.

On the days when my mother’s helper (2 mornings a week) is here, she will often play with him.

This might be Spot It or it might be trucks in the dirt.

12:00 pm | Lunch

I aim for lunches that are filling enough to last through a good long nap.

I don’t do short order cooking, but I try to offer quite a few filling options on their plate so even if they don’t eat it all (and since I don’t engage in meal time battles) they are still fairly full.

After lunch, I have them put their dishes in the sink or dishwasher (ahem, if I’ve emptied it from the night before) then we mosey down the hall to get ready for naps.

Nap time can be a struggle if your child isn’t “buying In.”

Here is how you can get your child to buy into their routine.

12:30 pm | Wind down to nap

This doesn’t always pan out as I hope, but all in all I try to utilize this calm down method or have someone else (if they’re around) read to some of the kids so I can get the others to their rooms.

Here are some wind down routines for bedtime and many apply to nap time as well.

1:00 pm | Nap

It doesn’t always happen at exactly 1, but 1 is the goal.

This means by around this time all the kids are in their rooms with lights out to nap or, those who are old enough they don’t need a nap every day, have a few quiet activities they can play independently.

My 5-year-old may only nap once a week, and my 4-year-old only 4 days a week or so.

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

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4:00 pm | Wake up and snack

The time at which everyone wakes up varies.

If my older kids aren’t napping they can come out of their rooms after a couple of hours and do something quiet.

Or they often go into each other’s rooms to play quietly. Often all the nappers will sleep until 5:00 pm if I let them!

I’ve found waking up cranky is remedied by a quick snack (not too filling or sweet).

4:30 pm | Free play, TV, or calm activity

If the weather is good the kids may play outside.

If we are currently watching TV each day for a bit (I go through seasons where we do no TV all week except movie night for this particular reason) they may watch TV.

I like when the kids offer to help with dinner, but I can’t have all the kids underfoot so rotating which child can help avoids this and allows you one on one time.

5:30 pm | Dinner

We aim for eating between 5 and 5:30 pm.

This is early, I know, but means we aren’t in a manic panic to do the wind down routine and the kids still get to bed at a reasonable hour.

Reasonable being between 7 and 7:30 pm most nights. This works for our family.

Read: 5 Dinner Time Hacks To Simplify (And Sanify!) Family Meals

(Our old fashioned dinner bell)

6:00 pm | Bath and bedtime routine

If we haven’t swam that day then it’s usually bath time, books, pajamas, and calm play before bed.

That said, kids will be kids and calm can turn to chaos quickly.

My husband and I conquer and divide so each child can have a few minutes alone with each parent before bed. These wind down routines are key for babies, and I normally get baby duty.

A mommy privilege.

7:15 pm | Bed

Sometimes this is a bit earlier or later, but around this time most kids are in bed.

My 2-year-old may often stay up and talk to himself (or sing God Bless America) in his crib if he’s had a late nap, but we’re okay with that.

He doesn’t cry or fuss so it’s less stimulating and more relaxing (not to mention consistent) for him to be in bed at similar times.

Issues moms have when creating a 2 year old routine

Let’s dive into some common issues moms have when they’re trying to either create or keep a routine for their 2-year-old.

Toddlers can resist transitions like it’s their job

Transitions can be enough to make any mom go cross-eyed. Sometimes little ones don’t want to stop doing something. Other times they don’t want to start doing something.

Keeping a consistent routine will help, for one, because nothing will come as a surprise. Surprises are what often cause transition struggles.

Give “warnings” about changes.
Order your day well so you don’t stop something fun to do something not fun.
Intervene early. Don’t keep repeating yourself a million times to a 2 year old, simply pick them up and bring them where you want them to go.

Don’t wait until too late to start motivating your little one or it can cause stress.

Motherhood & Wellbeing

If Mama Ain’t Happy: Boundaries For Moms

Boundaries aren’t harsh or selfish. They protect your energy, peace, and sanity so you can show up as the mom you want to be. This workshop helps you figure out where you need them, set them with confidence, and stick to them without guilt or burnout. Because when you hold your limits, everyone benefits.

Start Now

What do I do with my 2-year-old all day?

Toddlers can have limited attention spans, for sure. Luckily, if you focus on creating environments conducive to safe play then you won’t have to do too much to entertain them.

If you want to start some more structured activities, go small. 5 minutes at a time, then maybe 10. Expectations (yours) play a part here and make a difference in whether it’ll be fun or not.

Do easy activities. My friend from Hands On As We Grow focuses on activities you can do with basic household things, no massive craft drawer needed.
Start small with low expectations.
Buy open ended imagination inspiring toys and allow your child plenty of time to play.
Don’t start the habit of constant entertainment. It’s addicting and not nearly as satisfying to kids as good ole fashioned play.

Read These While You’re At It

5 Problems That Are Solved By Rotating Toys

Easy No Fuss Screen-Free Activities For Kids At Home

How to Encourage Toddlers and Preschoolers To Use Their Imagination

How To Teach Your Children To Play On Their Own

Outdoor Play Tips To Get (And Keep) The Kids Outside!

Nap transitions… 2 year olds daily routines can shift with the months

Some children will nap until 4+ years old happily. Others will have dropped their daily nap by the age of 3. Your 2 year old’s daily routine will depend on this nap.

If a nap has been dropped, an earlier bedtime is in order (7pm latest, in my professional sleep certified opinion, even 6:30pm wouldn’t go amiss!).
Continue to offer afternoon rest time regardless of whether they sleep or not.
Don’t let your 2-year-old sleep later than 4 hours before you want them to go to bed. So, for example, if bedtime is 7pm, wake your toddler up by 3pm or so at the latest. Otherwise, it’ll interfere with bedtime. If you let them nap later, move bedtime back slightly.

The Key to a Good 2-Year-Old Routine

This may be so simple it goes without saying… but the key to a good routine is keeping the routine.

It can be hard to remember what all you want to do with an energetic two-year-old running around, but once you get the hang of it, routine will be second nature.

Here are some ways you can learn to keep your routine without the hassle.

Hang a routine reminder up.

If need help remembering the routine and want to teach your budding toddler to follow the routine at the same time (so you don’t have to nag) I recommend using our routine cards (shown below) or something similar you can whip up at home.

You hang them up in the appropriate room (bedroom for morning routine, bathroom for bath routine, kitchen fridge for mealtime routine, etc.) and then use them to help your child learn independence.

Set alarms around the house or on your phone.

While you don’t need to live and die by the clock, setting your phone, watch, or a timer will help you keep aware of routine transitions.

We can often get so wrapped up in what we’re doing we forget and we’re an hour or two past nap time and now they’re having trouble going down.

I set alarms on my phone that show on my watch and this works for us.

Practice.

As with anything, if you want something to work then work it. Keep pushing what you’ve decided to do.

If it doesn’t work then change it up a bit and keep going. Move forward.

I assure you 100% that a routine will work if you keep at it.

Sources:

What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

Is your baby feeding every hour and not napping or sleeping well? Here’s how you can handle when your little one nurses nonstop. The key is determining if your baby is going through a growth spurt, is actually hungry, or is simply too tired to eat well, and then too hungry to sleep well. This post will teach you to get out of the habit of feeding your newborn baby every hour so they never end up napping or sleeping well.

First let me say, mama, that the newborn period can be rough.

You feel like you were a normal human just a few short weeks ago and now, well, you’re a walking milk producer and baby just won’t settle.

You’re exhausted, weary, and ready for your newborn to sleep.

➡️ The good news is this: with a few tweaks you can stop feeding every hour.

Here’s why your baby feeds every hour

If your baby feeds every hour, they are “snacking.”

Snacking means they are drinking enough fore milk (the less nutrient dense milk that lets down first) that they are filled up enough to doze off in mama’s arms.

Or, some babies, will stop feeding after a few minutes and just stare up at you with those Big Newborn Eyes👼.

Either case… baby is snacking instead of taking a full feed.

Read These While You’re At It

A Printable Newborn Feeding Chart That Works Like A Charm

Breastfeeding Schedule By Month — Birth to 1 Year Of Age!

Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

Baby’s First Year: The Ultimate Month By Month Guide

Is Sleep Training Necessary? No. Also, Yes.

How to get your baby to stop feeding every hour

If you want your baby to take full feeds, the first thing you need to do is get them on a proper newborn breastfeeding schedule.

You aren’t going to become a slave to the clock, but you’re going to stop the snacking.

Instead of cluster feeding on purpose, right now, you’re cluster feeding by accident.

How do you do that?

By only feeding baby every 2.5 to 3 hours and then, at those feeds, giving baby full feeds.

Newborns will naturally only need to feed every 2.5 to 3 hours if they’re taking full feeds each time.

If your baby has a habit of snacking, they will not be the ones to stop it, you’ll have to.

Here’s how to keep baby awake during breastfeeding

When baby feeds for 5 minutes then nods off, you’ll need to swoop in and keep baby awake.

This will help baby get as much milk in as possible and will help them to take better naps.

Rub baby’s cheek
Rub baby’s hands or feet in circular motions
Unswaddle baby (a must if you want to avoid day night confusion)
Use a wipe or wet wash cloth to rub on baby during feeds
Stop feeding and hold baby up, speaking to baby
Take baby outside or somewhere that’s a change of scenery
Make noise, get near siblings, talk to baby
Keep the lights on

Read: Is Sleep Training a Baby Bad or Dangerous? Let’s Talk Facts!

The reason baby doesn’t sleep well when they feed every hour

Your little one will likely not take good daytime naps if they are not taking full feeds.

They aren’t full enough to stay drowsy and asleep as they transition sleep cycles.

When they transition from active to passive sleep (or vice versa) if they aren’t full and are hungry, instead of just continuing the nap, they’ll become fully alert and ready to feed.

And then, because they only took a short nap, when you feed again for 5 to 10 minutes, they’ll be lulled back into a sleep.

➡️ Continuing the cycle of accidental cluster feeding and an overtired baby.

Related Reads:

How to stop the cycle and get on a good routine

The first thing you need to do is to stop baby from snacking every hour.

Encourage full feeds.

If baby is older than 6 weeks and wants to feed after one hour, consider offering a pacifier (we use these stuffed animal ones) instead.

This may help baby get back to sleep for a longer nap, and will mean the next time you feed baby will be hungry enough to eat a full feed.

Do the best you can.

Baby has been in the snacking habit and may resist the change, but eventually you’ll see that you have a far less whiny baby on your hands when they have full tummies and are well rested.

Read: 8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby And What To Do About It

How to get your newborn to nap better

After you make sure that baby has full feeds, you’ll want to work on the napping…

I encourage you to read my full post on baby sleep here – Foolproof Baby Sleep Tips — Routines, Habits & Strategies.

@amotherfarfromhome Follow for more tips like this one! #newmommas #momstrugglesbelike #tipsformom #mommingit #sahmom #parentcoach #mommingallday #newbornbabytips ♬ Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy

Here is how to approach napping with your baby:

Newborns should only be awake for around 45 to 90 minutes at a time (including feeding!) so your newborn routine and your newborn sleep schedule should have a nap after every single feed.
Don’t rock baby to sleep in your arms and then try to put him in the crib because when he transitions through the sleep cycles he’ll realize he’s not in your arms… and he’ll wake up early.
Establish a basic routine with your baby. You can follow this newborn routine here or modify it slightly.
Put your baby to sleep drowsy but awake.
Establish some wind down routines for your little one prior to nap.
Focus on cluster feeding in the late evening hours which will help baby top up and sleep better throughout the night.
Identify any sleep props your baby has (things that prevent him from transitioning and sleeping well on his own) and replace those with sleep associations.

baby in white onesie doing swaddle weaning

If baby is feeding every hour and not sleeping, comfort yourself with this!

I have worked with thousands of mothers via mentoring and my sleep classes and I want you to know that you’re not alone. Some infants will get on a routine naturally. Others simply will not.

They require more tweaking and testing to make sure both baby AND mama are doing okay in the postpartum period.

Frequent feeding is normal, but you aren’t a victim of it.

If your little one is feeding all the time and not sleeping, then you are likely also not sleeping. And sleep deprivation makes mamas crazy! So a possible solution is to start cluster feeding on purpose, not by accident.

Keep baby awake during feeds, as best as possible, and aim for full feeds. This will naturally lengthen the time between feeds to a more manageable situation. So you aren’t nap trapped 24/7.

Learn settling techniques for baby

If your baby is feeding every hour because he’s hungry, then you’ll feed him! That said, if you give a full feed then baby won’t be hungry every hour. It’s like eating a few blueberries every hour verses eating an acai bowl.

Nobody wants an acai bowl every hour.

If you know baby’s tummy is full, but baby is unsettled, you need some settling techniques up your sleeve that don’t involve feeding. Often moms get frazzled and their nerves are fried in this postpartum season. It’s totally normal.

It also means that when baby gristles, cries, or even seems slightly unsettled… that mom shoves baby on the breast to make the crying stop.

This is an excellent strategy to quiet the cries, thus settle your nerves. Temporarily. But, real comfort for a baby is meeting their present need. A tired baby is comforted by getting to sleep. A hungry baby is comforted by feeding.

A tired baby needs a nap, not necessarily a feeding. Your job is to be calm enough – even amidst some cries – to know the difference.

Recap and FAQ… How to get baby to stop feeding every hour and start sleeping

Why does my baby feed every hour?

Short answer… because you let him. Encourage baby to take full feeds and then baby won’t need to feed sooner than 2.5 or 3 hours between feeds throughout the day.

Perhaps even less at night.

Is ten minutes a full feed?

Probably not.

If baby will feed for ten minutes then nap and wake up to feed around 2.5 hours later, it might be.

My daughter fed no longer than 15 minutes per feed, but she could go 3 hours between feeds so, for her, it was a full feed.

Why does my baby want to breastfeed constantly?

If your baby wants to feed constantly, but never feeds that much, then it’s likely an association between feeding and comfort.

You can create other positive associations by cuddling, singing, rocking, baby massage, and other things that will help you to feel bonded to baby (so you can enjoy baby now!) but not be open for milk business all day.

Is feeding every hour cluster feeding?

Yes and no.

Cluster feeding is generally something a breastfeeding mother does on purpose in the late afternoon early evening period (feeding every 2 hours, say) to help give baby all the nutrients he needs so he will sleep later and longer.

Feeding every hour is more like an accidental cluster feeding and if baby isn’t having full feeds then it’s more like Comfort Nursing, not cluster feeding.

About those growth spurts…

Do babies feed every hour when they are going through a growth spurt?

If your baby is going through a growth spurt they will want to feed more often.

This helps your milk supply increase. It’s how you can know if baby is getting enough milk.

If baby is feeding every hour two and taking these feeds seriously – full feeds – then it’s likely a growth spurt or milk supply issue.

Or if baby is trying to feed every hour or two and only feeding for five minutes here or there, it’s not likely a growth spurt.

Why does my baby nurse for 5 minutes and then cry?

This could be a number of things.

Baby could have reflux or you could have hyper-lactation.

Baby could have uncomfortable gas.

Or baby could have a food sensitivity to something you’ve eaten. If this persists past a few days, I’d go in to the doctor and rule out the above causes.

Milk supply?

Why does my baby always seem hungry and never satisfied?

This could be your milk supply. Here’s how to know if baby is getting enough milk.

Could be that baby is going through a growth spurt which means baby is more hungry.

Baby might be teething and eating is not comfortable so he’s not feeding well and in pain. Try pain management for babies who are going through teething.

Why is my newborn feeding for hours on end?

Short answer: they don’t.

They may stay at the breast for a long time, but that doesn’t mean they are actively feeding.

If your baby will take a pacifier you’ll see that they will also suck at the pacifier while sleeping.

Encourage your baby to be awake for feeds and then, after 30 to 45 minutes, take baby off the breast and let them take a nap in their own crib.

Sources:

A Newborn Routine That Works Every Time

If you’ve been going around a tired mom like a chicken with your head cut off, here’s a good sample newborn routine for you. This routine will help your newborn be settled, less fussy, take full feeds, and nap well. This newborn routine is adaptable and perfect for moms who want a little predictability and to avoid overtirednesss. I think it’ll go a long way in helping you survive the newborn phase.

Sample Routines:

I’d like to start off by saying that I feed my baby when he is hungry. I love routine and think they’re great, and we work towards a routine each day.

But even if it’s “off schedule,” I feed my babies when they are hungry. In case you are a troll. Or a routine hater. Or about to send me hate mail.

I just wanted to tell you.

I feed my babies when they are hungry.

So let’s talk about how to get your newborn on a routine where they feed, “play”, and sleep in set patterns that are beneficial to everyone involved.

Baby, siblings, and adults. Routine is not a dirty word.

In fact, routine brings sanity to an otherwise chaotic home environment.

Some mothers thrive on a spontaneous day, and that’s great for them and their kids, but some mothers need structure to make it through.

And I’m one of those mothers!!

I know some of you are going to think my routine is cuh-ray-zeee.

But all 5 of my kids have had the same newborn routine and I’ve had the same results with all 5.

So I’m not saying it’d work for every baby, and definitely not for every mom, but it has worked for me and mine.

Sample Newborn Routine

Note: these are approximates, but most days we are very close to each of the times listed.

Your sample newborn schedule might look different, then be tweaked to work for you.

The biggest key is the intervals of feeding and sleeping.

7:30-8:00 am – wake up and feed
8:30 am – down for a nap
10:30 am – feed, change diaper, play (developmental play mat here)
11:10 am – down for a nap
1:00 pm – feed, change diaper, play
1:40 pm – down for a nap
3:30 pm – feed, change diaper, play
4:10 pm – down for a nap
6:00 pm – feed, change diaper, play, bath (we use this for the sink and it is amazing)
6:30 pm – down for a catnap
7:30-8:00 pm – change diaper, put to bed for the night

8:30 pm – feed (cluster feeding even)
10:30-11:00 pm – dream feed swaddled, put back to bed (my favorite swaddle here)

Then when they wake up during the night I feed them, and this is usually every 3 hours or so.

Read: 8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby (And How To Fix It!)

I just wanted to thank you for your sample routine. I’ve been using it for a week with my baby and had tremendous success from day 2!

Wind down time is so important and so is consistency. Thank you so much. – Sam Morgan

Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

Why so much sleep in your newborn routine?

Well, first of all, why not so much sleep? All 5 of mine have taken a nap after every single feeding from newborns until they were over 1.

Of course the schedule changes, but they nap between feedings for the first few months without question unless they’re sick or we’re out.

Most sources will say it’s normal for a newborn to sleep 18+ hours during the first few months and I’ve always found this to be the case.

If your baby fights sleep much I’d say that it’s a case of you keeping them up. If you try feeding them, swaddling, then immediately putting them down to nap to sleep you may see a big change.

I think this pacifier is a lifesaver with this.

11 ways to get your baby to sleep well for the long run
awesome wind-down routines for naps and bedtime
the sleeping myth that backfires every time

Does the family ever get to see the newborn on this routine?

In a word: no.

Not really anyway.

My family always jokes, “When are you going to let the baby come out of its room?” and I reply smiling, “In a month or two!” 🙂

Aside from the germs aspect, babies can be overstimulated very easily.

People who are far removed from the baby world think it’s normal to talk very very loudly and try to wake the baby up to see the color of its eyes.

It’s like… I mean… just… no.

Please stop that.

By the time the baby is 3 to 4 months old they are awake more and have a lot more time to “socialize.” Now, do I let family snuggle my sweet newborns when they want?

Sure. If they fall asleep in their arms, do I remove them? Of course not, I’m not cruel. Who doesn’t want to hold a sweet baby?

Still, though, I’m not waking the baby up every time someone stops by.

Ultimately, these first few months set the tone for their sleeping habits and newborns who are used to sleeping become babies who are used to sleeping and babies used to sleeping become toddlers used to sleeping, etc.

A major sleep law: sleep begets sleep.

How do you know when to change the newborn routine?

I almost always have to wake up the baby to feed it throughout the day. All four of mine were (and one still is) so sleepy they would either sleep until woken up, or awake at almost the exact time I normally feed them.

I kid you not when I say they will wake within minutes of the normal feeding time.

Their metabolisms are sort of trained to feed and sleep on the routine we make and they wake up happy!

I change schedules when the baby is able to be awake a lot more and is sleeping through the night.

By four or five months when the baby is sleeping 12 hours at night, they are usually awake more during the day and able to cope with more stimulation and play.

That’s when you need to get this swaddle so you can wean one arm at a time.

That’s when I’ll go to 3 hour or 3.5 hour feedings at whatever time seems to suit.

Read: Cluster Feeding Newborns: The Do’s & Don’ts

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Self-Care That Sticks

In this workshop, you’ll ditch the “I don’t have time” excuse and build a flexible, doable self-care plan that fits into your real life. Because taking care of yourself shouldn’t feel like another thing on your to-do list.

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Tips and things to note:

At night feed swaddled to communicate they should stay asleep and during the day unswaddle to feed which helps wake them up. This swaddle is breathable and you can change them at night without taking their arms out. Here are my best swaddling tips.
Yawning, tugging ears, staring off into space, and eye rubbing are signs of tiredness, crying is usually a sign of overtiredness. Waiting until they cry to put them to sleep will likely result in a baby who can’t get to sleep on their own
It’s okay to wake a sleeping baby during the day to feed them, really it is. Letting babies sleep long stretches during the day will not help in the day/night confusion issue.
Here’s what to do if baby is feeding every hour and not sleeping.
Earlier to bed and nap is always best! Wearing them out will backfire. (Here’s why)
I use white noise during naps and create a dark room. These will help the room be more conductive to sleep.
If we’re out of the house I won’t attempt to keep the same schedule, but I will try to feed them at the same time as normal or put in an extra feed before I leave so they don’t get hungry while I’m in the checkout line at Wal-Mart.

Read: Want an Easy Baby? Then Use A Foolproof Baby Schedule

Should I wake my newborn up or let them sleep for longer periods in their routine?

The answer depends on the time! If your baby has taken a long nap during the day and it’s time for another feed (3 hours or more) then wake baby up and feed. Any longer than that is actually equivalent to a night sleep. You’ll pay for it in the evening when baby wakes up more frequently to feed.

In the evening or nighttime? Let baby sleep! Baby likely won’t sleep more than four hours or so overnight initially, but don’t focus on waking baby every 2.5 to 3 hours overnight.

The Key to a Good Newborn Routine

This may be so simple it goes without saying… but the key to a good routine is keeping the routine.

It can be tricky to remember everything in order when you’re beginning, but once you get the hang of it, routine will be second nature.

It can seem very difficult to get started doing or keeping a routine when you do not have one at all. Here are some ways you can learn to keep your routine.

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5, 13-18, 6-12

Sticky Routines System

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Hang it up somewhere.

In my Rhythms, Routines, and Schedules book I have 25+ sample routine printables from babies age 6 weeks to 5 years.

You can take these printables and hang them in your nursery, on the fridge, or keep them in your planner. Whatever works. You can hang the routine cards as well and pretty soon you won’t need to reference anything, it’ll be second nature.

Read: End Baby’s Witching Hour — In 4 Simple Steps

Set some alarms.

While you don’t need to live and die by the clock, setting your phone, watch, or a timer will help you keep aware of routine transitions.

We can often get so wrapped up in what we’re doing we forget we’ve let the baby sleep 4 hours. Why is that bad?

Because 4 hours is a stretch littles ones should only sleep at night! I set alarms on my phone that show on my watch and this works for us.

Read: The Dreamfeed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Practice.

As with anything, if you want something to work then work it. Keep pushing what you’ve decided to do. If it doesn’t work then change it up a bit and keep going.

Move forward.

I assure you 100% that a routine will work if you keep at it.

Want Routine Printables to hang up?

If you want routines and schedules for not only the newborn age, but for 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and on I’ve got great news.

I’ve created a book chock full of routines that work.

Routines that keep babies well rested, happy, and content. Routines that account for all the things you need to do and they are mom tested.

The best part?

The book comes with printable routines (3 choices for each age) that you can hang up and use! So instead of having to reinvent the wheel every few months, you’ll have tried and true mom tested routines right at your fingertips.

Get your own routine book and printables here!

Newborn Routine FAQ

When do you start tummy time?

You can start tummy time immediately. As soon as you get home from the hospital you can start letting baby spend some time on their stomach each day.

Don’t put baby on their tummies after a feeding or they are likely to spit up. In fact, they’ll probably spit up a bit no matter what, but best to wait until perhaps after baby has woken up from a nap but isn’t quite ready to feed.

You’ll find a good time.

If baby doesn’t like tummy time, simply try again later.

Hello, is this the same schedule you should follow if they are formula fed or should you space out the feedings a little more?

If baby is formula fed you’ll want to go 3 hours between feeds as a general rule instead of 2.5, Hope that helps!

Hey Rachel, if you don’t wake them up night, do you let them sleep through night feedings if they don’t wake up on their own?

I usually let mine sleep through any night feedings if they wanted to. I would offer a dream feed and then go to bed and sleep until they woke me up for a feed.

Sometimes it’d be 3 hours, sometimes 4 hours, sometimes 2.5.

I wanted to encourage sleeping through the night so didn’t wake baby up at night to feed past the dream feed.

How do you swaddle a newborn safely at night when it’s hot in the summer?

You can still swaddle a baby during the summer, follow these summer swaddling guidelines.

Sources:

The 3 Year Old Sleep Schedule That Minimizes Meltdowns

Here’s a 3 year old sleep schedule that’ll make the transition from toddler to preschooler bearable. It also makes for happy well-rested children.

I have had 5 three year olds…

And, I’ve worked with many hundreds more as a certified sleep consultant.

We often think we have sleeping all figured out when they’re babies and they finally sleep through the night. Then, we get through the 4 month sleep regression, then a 2 year sleep regression… and then… for goodness’ sake…

We’ve got the sleeping transitions that occur when our little ones are 3.

So saddle up… this post will help you figure out wake times, bedtimes, nap times, and how to drop that afternoon nap if your little one is ready.

The 3 Year Old Sleep Schedule You’ll Be Able To Keep

Without further ado…. let’s dive in.

3 year old child sleeping with a teddy bear on a 3 year old sleep schedule

A Sample 3 Year Old Sleep Schedule

Your child’s schedule will be whatever works for your family. I have a stay at home mom schedule so I’ll share mine here as a starting point. I currently have a 3 year old and this is his 3 year old sleep routine.

This is what my son’s days look like, more or less.

You’ll notice I don’t have every hour or even every two hour block laid out, but the “bones” of the routine (wake up, eat, nap, eat, bed) I do.

7:30 a.m. | Wake up, come out, eat breakfast
8:00 a.m. | Read aloud time with older siblings (I homeschool, here are homeschooling pros and cons if you’re considering it)

8:45 a.m. | Outdoor play

11:00 a.m. | Cartoons and/or independent play

12:00 p.m. | Eat lunch then free play

1:00 p.m. | Nap or rest time (he still naps nearly every day)

3:00 p.m. | Come out of room, have snack, free play

5:30 p.m. | Dinner, bath, bedtime routine, etc.

7:30 or 8:00 p.m. | Bed

Whether he “seems tired” or not at 1 p.m. or bedtime, he goes to the crib anyway. 9 times out of 10 he’ll fall asleep quickly.

three year old girl laughing and playing because of a 3 year old sleep schedule

When adults get tired we drag, lose energy, and act sluggish. When 3 year olds get tired they become hyper, loud, and defiant.

Don’t wait until your child “seems tired” to put him down to sleep.

Wake Time – Get A Clock? (Important For 3 Year Olds!)

So, your 3 year old’s wake up time will vary depending on their situation.

If they go to daycare.

If they’re in preschool.

Or, if they are at home with you.

There’s no need to create a random time just to have one, but the goal is to have a normal time that you shoot for each day that your child can sleep to.

Or, if it suits you, a time that you are OK with your child waking up.

The reason this is important is because whatever time they start waking up routinely is the time they’ll keep.

Our kids are not allowed to come out of their rooms and start the day until 7:30 a.m. Most sleep until at least 7 anyway, but they use this inexpensive clock you can get on Amazon to know when they are okay to come out of their room and start the day.

This is something that’ll bring you years of sanity. It also prevents kids from thinking 5:00 a.m. is a fine time to get up.

With the sleeping changes that come during the 3 year of your little one’s life, it’s important they start the day fairly regularly.

You may choose any time that suits your family, but get your child used to staying in their room and entertaining themselves for a short period of time.

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Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

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3 year old girl resting with a 3 year old sleep schedule

Hold The Bones Of Your 3 Year Old’s Sleep Routine

If your 3 year old is starting to take shorter naps or skip naps, then the sleep schedule can lose all shape.

This isn’t necessarily bad, but beware.

Things get HAIRY if we throw the routine to the wayside and just go with whatever happens.

What ends up happening is the child will not fall asleep until 4:00 p.m. then will wake up at 5:30 p.m. to eat then run around overtired until 10:30 p.m. and then either wake up super early or end up sleeping late.

Only to repeat the chaos the next day.

Sleep phase shifts (when a child’s biological rhythms begin to adapt to abnormal sleep times) often occur during this time.

If a child naps longer than they need, they are not tired enough to sleep at night, and this can lead to bedtime battles.

Read These While You’re At It

5 Reasons Bedtime Stories are More Important Than You Think

Nightmares, Night Terrors, & Sleep Walking In Kids: Strategies For Relief

Bedtime Battles: How To Avoid Stalling, Tantrums, & Constant Questions

So how do we avoid an overtired preschooler?

Keep the bones of the routine.

Keep the wake up time similar in the morning, wake your child up if they sleep much past the normal time. They will then be able to make up for that at naptime or early bedtime.

Don’t let your child take a nap late into the early evening.

If your child falls asleep late for the nap (after, say, 3:30 p.m.) give your child an hour or so and then wake them up. This way they’ll be able to go to bed at the normal time.

Wake your 3-year-old up if they sleep too late.

If your regular bedtime is 7:30 p.m., wake your child up by 3:30 p.m. so they will be tired by their regular bedtime. Sleeping too late will cause bedtime battles which can contribute to nightmares and night terrors.

Keep mealtimes and snack times similar.

Your child’s body will metabolize to the times you feed them. Remember getting hungry every day at the exact time that lunch is served? Keep the meal times as constant as you did before.

big sister holding her little sibling and a 3 year old sleep schedule

How To Drop Your Child’s Afternoon Nap

No 3-year-old sleep schedule post would be complete without talking about how to drop the afternoon nap.

It is very common during this year of life for your child to stop napping.

Here’s how my children have dropped their afternoon nap, for a point of reference.

Remember, each child has their own particular sleep needs.

My first child dropped naps about 3.5 years of age. She went from daily naps to 4 times a week, to 3, to 2, to 1 or barely none. She continued rest time each day at 1 p.m. as per before and, even still today at 7, will take the occasional nap.

My second child continued napping nearly every day until Kindergarten. Even sometimes he’d come home from school and nap. Now he’s 6 and will very occasionally nap in the afternoons if he’s been out late. He was always a sleepy baby.

My third child dropped his nap around 3.5 years of age. He went from 7 naps a week to 5 to 3 to 1 to barely any. He’ll sleep now in the afternoon once every two weeks or so, but still has rest time at 1 p.m. in his room now at the age of 5.

My fourth child, at 3 years and 10 months old and still took an afternoon nap every day. He would often only sleep from around 1 until 2:30 or 3, occasionally until 3:30. He could miss a nap if we’re going to go somewhere, but he still needs it.

My fifth child napped until he was 4 years old.

Read These While You’re At It

Why Your Baby Or Toddler Wakes Up Crying – And What To Do About It

Bedtime Battles: How To Avoid Stalling, Tantrums, & Constant Questions

Early Morning Wakings: Why They Happen and How to Fix ‘Em

Nightmares, Night Terrors, & Sleep Walking In Kids: Strategies For Relief

a family at disney world with strollers — *My crew 🙂*

Don’t Drop Rest-Time For Your 3 Year Old

If you think your child is starting to not need naps every day, put them in their bed anyway. This is called quiet time or rest time.

Give them some soft toys, a few books, and put them down for a nap. If they aren’t tired they won’t sleep. And, if they are, they will.

They may even read for a while then fall off into sleep for a bit.

➡️ If you think they don’t need a nap and stop putting them down for this altogether, this is a recipe for overtiredness. Even if they don’t fall asleep, they’ll have quiet and rest.

It could be time to start a Quiet/Rest Routine.

The more overtired a toddler is, the more likely they are to have confusion arousal at night which you really want to avoid if possible. This includes night terrors, some nightmares, and even sleepwalking. It’s much more likely during a transitional period when they are dropping naps and adjusting their nighttime sleep.

Motherhood & Wellbeing

If Mama Ain’t Happy: Boundaries For Moms

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mom laughing with three year old son after a 3 year old sleep schedule

Wake Your 3 Year Old Up If They Fall Asleep Later

If your little starts to fall asleep later in the afternoon than normal, like past 3 p.m. say, then don’t let them sleep until they wake up.

They may not be tired at 1 p.m. but crash later.

If you let them sleep until 6 p.m. then they won’t go to bed until much later and then on and on and on. Let them have a bit of sleep and then wake them up in time for an early dinner, then put them to bed at a normal time.

➡️ They may lie in bed awake at night for a while, singing, talking, etc. and not falling straight asleep. This is normal as they are transitioning into a new sleep schedule, and that’s okay.

If they start taking 1 to 2 hours to fall asleep at night, cut that nap short or wean it altogether.

3 year old girl cuddling with her mom after a 3 year old sleep schedule

Wait For Fewer Than 2 Naps A Week To Fully Drop

Before you agree that your child doesn’t need any more naps… wait until they are taking fewer than 2 naps for a few weeks at a time… and watch their behavior.

You’ll notice if they are fine without a nap or reeling from the transition to less sleep.

Are they content throughout the day or very irritable?
Do they fall asleep the minute you put them in a car or are they alert?
Do they start having a repeat of baby witching hours in the early evening or are they able to make it to bedtime okay?
What is their overall mood? Positive or struggling?

Of course, there are other factors at work here, but if your child is resisting naps yet still clearly exhausted, do not give up rest time.

Move Bedtime Slightly Forward If Naps Are Missed

So… I know I said not to move around the routine too much – and I stick to this! – but there’s no harm in moving bedtime up 30 minutes or so if the nap has been missed.

If your child is exhausted and worn out, what they need is sleep.

mom and three year old reading as part of a 3 year old sleep schedule

Expect It To Be Rocky, Expect It To Settle

Know that the transition from an afternoon nap to no afternoon nap will not always be smooth sailing and easy.

Some days they’ll throw tantrums left and right and be defiant and all manner of other things.

Symptoms of overtiredness.

Just stick with them, keep your boundaries, and watch things fall into place as the new normal takes over.

Motherhood & Wellbeing

If Mama Ain’t Happy: Boundaries For Moms

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3-year-old sleep issues…

Many moms feel that sleep issues should be over by the time their child is 3. I agree! But that ain’t always how it plays out, ha. Nope. Sometimes the issues continue.

Let’s quickly touch on some issues that may arise in your 3 year old’s sleep schedule.

Your 3 year old takes a nap some days and not others

This is okay, and it’s normal. It will, however, mean that bedtime seems to move up a bit depending on the day. Say your little one actually has rest time instead of taking an afternoon nap. If this happens a couple of days in a row then your child may also be exhausted at bedtime.

In this case, I’d move bedtime up 30 minutes or so. This means you can do a relaxing wind down routine and let your 3 year old catch up on some sleep.

3 year olds may occasionally nap for a long time

Because your preschooler may eventually drop the afternoon nap, there will be some days on and days off. This can look like Monday and Tuesday there was rest time instead of nap time. Then Wednesday, a nap!

You still do want to wake a napping toddler if the nap is going to interrupt bedtime. If bedtime is 7pm, you want to wake up your toddler by 3:30pm at the latest. Typically. If there was a very active event, vacation, or some late nights, you may not need to.

But on the whole, don’t let your preschooler nap too long. It’ll interrupt bedtime. Or it’ll do the next thing…

Your 3 year old starts waking up in the night

If your 3 year old’s sleep schedule feels like a mystery and there is some night waking… take heart. Typically 3 year olds only need a certain amount of time in the bed. If your child is getting over 12 or 13 hours a day (including the nap) then there may be some night waking.

Your 3 year old might wake up at 7am, go down for a nap at 1pm, wake up at 4 pm, then go to bed at 7pm. By 1pm your child may wake up and stay awake for an hour or two! This is fairly typical and means that the nap is too long.

Solution: shorten the afternoon nap or move bedtime back slightly.

Your 3 year old fights a nap until naptime is almost over… AND THEN falls asleep

This is a gem. Boy, these precious kids. You put your child down for a nap at naptime. There is playing and singing and games and just when you think rest time is over… the nap has started.

The temptation is very strong to let the child sleep. I discourage this! I mean sure, 30 minutes is fine, but don’t let an hour or two nap start when the nap is supposed to be ending. This will push back bedtime. Your 3 year old will get overtired.

Get a second wind.

And then it’ll be off to the races.

Solution: make sure naptime is over 4 hours before you want to put your 3 year old to bed.

My 3-year-old cries every time I put him down for rest time. What do I do?

The goal of rest time is to create a calm environment for our kids to decompress. If they are crying because they think they have to go to sleep, assure them that during rest time they can do quiet activities in their bed. Try giving them their favorite book, stuffed animal, etc. to try to calm them down and make it a fun time instead of stressful.

Do I keep the lights on or off for transitioning between naps and rest time?

I recommend a night light or a dim light that they can still see as they quietly play but I don’t leave the full light on.

If I want to start waking my child up around 7:30 am instead of 8:30 am, do I transition slowly or change it cold turkey?

It totally depends on the child. Changing their wake times gradually will take longer but they will often not notice the change as much. Changing cold turkey is faster but they will be tired for a few days while they adjust.

Sources:

The Tried-And-True 1 Year Old Sleep Schedule

Here’s a 1 year old sleep schedule to get your baby on the right track to calmer nights and days. One year olds go from 2 naps to 1 nap and are more active and awake during the day. If you want to make sure your 1 year old takes a good long nap and goes to bed well at bedtime, this post will help. If you haven’t tried this alongside sleep training, now’s a good time to start.

1 year olds…

Whew… they’re hard.

They are mobile and they like packing and unpacking everything. You become a tired mama watching their every move and you’ve gotta be hyper-vigilant because they want to eat LEGOs and whatever they can grab out of the trash can.

I had 5 kids in 5 years… I know.

Napping and sleeping also get a tad trickier in this year of baby’s life as well.

This is when you drop the morning nap, lengthen the afternoon nap, and baby is still not as sleepy as they used to be.

Also, they aren’t falling asleep in the high chair anymore.

Unless they’re super overtired, of course.

1 Year Old Sleep Schedule Considerations

Here are some considerations for you as you navigate a routine with your 1 year old.

Read: Foolproof Baby Sleep Tips — Routines, Habits & Strategies

Early 1 Year Old Schedule – With 2 Naps

Baby will begin transitioning from 2 daily naps – morning and afternoon – to one afternoon nap during the 12 to 18 month age range.

This is generally a gradual process – the weaning from the morning nap – and you can look for a few things to be sure your baby is ready.

Baby may not have all of these, but you’ll recognize the signs if you pay attention.

Signs baby is ready to begin weaning the morning nap:

I go into it in great detail in this post, When Babies Go To One Nap (A Step-By-Step Guide), but here’s a quick recap.

Morning naps remain long and the afternoon nap shortens, leaving baby quite tired at bedtime.

Baby takes longer to get to sleep for either the morning or the afternoon nap. He doesn’t need two long full naps every single day.

Baby will take a morning nap as usual, but “fight” the afternoon nap.

When you’re out and about in the morning, baby is able to stay up quite well but then flags considerably around lunchtime, perhaps even refusing food.

Baby and mom with a 1 year old sleep schedule

Read: The Crucial Elements Of A Rock Solid Toddler Schedule

A sample 1 year old sleep schedule looks like this.

7:00 am – Wake up, eat breakfast, play
9:30 am – Nap
10:45 am – Wake up, play
12:00 pm – Lunch, play
1:30 pm – Nap
3:30 pm – Wake up, snack, play
5:30 pm – Dinner
6:00 pm – Bath, wind down, family time
7:30 pm – Bedtime

Baby sleeping with a 1 year old sleep routine.

Mid 1 Year Old Schedule – Dropping The Nap

If baby has shown many of the above signs, you know it’s time to get to work dropping the nap. After you’ve done that you’ll tackle the 1 nap schedule, which may take a bit to get used to.

For the first year of baby’s life he’s had a morning nap and enjoyed it, so the key is to watch baby’s cues.

Baby might be okay to drop the nap cold turkey, but most babies will need a transition period as they learn to stay awake until their early afternoon snooze.

Below you’ll find tips to help you drop the morning nap.

Note: you don’t need to do them all, but choose what works best for you and baby.

Read: Bossy Baby? Being responsive without creating a tyrant toddler!

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Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

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How to drop the morning nap:

Push back the normal morning nap 15 minutes later, waking baby at the same time as normal.

Put baby down for morning nap at the same time, but wake him up before he would normally wake. For example, if he normally sleeps 1.5 hours, wake him up after 1 hour.

Take baby out in the morning during nap time and keep baby awake. When you get home, feed baby an early lunch, then put him down to sleep at an “in between time.” So, instead of 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. nap times, for example, keep baby awake in the morning then put him down at 12:00 p.m. Note how long he’s able to sleep for that nap, it may be shorter and thus you’ll have to move up bedtime.

one year old in pack and play during nap time and 1 year old sleep routine.

Let baby sleep only 15 minutes to 30 minutes in the morning nap, then put baby down to an afternoon nap at 1:00 p.m., directly after lunch.

Baby may take a few months to fully drop the morning nap. If you try to drop the morning nap and baby is exhausted by early evening, then keep a short morning nap as part of the routine until he’s fully ready.

If baby is having trouble taking an afternoon nap (because they’re not quite tired enough) then move it back slightly. This will help them to get some sleep in the afternoon so they’re less fussy and irritable in the evenings as they transition.

A sample 1 year old nap schedule while dropping nap might look like this.

7:00 am – Wake up, eat breakfast, play

9:45 am – Nap

10:30 am – Wake up, play

12:00 pm – Lunch, play

1:30 pm – Nap

3:30 pm – Wake up, snack, play

5:30 pm – Dinner

6:00 pm – Bath, wind down, family time

7:30 pm – Bedtime

Older 1 Year Old Sleep Schedule – With 1 Nap

So… around 18 months baby will likely be ready to stop taking the morning nap.

This is both freeing and nerve-wracking.

Freeing because you aren’t tethered to being at home every morning so baby can sleep, but nerve wracking because it’s hard to find things to do to fill all that new time with baby.

Luckily, babies need to play, not be entertained. Here are some things to consider as you drop the morning nap completely.

For a few weeks you may need to have the afternoon nap time moved up slightly. Not so early baby gets used to napping at 11:00 a.m. (and thus waking so early in the afternoon they struggle to be happy as bedtime nears), but 12:00 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. then gradually moving nap time back to around 1:00 p.m. in 15 minute increments.

Expect baby’s afternoon nap to lengthen, but it may take a while. Afternoon naps can be as long as 3 or even 3.5 hours once they’re in the swing of them, but they may start out shorter.

Be sure baby is well fed (very well fed) right before nap. Milk and solids and finger food (whatever baby eats) right before nap help baby’s tummy to stay full which makes for deeper and sounder sleep.

If baby wakes up after 45 minutes, don’t rush right in. Give baby time to go back to sleep on their own, they usually will.

Smiling baby with 1 year old sleep routine.

Read: How to Get All Your Kids To Nap At The Same Time

A sample 1 year old schedule with 1 nap might look like this.

7:00 am – Wake up, eat breakfast, play

9:45 am – Outside exploring

10:30 am – Independent play time, family time, errands

12:00 pm – Lunch, play

1:00 pm – Nap

4:00 pm – Wake up, snack, play

5:30 pm – Dinner

6:00 pm – Bath, wind down, family time

7:00 pm – Bedtime

Bedtime Tips For 1 Year Olds

Bedtime can be quite harrowing for little ones.

It gets easier as they get older and are able to put themselves to bed on their own, but if baby is overtired it can be stressful.

Here are some tips to keep bedtime shenanigans to a minimum.

When in doubt, put baby to sleep a bit early. Earlier bedtimes are always better than later ones in terms of quality of sleep.

Avoid over-stimulation in the hour prior to bedtime. Choose a wind down routine that serves your family and stick with it. Baby will get used to the positive sleep associations and not fight sleep.

Reading is a great way to help baby calm down. Even if baby won’t sit still and fidgets, it’s a great way to inspire a love of reading and expand their vocabulary.

Use white noise. This is both a positive sleep association and drowns out the noise of older siblings.

Read These While You’re At It

A No-Fuss Guide To Sleep Training (With Printable!)

Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

Wind-down Routines Guaranteed to Help Your Baby Sleep

Foolproof Baby Sleep Tips — Routines, Habits & Strategies

Sleep issues that come up for 1-year-olds

There are some particular sleep struggles that you may find when you’re figuring out your 1 year old’s sleep schedule. It can be all roses and snores and sweet dreams… and then All Of A Sudden.

1-year-olds can have erratic days that throw you off schedule

What can happen is this: your little one doesn’t nap well and gets overtired. In an effort to prevent overtiredness (this cycle is a doozy) you decide to put your 1 year old down early for bedtime.

This is a good decision, honestly, but it can then mean your toddler does some early waking. Which can mean that the morning nap is very restorative. And this can result in a shorter afternoon nap, since 1 year olds drop that morning nap at some point.

Days can get off schedule. Moms can try and compensate for the tiredness by moving naps up or back. And doing the same to bedtimes. And this can cause a lot of stress.

Solution: Try and keep your 1 year old’s sleep schedule even if your toddler is tired. Move things up 15 minutes here or there, sure, but don’t change every day to try and track what is happening to your toddler.

Because your toddler is probably trying to track what is happening with the schedule.

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5, 13-18, 6-12

Sticky Routines System

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Toddler boy sleeping with 1 year old sleep routine.

One year olds may take good morning naps and bad afternoon naps

This is an easy fix! If your toddler is falling asleep easily and deeply for the morning nap, but fighting the afternoon nap. It’s time to drop – or significantly wean – the morning nap.

Around 16 to 18 months your 1 year old can take one full nap a day and stay well rested. The afternoon is when this nap needs to happen. If your child wakes up at 6:30am then by 1pm or so baby will be ready for an afternoon siesta!

If you give a morning nap – when baby only needs 1 nap a day – then your 1 year old simply won’t sleep well for that afternoon nap. Which will mean he gets super fussy by dinnertime.

Solution: When the morning nap goes well and the afternoon nap doesn’t, wean the morning nap.

1-year-olds can start to climb

Absolutely nothing will mess up your 1 year old’s sleep like ninja escape moves that go unchecked. You know how it goes…

Naptime is all fun and games until your toddler breaks out of the crib. This is where you can get clever.

don’t put your 1 year old in a bed just because they’re climbing out of the crib. It’ll only get worse and more difficult.
Put your 1 year old down in a sleep sack. A sleep sack (that isn’t too tight but is neither loose enough to get out of) will mean your child can’t sling an entire leg over the side of the crib easily.
Lower the mattress level so your one year old can’t actually get out.

Is there a 1 year old sleep regression?

Babies can regress anytime, ha. There can be a 12 month old sleep regression and again at 2 years old, but typical sleep issues for 1 year old babies revolve around nap weaning.

If baby was sleeping well and stopped, look at: growth spurts, sickness, ear aches, daytime changes, family tension, schedule disruption, the need to go to 1 nap vs. staying at 2.

How do you handle tantrums with your one-year-old?

I have an entire post full of tips on this. First off, if you dial in your one year old sleep schedule then your little one will be less tired.

Tiredness leads to meltdows, tantrums, and some attitude.

Don’t be alarmed by your little one’s moods. Remain calm, stand by your boundaries, and be a loving support.

Remember: parents who hate whining have whiners. Moms who are scared of anger have angry kids. Parents who are ruled by guilt raise guilt trippers.

Remain calm, neet your child’s needs before they need to cry for them, and know baby will do just fine.

Sources:

What is a good wake window for 1 year olds?

Great question! If your 1 year old is taking 2 naps then naptime will typically be a few hours after waking (for a shorter morning nap) then a few hours after waking from the morning nap. So maybe at 9:30a.m. then at 1:00 p.m.rnrnYou’ll want to put your baby to bed no longer than 4 hours after he wakes up from the afternoon nap. So if baby wakes at 3:30 p.m. from afternoon nap, you’ll shoot for a 7:30 p.m. bedtime.

What if my baby always falls to sleep in the car in the morning then skips the afternoon nap?

This is a major headache for many moms. Baby falls asleep for a power nap in the morning then fights the afternoon nap and is miserable all the way until bedtime.rnrnOh no!rnrnUntil baby gets used to one nap a day (the afternoon nap) – and he will – try to avoid long car rides as best you can. Give a toy or something to play with. If it’s an errand, try running it at another time.rnrnEventually this will pass.

Is it okay to scold a 1 year old?

It’s never too early to model appropriate behavior for your child. You show them what you want them to do, set them up for success to do it, and don’t create opportunities them to do things that go against the rules.

When they’re young, this is so easy!

How long should a 1 year old play alone?

If you want your kids to start doing independent playtime then 1 year is a great time to start. Most 1 year olds can safely play alone for at least 30 minutes, even longer if they are doing an imagination game.

How many naps should a 1 year old have?

Babies who are 12 to 14 or 15 months will typically have 2 naps. A morning and an afternoon. Anywhere from 13 to 18 months your toddler will drop their morning nap and just have an afternoon nap.

Typically, a baby who wakes up after 6am can make it happily to around the 12:30pm or 1pm mark. Then, for a few years they will nap at this time for a few hours a day. Bedtime will be around 4 hours after they wake up from their afternoon nap.

What To Do With Toddlers When You’re Putting Baby To Sleep

Wondering what to do with your toddlers or older children when you’re putting baby to bed so it’s a calm environment? Read on.

Have you ever noticed this?

When you research an issue to a problem. Find a solution or two and then think… but how do you actually DO that?

Like… there is tons of help on baby sleep issues. What to do if baby won’t nap. If baby wakes up super early. Or still wakes up multiple times a night.

And sometimes these articles give you tips.

And these tips may work – if your toddler wasn’t Causing Issues.

What if you have toddlers or preschoolers who get into trouble, make loud noise, or keep running into the baby’s room when you’re trying to put baby down to sleep?

Well, my mama friend, I’m glad you’re here. I will tell you.

How to put baby to sleep in peace – and what to do with your toddlers and older kids

So if any of the following things are familiar to you, then buckle in and stay tuned.

toddler comes rushing into the baby’s room when you’re in the middle of a wind-down routine
when you’re putting baby down for a nap your toddler trashes the joint
you try and put baby in their play pen so you can put baby to sleep and then hear screaming and wailing and gnashing of teeth while you’re trying to create a Peaceful Sleeping Environment

Stagger daily schedules to fit

If possible, stagger your family’s daily routine so that your toddler is occupied while you need to put baby into bed. This isn’t always possible but will be possible a few times a day.

Nap time for baby can coincide with independent play for your older kids.
Nap time for baby can coincide with rest time / quiet time for your toddlers and preschoolers.

The key is that if your toddlers or preschoolers are occupied already when it’s time to put baby down for a nap then it’ll be easier. They won’t feel they are missing out on something and try and interrupt the process.

Also, many toddlers want to help mom put the baby to bed, kiss baby, do the wind-down routine, etc so it’s less stimulating for baby overall to have your older kids outside of the room.

Find a safe (contained) place for your toddlers

Sometimes you’ll need your hands and some space to get things done.

The things that need doing may be part of your daily routine, or at other times, urgent matters to deal with.

unclogging toilet
dealing with people at the door
answering an urgent phone call
doctoring someone’s boo boo

And on and on. The fact is, whether you want to admit it or not, you need to have safe places to put your toddler when you need them safe and contained. When you’re putting baby to bed, you can use one of these places as well.

high chair
play pen
crib
gated in play area

These are 4 places to start. Have some safe toys nearby, make sure baby isn’t able to get out, and don’t push your limit on how long you leave your toddler there.

Read These While You’re At It

A Genius Printable (and Editable) Daily Routine For Kids

An 18 Month Routine for Energetic Toddlers

An Easy Peasy 2-Year-Old Routine That Works Every Time

A Sample 4 Year Old Schedule To Keep Your Little One Happy

Foolproof Sample Daily Schedule For Toddlers, Preschoolers & Older Kids

Quiet Time (Rest Time) for Toddlers: All You Need to Know

Have a “go-to” spot

Kids absolutely love routine and predictability. They also have far less resistance to transitions when they know what to expect. If possible, have set areas where baby can be safe while you put baby down to sleep.

If baby’s room is upstairs, have an area upstairs you can put baby (crib, play pen, etc.)
Don’t put baby somewhere too far away for your mental capacity. You’ll be worried the whole time that you can’t hear your toddler and it’ll give you manic energy. This will trickle down to the baby you’re attempting to comfort.
If your toddler is finishing a meal or snack, you can leave him in the high chair (strapped in) with a book or something safe. He’ll likely throw it down, but hey, he’ll be safe.

Do what you have to do without the guilt

There’s this guilt that comes with moms that says “I shouldn’t have normal issues. I should be able to do all aspects of mom life without having to juggle or prioritize things.”

Nope. Sometimes your baby needs your full attention. Other times your other children need your full attention. As a mature capable adult you are able to discern which is which and make appropriate choices in each situation.

And you can do so without the guilt.

Be free, mama, and go forth with a peaceful daily routine!

Baby’s First Year: The Ultimate Month By Month Guide

Inside you’ll find the ultimate guide to your baby’s first year, baby’s first milestones, and a month by month guide to rock being a mama. The first year with your baby can feel like a blur, these feeding and caretaking tips will help you feel confident.

Congratulations on bringing home a precious little one. Get ready for the ride of your life, mama. This post will help you to maintain an effective routine for you and baby throughout baby’s first year.

It’ll help y’all stay well-rested, content, and peaceful as you navigate this new life with an additional family member.

Some general rules of thumb for babies:

feed baby when hungry, avoid snacking all day long
try and keep out of the overtired cycle
remember that baby feels your energy (so take care of yourself well!)
babies will sleep and want to, if yours is fighting sleep, just keep at it.

The Ultimate Guide To Baby’s First Year: Month By Month

I’m going to break down the ins and outs and considerations of each month all listed below.

1st Month: The Newborn Phase

One of the biggest concerns in this first month is making sure baby is eating full feeds at regular intervals (grab a newborn feeding tracker here). Make sure you’re feeding baby every 2.5 to 3 hours during the day or you’ll contribute to day night confusion.

If baby falls sleep while nursing frequently, feed unswaddled and without much clothes.

You can even take a wipe and rub it gently across the bottom of baby’s feet or face to keep him awake long enough to take a full feed. This is an extremely important habit to get into.

Swaddling is also something to start immediately. If you are trying to get things out of your head and onto paper, I’d recommend at this stage keeping a baby log as well.

Babies who snack 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there are unsettled and have trouble sleeping.

Read These While You’re At It

5 Safe Sleep Rules You’re Probably Breaking

6 Baby Products That Help Newborns Sleep Well From The Start

A Newborn Routine That Works Every Time

Cluster Feeding Newborns: Do’s & Dont’s (& How To Do It Right)

Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

Milestones:

Sees faces
Sees black and white (and other bold) patterns
Brings hands close to mouth
Can move head when on tummy

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

2nd Month: The End Of The Newborn Phase

When baby gets to 4 weeks of age you start to emerge from the postpartum newborn tunnel. You’re still in the tunnel, but the light at the end is getting closer. Baby will hopefully be on a good daily routine and the days are becoming more predictable.

Babies whose needs are met regularly via routine don’t need to cry to communicate.

My 5 babies rarely cried their entire first year simply because they were fed at regular intervals (meaning they weren’t starving) and they were put down for naps at regular intervals (meaning they were rarely overtired.)

Milestones:

May begin smiling at people
Starts following or tracking movement in objects and people
Holds head upright for longer periods
Can hold eye contact

Read These While You’re At It

Breastfeeding Schedule By Month — Birth to 1 Year Of Age!

Want an Easy Baby? Then Use A Foolproof Baby Schedule

A Newborn Routine That Works Every Time

Clear Signs Your Baby Needs A Simple Routine

3rd Month

Now we’re moving past what is generally agreed to be the newborn phase. Baby is feeding more, more alert, and spending less time each day snoozing. Babies at this age like interaction and being included in the daily rhythm of the home.

This is a great time to begin (if you haven’t already) putting baby down in his or her own crib drowsy but awake.

Babies who learn to do the last bit of getting to sleep on their own will transition through sleep phases better and wake less at night. Here are some simple tips to help baby sleep well in the long run.

Read: The 3 Month Old Baby Sleep Routine You Can Count On

Milestones:

Makes noises other than cries, like cooing
Can move hands toward objects
Has recognizably different cries for different things
Studies faces of others
Pushes down with legs if put in standing position
Can do push up like movements when on tummy

Read: Simple Baby Advice That Stands The Test Of Time

4th Month and 5th Month

These two months are when baby starts being more alert. If you have not been teaching healthy sleep habits, at this point, baby stops wanting to nap. Baby doesn’t just fall asleep easily by now, they need a more structured routine.

If you’ve already had a structured routine up to point, baby will often have sleep regressions. A sleep regression is where babies take longer and longer to fall asleep and may only sleep for 45 minutes at a time.

What seems to help transitions most babies through this time is feeding more. Feed more often for a while to increase your supply because baby is building up to needing solids.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age, but baby’s fifth month is a good time to start introducing solids little by little. It can often take babies a while to get the hang of solids and you want them to have some experience before they need it for nutrition’s sake.

Milestones:

Can begin laughing or giggling
Holds head steady, unsupported
Reaches for toys or objects in view
Copies facial expressions
Rolls over
Starts putting things in mouth

Related Reads:

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Self-Care That Sticks

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6th Month And The Importance Of Solids

By baby’s sixth month they are hungry. The number one reason babies don’t sleep well at this point in their life is this: they are flipping starving. By this point they need ample amounts of solids. This does not mean one banana a day. It means a cup of solids a few times a day. Or something in that vicinity.

If sleep problems come up during this time, rest assured they’ll pass when baby is no longer hungry. Here is some insight into feeding baby throughout the first year.

The 6th month mark may be the absolute best time to do a more formal sleep training intervention.

Baby has more mature sleep cycles, is past the super groggy newborn phase, and is old enough to “get it” at a much quicker rate.

Additionally, baby isn’t mobile, crawling, and doesn’t put up as much of a fuss as later on. The longer you wait, the more personality resistance you can tend to have.

Milestones:

Babbles and coos regularly
Takes things from one thing to another
Sits upright unaided
Responds to name
Cries less

Related Reads:

7th Month, 8th Month, And 9th Months

These are my absolute favorite months with baby. Baby begins to have a personality. He’s awake more and gives you smiles, giggles, and still loves to cuddle. And, best part, you can sit baby down with a toy or two and he doesn’t crawl off and empty the Tupperware cabinet yet.

Here is how you can teach your baby to play independently while you get other things done. Baby will start getting on all fours and rocking back and forth then commando crawling (moving backwards) then eventually crawling forwards.

These months are some of the most precious, enjoy them!

Milestones:

Starts dropping thing on floor
Begins understanding and responding to “no”
Develops “pincer” grasp (using the thumb and index finger)
Stands while holding on
May begin crawling
Points with finger
Stays close to familiar people and is hesitant about strangers

Related Reads:

Connection & Culture

Setting Your Family Pace

Family life shouldn’t feel like a constant race. This workshop helps you build a balanced, sustainable pace that handles responsibilities while making space for rest, connection, and what really matters.

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An amazing photo printing app to document your baby’s first year

10th Month, 11th Month, and 12th Months

This is phase two of the most precious baby months in my opinion. Here are some ways to really enjoy this time with baby. By now baby is at two naps a day more than likely and sleeping through the night (or nearly). Baby is able to go to sleep on their own and wakes up happy and ready to play with siblings.

Milestones:

Uses gestures
Is crawling and maybe even cruising (holding on to something and walking)
Gets into sitting position without help
Babbles in a way that sounds like speech
Can wave goodbye and blow kisses
Starts banging, throwing, or throwing objects

Related Reads:

Want Routine Printables to hang up?

If you want routines and schedules for not only the 9 to 12 month age, but 18 months, 2 years, and on and on I’ve got great news. I’ve created a book chock full of routines that work. Routines that keep babies well rested, happy, and content.

Routines that account for all the things you need to do and they are mom tested. The best part? The book comes with printable routines (3 choices for each age) that you can hang up and use! So instead of having to reinvent the wheel every few months, you’ll have tried and true mom tested routines right at your fingertips.

Get your own routine book and printables here!

Sources:

Cluster Feeding Newborns: Do’s & Dont’s (& How To Do It Right)

Are you busy with a cluster feeding newborn? Whether you are trying to feed very often to increase milk supply, or you are feeding every hour because baby seems starving, this post will help you learn the different types of cluster feeds. I’ll show you how to make sure your infant takes full feeds and avoids snacking, and how to purposefully cluster feed to get longer sleep stretches. This will help you know what to do so you’re not up all night feeding a baby every hour.

Newborns are perfectly snuggly and sweet and warm and wonderful. It’s like you are focused on being so heavily pregnant and making it to birth and then… in an instant you have a tiny person that is so perfect.

And dependent on you.

But it can be hard to survive.

If they won’t sleep well, don’t seem to be eating well, and are irritable due to gas pain, overtiredness, or even baby teething… then you can feel like you’re slowly starting to lose your mind from lack of sleep and complete world upheaval.

It’s fairly easy to go with baby’s flow… until baby’s flow is constant eating, very little sleeping, and fussiness that makes mama stressed out.

Common Phenomenon

There’s a common phenomenon with little ones… cluster feeding.

woman in chair giving baby a cluster feed

What is it?

Cluster feeding (n): A breastfeeding pattern when baby groups several feeding sessions in a short window of time. It can happen for a number of reasons (some purposeful, some not), which we’ll dive into below.

Some other names for this are topping up or tanking up (giving baby a bit more to make sure they aren’t hungry when they go to bed) or even split feeding.

Split feeding is used when you sort of divide up a feed into two so that baby gets what they need immediately, then some more again before going off into dreamland.

How babies cluster feed – 4 likely scenarios:

Baby cluster feeds at night, but not during the day.
Baby cluster feeds both day and night.
Or baby snacks all day but never takes full long feeds.
Baby cluster feeds some time in the late afternoon/early evening period (5 pm to 11 pm) on purpose.

Rules of thumb while cluster feeding your newborn

Cluster feeding can really feel difficult or confusing, but I want to assure you that these newborns days are intense yet they will pass.

And the habits you start now can create a strong foundation then fade out naturally into a mutually beneficial routine.

Remember, during this time you may find your baby log comes in handy to refer back to. You certainly don’t need to keep track of anything, but organized mamas often feel comforted by this. Knowing that baby is getting enough milk and sleep throughout the day.

Reasons cluster feeding works

So first of all, you’ll end up cluster feeding at some point in the day with your newborn.

Their tummies are tiny and they need to fill them up at regular intervals.

This is actually a good thing and you can use this feeding rhythm to your benefit in a way that means baby gets more sleep and you do too.

Read: End Baby’s Witching Hour — In 4 Simple Steps

If you are reading this, exhausted from excessive breastfeeding (which according to research is a common reason many mothers abandon breastfeeding altogether) then please know you don’t have to feed every hour around the clock to successfully breastfeed.

As a certified infant and child sleep consultant and mother of 5, I can attest to this.

Reasons Tanking Up Is Beneficial And Why Babies Do It:

Your baby gets lots of nourishment in a shorter period of time which is beneficial during the late afternoon/early evening hours when, depending on your personal stress levels, milk quality may be lower.
Baby can sleep longer stretches after cluster feeding periods.
Mom can sleep longer stretches because baby is sleeping longer stretches.
Milk supply can be kept up with regular feeding.
Cluster feeds help babies get through growth spurts by maintaining adequate milk supply.
Your baby is less likely to wake up early from a nap or night sleep due to hunger.

Read: Dreamfeed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Watch my video on an important cluster feeding issue.

Hourly feedings at night: day night confusion?

If your baby cluster feeds at night, but not during the day then sweet baby probably has some day night confusion going on.

The goal is to make those cluster feeds during daytime hours so they’re sleeping longer stretches at night.

If baby wants to nap for 4 hours during the day… well… don’t let him!

Follow my newborn sample routine or my week by week newborn schedule and do what works for you, but know that if you let baby sleep long stretches during the day he will be up more frequently at night.

Lots of lengthy daytime naps lowers baby’s sleep need. A baby only needs so much deep sleep in a 24 hour period and if he’s getting it during the day… he won’t at night.

Read: What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

clusterfeeding a newborn, clusterfeed newborn baby

The way forward?

Purposefully cluster feed your newborn in late afternoon and early evening and make sure baby is taking full feeds.

This means at least 10 minutes per breast if you’re nursing, often times twice that.

Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

PRO TIP

You can tell when baby is no longer actively nursing but just remaining latched on in a few ways.

First, look at the muscles on baby’s cheek. If they are nursing it will be moving up and down. Next, discern whether baby is swallowing or not.
Then, look at baby’s chin, is it moving as it does during active sucking (aka nursing).

If none of these are happening baby is likely asleep and engaging in non-nutritive sucking.

Read: How To Fix Day/Night Confusion In 3 Nights Or Less

How to stop cluster feeding at night (if you’re ready)

Whew.

Ain’t no mama want to be up every hour at night. The good news is you don’t have to be.

Even if you are feeding every hour through the night, you can shift that and begin getting longer stretches at night.

What’s the main way to stop cluster feeding at night?

Make sure baby is getting as much milk as they can throughout the day.

Don’t let baby snack while nursing. 10 minute feeds throughout the day mean baby will be up all night because baby is hungry and needs milk.

When you start giving baby full feeds throughout the day (this will mean you’ll have to do jump through some hoops to keep baby up) and baby settles into a predictable routine then they’ll sleep longer stretches at night.

Read These While You’re At It

8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby (And How To Fix It!)

Why You’ve Got An Angry Baby — And What To Do About It

What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

cluster feeding baby lying on bed with pacifier and arms up

Purposefully cluster feed in the late afternoon period when the milk supply is at its lowest quality (4 pm onwards) so that baby’s tummy is as full as it can be.

This will promote deeper sleep.

Eventually, even if baby wakes frequently at night for feeds, if you are not giving long full feeds throughout the night baby will get it.

It’s super hard when your newborn is cluster feeding all night, but you will get there and it will get easier!

Read These While You’re At It

Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

quick and easy sleep tips to help your newborn sleep well for the long run

How To Get Your Newborn To Sleep Well From Day One

The Dream Feed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Are you feeding your newborn both day and night?

If you have a cluster feeding newborn both day and night there are only a few likely alternatives.

Milk supply is low and baby is starving.
Baby is going through a growth spurt and is starving.
Baby is only “snacking” and not taking full feeds or getting to the hindmilk rich in nutrients because he just takes a bit then stops.

The best way to help baby stop cluster feeding day and night is to determine which issue you’re having.

If it’s milk supply then continue feeding until your supply is up or supplement with formula (see a lactation expert).

Alternatively, if baby is going through a growth spurt then there’s nothing to do but wait it out and feed baby as much as possible to keep them full and get your supply up to meet the demand.

What to do if baby only “snacks”

Keep baby awake during feeds by taking off their clothes except diaper. You can also rub their feet, cheeks, or hands with a baby wipe or keep trying to stimulate them to stay awake long enough to feed. You can put them on a soft blanket or tummy time mat and let them kick in their diaper until they’ve woken up, then continue feeding.
Try not to put baby down to sleep if they fall asleep while nursing unless they just won’t wake up. Keep trying to feed baby even if it takes a bit of time so they’ll get as much as they can.

cluster feeding baby in pink onesie with strawberries and mother hugging her lying on bed

Differentiate between active nursing and non-nutritive sucking, and let baby do one but maybe not the other.
Give the baby a pacifier (the pacifier I recommend that stays in baby’s mouth) if they wake and want to nurse right after having nursed a short time ago. They might just need to satisfy the sucking urge and this will help. Also, the next time they feed after this will mean they’ll take more milk and keep your supply up. “Snacking” can contribute to a lower milk supply because baby is never emptying a breast and getting the rich milk.

Eventually by doing those things baby will stop snacking and start taking fuller feeds which will naturally result in longer times between feeds.

Read: The Ultimate Newborn Sleep Schedule: Week By Week For The Postpartum Period

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Self-Care That Sticks

Start Now

Cluster feeding in the early evening

The prime time to have newborn cluster feeding sessions is the late afternoon early evening.

As I previously said, the milk supply can be lower in quantity and quality at this time due to the stresses of the day.

Because of this, feeding baby every 2 hours for a few hours will help keep your supply up, will keep the little one happy, and will set them up to sleep longer stretches at night.

Your evening routine might look something like this.

4:30 p.m. Nurse and nap

6:30 p.m. Nurse and catnap (or skip nap)

8:30 p.m. Nurse and bed

10:30 p.m. Dreamfeed

By purposefully cluster feeding in the right time you’ll help everyone sleep more at night while keeping your precious one topped up on milk.

Common issues postpartum moms have with cluster feeding newborns

I’m going to touch on some majorly common issues moms experience in the early months. Dive in and get ready for some serious support.

Frequent nursing demands from your newborn can wear a mama out

You love your newborn to pieces. You are going to make sure baby is nourished and safe. Of course, you want baby to be content. You also can admit that cluster feeding (particularly when baby is feeding every hour and not sleeping) can be demanding.

You may feel like you’re in a constant nap trap.
Or maybe your newborn only takes contact naps so you feel like your body is not your own.
Perhaps baby won’t take a bottle or you aren’t expressing and so nobody else *can* help.

My best advice: if you want to go with the flow during this phase then you need to surrender. If you don’t want to go with the flow, then you can create your own newborn routine and go with that flow.

Cluster feeding your newborn can lead to feelings of sleep deprivation

If you’re focusing on cluster feeding in the late afternoon early evening hours then this won’t affect your own sleep much. Unless you’re a late afternoon disco napper!

On the other hand, if you find yourself cluster feeding your newborn throughout the night then you are likely worn slam out. Tired like you were forced to do a HIIT workout with baby strapped on then couldn’t lie down and rest after.

The true fact is this: you must have sleep to function well.

Isolate when baby seems to be cluster feeding. If it’s during the night, then focus on giving your baby full feeds and not snacking. If baby wakes up an hour after a full feed, you know it’s not hunger. The you can comfort baby back to sleep.

It’s important you know how to settle a newborn to sleep without feeding. I go into that in my guide below.

Cluster feeding, as an instinct, can lead to confusion about baby’s cues

If you automatically shove baby on the breast at every whimper or gristle you’ll rob yourself of learning baby’s cues. A tired baby is comforted by sleep. A hungry baby is comforted by being fed.

It’s a mama’s job to learn to differentiate.

Before immediately offering milk to a baby who has been fed very recently, watch and observe. Attempt comfort in other ways. You want more comfort tols under your tool belt than simply feeding. This will ring true for many months to come.

Frequent feedings can make it tough to care for older children

This is a very common refrain I hear from mamas. They are focused – of course – on making sure that their newborn is okay, but there are other children underfoot.

Toddlers and preschoolers will love baby as well, but there will be some tension if mom is always plopped on the couch feeding during their every waking hour.

Focus on full feeds throughout most of the day to avoid nursing 24/7.
Before sitting down to nurse, plan what your little ones may do near you.
Don’t resort to screen time at each nursing session, particularly if you are nursing in clusters all day (this will be way too much screen time!)

Read These While You’re At It

How To Teach Your Children To Play On Their Own

Why Kids Need Independent Play Time Daily — And How To Start

An Easy Peasy 2-Year-Old Routine That Works Every Time

An 18 Month Routine for Energetic Toddlers

A Sample 4 Year Old Schedule To Keep Your Little One Happy

Make sure you are feeling supported and not alone

The newborn period can feel super isolating. Many moms despair surviving it. To put it bluntly. One thing that can lead to these feelings is that everything feels pointless. Constant cluster feeding can contribute to a sense of helplessness and powerlessness.

Why go out? I’ll just need to feed in the line, at the table, in the car, etc.

Why go to church? Baby will just cry.

It is true that these early weeks and months require a lot of hands-on attention and focus. But even so, it’s important that you reach out and take advantage of support. If you are constantly nursing your baby and feel nobody else can do that for you, then get them to help with other things.

Get a mother’s helper to help with chores.
Let others watch baby while you shower or do self-care.
Get out of the house even if it’s just to go outside!
Don’t nurse fears or worries. Talk to someone who is an expert.
Baby won’t sleep? Learn to settle without feeding. Anybody can do this (your mom, your MIL, the nanny, babysitter, or older sibling, etc.)

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Weary To Well

This 10-day reset will help you uncover what’s wearing you down (spoiler: it’s not just lack of sleep), set boundaries without guilt, and finally create space to breathe again. Because burnout isn’t your personality—it’s a signal things need to change.

Start Now

Summary

Feed every 1.5 to 2 hours during the early evening.
Give baby plenty of milk before their bedtime so they are satisfied and sleep longer.
Cluster feed during the DAY so you don’t find yourself having to cluster feed at NIGHT.
Drop the cluster feeds when baby is no longer interested in one of the feeds.

Remember, feeding at frequent intervals in the late afternoon early evening will not solve actual sleep problems, but it will help your little one have a full tummy.

Sleep issues might subside if they were hunger related.

Need sample routines for babies 6 weeks and older?

By now, you know how to handle the early days, but what after? Here is the good news: you’ve set your baby up for a foundation of success.

Now all you need to do is continue to find routines that work for you and your baby as they grow up and begin getting bigger and bigger.

Sob.

After having 5 babies with 5 different personalities, I know a thing or two about finding a good schedule.

This is why I’ve created a book of sample routines and schedules for babies ages 6 weeks up to 5 years.

The book includes information on how long to let baby stay awake, how much play time is good for each age, what to do with baby when baby is awake but not quite mobile, and even how to manage toddler and baby joint routines.

Chapters covered in Rhythms, Routines & Schedules include:

Section One: Sample Schedules

6 Weeks to 3 Months Old
3-6 Months Old
7-9 Months Old
9-12 Months Old
12-18 Months Old
2-3 Years Old
4-5 Years Old

Section Two: Tips and Tricks

Tips for Managing the Day With Multiple Children
Daily Rhythms for an Only Child Ages 1-4 Years Old
Daily Rhythms for Multiple Small Children Ages 0-5
Sample Bedtime, Mealtime, and Playtime Routines
Tips for Keeping Kids Busy Throughout the Day

For more sample routines, mom tested and approved schedules for babies ages 6 weeks and up, check out Rhythms, Routines & Schedules right now.

How long does cluster feeding last?

Cluster feeding typically will happen until around 4 or 5 months of age. Once baby is around 5 months (see the 5 month old schedule here) and they are eating solids, there isn’t as much of a need for cluster feeding.

Does cluster feeding increase milk supply?

If your supply is low and baby is frequently feeding, this will increase your supply. Milk supply and quality is typically lower in the late afternoon early evening and cluster feeding can help fill baby.

Can you overfeed a breastfed baby?

Babies need to eat when they are hungry. Too much “snacking” can mean that baby is getting a lot of the foremilk which is less nutrient dense and will contribute to more feeding. Solution? Full feeds with hindmilk for baby.

Is cluster feeding all day normal?

Yes and no. Babies can tend to feed every hour all day long if they aren’t getting enough milk or they are snacking. If baby is feeding every hour all day long they’re not actually getting much food, they are using your breast as a snack bar. If you’re okay with this, then you’re good to go. And if not, focus on full feeds.

Is it normal for a newborn to breastfeed every half hour?

If babies take full feeds (nursing for 30 to 45 minutes typically) they won’t need food every half hour or even every two hours. If they snack they will feed more frequently.

Sources:

Indoor & Outdoor Toddler Climbing Toys (To Help Get That Energy Out!)

These indoor and outdoor toddler climbing toys are great additions to help your little kids get their energy out and build gross motor skills.

My oldest child is a girl. She was born active and reasonable and altogether did not get into sticky situations.

Then I had 4 boys.

And then, well, life changed around here.

They were up on tables and retaining walls and couches and trying to jump from high heights to cushions and all over. They were active and slightly wild and had a lust for life that, for a mom, is kinda scary.

The best way to harness this energy?

Give your toddlers something productive to do

toddler climbing into basket in the bathroom

If you’d like to help your toddlers with their gross motor skills and give them a way to get their energy out so they’ll nap well later, climbing toys are the way to go.

Truly, you can let them play on the climbing toys during independent play time, free play, or any ole time they gravitate towards them.

Read: 45+ Easy Outdoor Games And Activities For Kids Your Family Will Love

Climbing Toys Help Build Gross Motor Skills

So, gross motor skills are skills or abilities that allow people to do things that involve the large muscles in their body. As a result, any movement involving the torso, arms, and legs to complete whole-body movements fall under this category.

Did you know that playing will help your child build gross motor skills?

Muscle strength, endurance, balance, coordination, and postural control are key in developing gross motor skills.

These developmental skills can be learned and achieved through playing!

Clearly, it’s wise to provide your toddler with ample opportunity and space to practice these skills. Besides, it can even help with brain development and behavior later.

Here are toddler climbing toys that build gross motor skills:

Edx Educational Step-a-Trail – This Step-a-Trail 6 piece obstacle course can build coordination and confidence through physical and imaginative play.
SURPCOS Crawl and Climb Play Set- This activity Crawl and Climb Foam Playset is a bestseller among toddler climbing sets. It allows toddlers to freely combine foam structures for creativity and imagination, while improving hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

Read These While You’re At It

45+ Easy Outdoor Games And Activities For Kids Your Family Will Love

A Summer Schedule That’ll Keep Kids Occupied & Mom Sane

Awesome & Fun Swimming Pool Toys for Little Kids

Outdoor Play Tips To Get (And Keep) The Kids Outside!

Why Playing In and Working with Dirt is Good for Kids

Indoor Toddler Climbing Toys

As a mom, safety is always a top concern. Don’t discourage your child from being a little ball of energy because you’re unable to spend a long time outdoors. Toddler climbing toys for indoor can be super fun and effective in helping your toddler get his/her energy out.

Indoor toddler climbing toys can be a safe way to facilitate active learning and help you get some things done!

Be sure to place larger toys in a big enough area and stay close to monitor. Honestly, I’ve been known to bring out the larger climbing toys and fold laundry in the corner.

It’s much more enjoyable to watch my toddler jump on his toy, then into my folded laundry.

I recommend setting some space aside in a play room, behind furniture, or even in the garage to store some indoor toddler climbing toys.

Climb and Crawl Activity Play Set– This 6 Piece Climb and Crawl Set includes lightweight foam shapes for climbing, crawling and sliding. It is safe for toddlers and preschoolers.
Climbing Cube and Tunnel – CPSIA Certified Safe – Pikler Climbing Gym for Toddlers & Kids is an indoor clumping gym for toddlers and great for improving balance, control, and muscle growth.
Constructive Playthings Wooden Rocking Boat– This Wooden Rocking Boat doubles as climbing steps and is great if you have multiple children.
Step-a-Logs – Skip-a-Logs is an indoor climbing toy that is stackable. Its benefits include teaching balance and coordination.
Tunnel Maze -This Indoor Foam Climbing Gym for Kids and Toddlers that includes stairs, slide , tunnel, and more.

More Indoor Climbing Toys…

Foam Climber – This Indoor Active Play Structure has additional soft base pieces and is great for safe exploring.
Climber Slide– Talk about an indoor gym! This Toddler Climber Slide is sure to get their energy out! I also love the bright colors.

Foam Big Building- This set of Big Blocks for Stacking and Climbing will spark imagination and is great for sensory development.
Butterfly Climber– Great for improving crawling, climbing, and motor skills, the Butterfly Climber is sure to be a favorite!
Climbing Indoor Slide- This Climbing Slide has excellent safety ratings and is designed to increase strength while climbing.
Foldable Wooden Climbing Triangle Ladder for Sliding & Climbing- This Wooden Climbing Triangle for Toddlers is an indoor climbing toy that will grow with your kids.
Balancing Path– Great for exercise and gross motor skills, the Balancing Path is designed to build coordination and balance.
Sports Climber and Slide– Perfect for gearing toddlers up for climbing and basketball, the Sports Climber is sure to have your toddler getting that energy out.
Balance Stepping Stones– Balance Stepping Stones are sure to encourage imaginative playing as well as testing your toddlers balance.

Outdoor Toddler Climbing Toys

Outdoor climbing toys can be a real source of fun and active learning for toddlers.

Not to mention, your yard will be the gathering place for your friends with toddlers!

I recommend setting up your outdoor play area in an open area that is shaded for part of the day. Be sure to include plenty of room around toys for lawn care…

Monkey Bars Climbing Tower – This Monkey Bar Climbing Tower is active outdoor fun for toddlers!
Play Ball Fun Climber – Toddlers will have a blast with this Climber with Slide! It includes a ball drop, stairs, and slide.
Caterpillar Tunnel– The Climb-N-Crawl Tunnel is a sturdy structure sure to be fun for toddler play!
First Slide– Perfect for outdoor playtime the First Toddler Slide will be sure to get that energy out.
Adventure Climber– The Adventure Climber is a parent’s choice for climbing and sliding toddlers.
Geometric Dome Climber– This free standing Dome Climber Play Center is perfect for the climbing toddler’s play time outdoors.
Little Wheels on the Bus Climber– The Bus Climber includes a slide and an interactive musical dashboard.

Read: Outdoor Play Tips To Get (And Keep) The Kids Outside!

More Outdoor Climbing Toys for Toddlers…

My First Jungle Gym– This Jungle Gym is an expandable modular educational playlet, perfect for outdoor play.
Rock Climber and Slide– The Little Tikes Rock Climber Slide has high safety ratings and is an easy climb for younger toddlers.
Pig Nose Rock Climbing Holds- These Rock Climbing Holds are perfect for creating a backyard climbing wall. The mounting hardware is included.
Kids Dome – This activity center, Dome Play Structure, includes monkey bars, trampoline, and slide. This toddler climbing toy is suitable for older toddlers and children.
Hide and Seek Climber– The Hide and Seek Climber features an easy rock wall and crawl tunnel for beginner climbers.
Climbing Pyramid– This colorful Quadro Climbing Pyramid is a great outdoor gym for older toddlers and toddlers with lots of energy to burn.
Teeter Totter and Climbing Bridge– Best used with multiple children, the Teeter Totter and Climbing Bridge encourages balance and imagination.

FAQs about toddler climbing toys

At what age do toddlers start climbing?

As with most developmental milestones, each toddler can vary depending on physic, environment, and personality. As early as 6 months, babies can begin to try to crawl up stairs. However, when children have been walking competently for a few months- typically around 15 or 16 months old, they can start climbing most stairs or structures. Climbing down, now that’s a different story. Most children won’t be able to walk down stairs without falling until after 2 years of age.

Why is climbing good for toddlers?

Climbing is good for toddlers because it builds physical strength and gross motor skills. The presence of these in a toddler can lead to a healthier and active lifestyle.

How can I help my toddler to climb?

You can help your toddler learn to climb by providing opportunity and space for him/her to practice climbing. Play equipment designed for climbing and developing gross motor skills is helpful, as well as having your toddler play with children who are already climbing well. Remember that each child develops individually and proving positive encouragement can go a long way.

What helps build my toddler’s gross motor skills?

Muscle strength, endurance, balance, coordination, and postural control are key in developing gross motor skills. Basically, activities that require your toddler to activate balance and hand-eye corrdination are helpful.

Sources:

How to praise without over using “good girl” or “good boy”

I may seem like I run a tight ship (and I do), but I am also nauseatingly affectionate. I hug and kiss and cuddle and make up ridiculous nicknames for my children. They may grow up and think I could have been better at this or that, but they will never be able to say they didn’t know I loved them. Still, after all the gushing, I want to get into some reasons why not to say good girl or good boy in place of specific praise.

Because of this compulsion, things often come out of my mouth before I’ve thought about it. This is okay on the odd occasion, but how and why we praise are kids is very important. They need to know they are cherished, and that their efforts matter. It’s also equally important we don’t lavish praise on them for things out of their control as this leads to insecurity. This isn’t something we need to stress over on a daily basis, but something we should establish on our hearts as we go through this journey of parenthood.

Ultimately, we want our children to know they are pleasing to us, regardless of their behavior in the moment. There will be many moments when they are, in fact, very badly behaved, but that doesn’t change their status in our home or their location in our hearts.

1. When to use good girl/good boy.

It’s best to use these terms when communicating love. Not love because of an action or choice, simply love. For example, if you are reading a book, hugging, or just spending quality time together it’s perfectly reasonable to say, “You’re a good girl, honey, I love you so much.” This is a validating phrase and communities your feelings towards your child.

2. When not to use good girl/good boy.

If you are using these terms to communicate praise for a certain action, it’s probably best to just praise specifically their action. For example, if your son comes home with a good grade on a test, it’s better to say, “Great job on studying and acing your exam” instead of “good boy, well done.”

If you’ve asked them to do something repeatedly, or threatened, and they finally comply, that’s not the time to say, “good girl” as though simply doing what you say makes them ‘good.’ You also want to avoid calling one child good in front of another child in a way that makes the other child feel shamed. If one child did what you asked and the other didn’t, a simple “Thanks for doing what I asked, son, I appreciate that” is more effective than “thanks, you’re such a good boy” as though your other child is not.

3. One thing you can never over praise.

NurtureShock:_New_Thinking_About_ChildrenNurture Shock is very interesting book and it has an entire chapter on the importance of praising effort, not intelligence. Children are born with a certain level of intelligence that is relatively unchangeable. Of course we can help them reach their IQ potential, but they will not become a genius by studying harder. Effort, on the other hand, is entirely in the control of the child. Whether they try hard, work hard, and persevere is based on their own self-motivation and willpower.

Instead of, “Great job making an A+, you’re so smart” you might say, “I’m happy to see the effort you put into studying, it definitely paid off.” As opposed to, “You’re a natural dancer, you don’t even have to try to look stunning,” you’d do better to say, “It’s great that you really give it your all in the studio, that’s the key to success.”

According to Nurture Shock, those regularly praised for effort try harder and overcome adversity. Those praised for factors outside their control (ie. beauty, brains, athletic ability) are more insecure in their talents because they see any perceived failure as a sign they are not, in fact, what they’ve been said to be.

This is called growth mindset and when we praise our kids with specific praise for their effort, they will believe in their potential and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.

4. Find and use key phrases.

Since I gush and swoon over my babies, I’ve thought of a few key phrases I can say instead of “good girl” or “good boy.” Now I replace those with simple phrases such as the following, that can adapted for many situations. The goal is to be specific in why we are praising, and to praise their actions, not their being.

Good effort.

{X} was very helpful.

Thanks for listening and doing what I asked.

Atta boy.

I appreciate how you {x}

That’s the way.

In all honesty, as long as you are regularly praising your children and showing them you love them and are proud of who they are becoming… they’ll be fine. This isn’t about giving us something else to do or not do. Rather, I hope we can begin to think about praise in a new way. It may all sound a little pedantic, but just know that your heart behind the matter is what counts. Children will pick up on the nuances of your communication so it’s best to be aware, but nothing to stress over too heavily.

We can learn to separate our communication where we aim to say “I love you” and the communication where we aim to say “You did that well.”

Why is it important to foster a growth mindset in our kids through our praise?

There are many qualities of a growth mindset that empowers our kids to embrace a love of learning (for life!) and the ability to persist when things don’t come easy for them. Some other benefits include resilience, focusing on the process and not only the outcome, flexibility, adaptability, positive self-talk, reduced fear of failure, and strengthened intrinsic motivation.

Should I praise the outcome or the process?

Both praising the outcome and praising the process have their place in parenting and can be beneficial in different situations. The choice between them often depends on the specific context and the message you want to convey to your child. Praising the process and the effort our kids put into something is great when praising a specific action (building a tower, cleaning their room, etc.) Praising the outcome is appropriate when you are communicating love (“I love this picture you drew, let’s hang it up!”)

How do I praise my child when they are highly critical of themselves?

It’s essential to provide praise and support that helps boost their self-esteem and encourages a more positive self-image. Determine how your child best receives praise (quiet praise acknowledged through a moment of connection, loud and celebratory praise, etc.) and praise their efforts often. Normalizing imperfection and praising effort over outcomes can be helpful in this situation.

Toddler Stalling Bedtime To Poop? Here’s What To Do & Not Do

If your toddler waits until right before bedtime – or right after – to poop, then this post will help you not turn it into a power battle.

“Do your duty at home.”

A lymphatic massage therapist in my small town told me this a while ago. She said to create routines around the potty that we can maintain at home. When we wake up, before bed, etc. NOT at 10 a.m. if we have a job at the office.

We are so focused on diapers and potty training and all the rest when our little ones are super small, that when they achieve some potty independence we want to celebrate 🎉.

And then… you have a child who lies down in bed, kisses you good night, joins you in prayer, gives you a snuggle then, as you are walking to the door, says…

“WAIT, MOM, I need to go potty!”

And this is all well and good until this starts happening every night. You take them to the potty and… well… it seems like they sorta have to go but maybe not.

They enjoy a nice prolonged period with you urging them to potty and then after a while, they’ll go to bed. It feels mysteriously like some bedtime stalling tactics but you aren’t quite sure.

Plus, obviously, you want your little one to go when they have to go so. What to do?

child waited until bedtime to poop, on potty

Is pooping at bed a power move?

Well… it depends.

Of course, needing to use the bathroom is not a power move it’s a bodily function. And if your child has to go, they have to go.

What can turn into a power move, however, is your child creating their own routine and ritual (that you don’t approve of) around going to the potty which turns into a big time of togetherness and bedtime stalling.

And saying they need to potty when they don’t, just to avoid going to bed.

The truth is…

We all end up using the bathroom at regular predictable times during the day – which is good
Often the calm and peacefulness of the bedtime routine itself relaxes your child’s body so that going to the bathroom is a natural occurrence
Not allowing your child to go to the bathroom is definitely not a good idea

AND SO, all that being said, let’s dive into how you can help keep your little one regular without extending the bedtime routine 30 minutes every night reading books on the toilet.

Build #2 time into the routine

If your little one, without fail, asks to go to the bathroom right in the middle of the bedtime routine or right after you’ve put them to bed, simply make it a part of the routine.

Start your bedtime routine 20 or 30 minutes earlier – if possible – so your little one still gets to bed at the same time. And so it doesn’t keep pushing bedtime back interfering with your own evening routines.

If the bedtime routine typically started around 6:45 for a 7 pm bedtime, and at 7:05 pm every evening you get a call for the potty… start the routine at 6:20 or 6:30.

Then, when it’s all said or done, you’ll still have your little one in bed by 7 pm ish.

Read These While You’re At It

5 Reasons Bedtime Stories are More Important Than You Think

Bedtime Battles: How To Avoid Stalling, Tantrums, & Constant Questions Awesome Bedtime Storybooks For Babies, Toddlers, & Young Children

Nightmares, Night Terrors, & Sleep Walking In Kids: Strategies For Relief

Put it in the middle or beginning of the routine

And, tagging onto the earlier section, add the bathroom into the middle of the routine.

Don’t even put on the pajamas until it’s done, if you can help it.

Have your child sit on the potty while you get their room ready, black out blinds down, white noise on, etc.
If you are reallllyy annoyed by the potty delays, you can even do the book reading while your little one is on the potty. This may help them relax and go before you get into the lying down portion.

Don’t make it super special and fun

If your little one will sit on the potty willingly and go, or read books and go, GREAT!

Then, if they tend to wait until right before the kiss and then want to sit on the potty for 15 minutes with you, this is where you don’t reinforce the very thing you are trying to avoid.

Sometimes little ones see this as an opportunity for connection and bonding with their parent. If you have the space for that, excellent, but if not, then create these connection points throughout the day. NOT on the potty.

Continuing to read, sing, play, and sit with your little one for 25 minutes on the toilet at bedtime will simply create a dynamic where they are using a bodily function to gain time with you.

Instead, let them sit on the potty and busy yourself elsewhere, making it a boring experience where the only activity is a bowel movement.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, give your child an iPad on the toilet. This will simply be more incentive for them to request nightly potty breaks, disrupting bedtime.

Give the connection time freely, during the day or before bed, not in the bathroom on the floor begging them to poop.

Silent returns

If your little one is constantly getting out of bed, going to the bathroom, or coming to get you, employ the silent return.

Take their hand, don’t lose your cool, say not a word unless necessary, and simply walk them back to their bed. You may do this 100 times the first night, 75 the second, 50 the third, and then eventually they will simply stay in bed.

Or only get up when truly necessary!

This will help you remove the question of “do they really need to go to the potty or are they stalling?” from your mind.

To recap…

Let’s break this down.

Pooping at set times is normal and healthy
Start bedtime earlier to accommodate pooping
If your child is pretending to need to go, but never does, simply give the option to poop before bedtime, but not after
Put potty time at the beginning or middle of the wind down bedtime routine, before pajamas if possible
Don’t reinforce long periods on the potty at bed by making it a connection time. Connect other times throughout the day and leave your child to poop, without an ipad.

Are there ways to help them wind down after going to the bathroom and transition to sleep?

Whether you’ve added a visit to the bathroom into the bedtime routine or it’s an occasional occurrence, continue your child’s wind down routine, which will signal to their bodies that it’s time for sleep. If we get into the habit of extending the bedtime routine to accommodate a potty trip, then it can easily turn into connection time or a power move on your child’s part.

Could the timing of their meals and snacks be influencing their nightly bowel movements?

Possibly. If this becomes a chronic problem, you can try to move dinnertime up by half an hour for a few days and see if that helps. It is not necessary to change the whole family’s schedule in order to accommodate one child’s bowel movements unless the nightly pooping routine really bothers you and other strategies aren’t helping.

Sources:

Awesome Bread Pudding Using Leftover Sandwich Crusts

Got plenty of sandwich crusts from leftover peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Use this sandwich crust recipe to make an AWESOME bread pudding!

Here’s an awesome sandwich crust recipe to make bread pudding!

So… I’m a crust cutter. I’m tempted to hang my head in shame about this, except that I don’t have time for all that.

The kids will actually eat their sandwiches just fine with the crusts on, they just leave an abundance of perfectly good non-crusty sandwich left uneaten in an effort to avoid the crust.

So I just started cutting the crusts and that was that.

Leftover bread crusts and awesome bread pudding

Until the other day when I made 3 kids peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and saw the crusts sitting in a big pile and thought a dog could subsist on our crusts.

Then my grandmother chimed in, “We need to make bread pudding with that.”

Ding ding ding.

She lived during the Great Depression and told us that people couldn’t afford flour for bread and flour for cake, so they made bread.

Then, if it was too stale to eat or extra, they’d turn it into a cake!

Genius.

How To Make Bread Pudding With Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Crusts

It doesn’t matter what type of bread (though we currently use organic or multi grain bread) you use, just collect whatever you have.

The key when making the bread pudding will be cutting them in uniform pieces so they absorb the bread pudding sauce evenly.

Connection & Culture

13-18, 6-12

Rooted in Family

Family life shouldn’t feel like a blur of to-do lists that leave you wondering if the memories are even sticking. This workshop helps you define your family’s core values and create simple, meaningful traditions that bring everyone closer without adding pressure.

Start Now

Ingredients:

5 cups of chopped bread crusts (type of bread crust doesn’t matter)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup raisins
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk (any type of milk is fine)
3/4 cup sugar (any sugar substitutes are fine)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bread Pudding Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Put chopped bread crusts into an 8-inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter over bread. Top with raisins.
In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Boundaries & Behavior

0-5, 13-18, 6-12

Tech on Your Terms

The “Tech on Your Terms” workshop helps parents create a step-by-step technology introduction plan that aligns with their family values, is age-appropriate, and gradually increases their children’s tech access while maintaining parental boundaries.

Start Now

My kids all love this bread pudding (and any bread pudding!)

Can I customize the recipe for dietary preferences or allergies?

Yes! Use gluten-free bread or bread crumbs as a substitute for regular bread. Replace dairy milk with a dairy-free alternative like almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or coconut milk and use dairy-free margarine or oil instead of butter. Substitute eggs with egg replacers, mashed bananas, applesauce, or silken tofu. Ensure that all other ingredients are egg-free, including any bread you use.

How can I get my kids involved in making bread pudding?

Depending on the age of your kids, their involvement will vary but kids of all ages can help make this recipe. Ask them to help gather and measure the ingredients, mix everything up, set the timer, monitor the baking process, taste test, and clean up.

What are other creative uses for bread crusts?

I haven’t tried all of these, but I’ve heard of others using their bread crusts to make homemade croutons, bread crumbs, and bread crust chips.

All Posts

Basis of a Schedule or Routine for 2 Year Olds

Needs of a 2-year-old

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

Sample Routine / Schedule for a 2 year old

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

Now, let’s break it down.

7:30 am | Wake Up

8:30 am | Free play

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

9:00 am | Independent play

10:00 am | Outside play and snack

10:45 am | Indoor activity

11:15 am | Free play

12:00 pm | Lunch

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

12:30 pm | Wind down to nap

1:00 pm | Nap

4:00 pm | Wake up and snack

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

4:30 pm | Free play, TV, or calm activity

5:30 pm | Dinner

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

6:00 pm | Bath and bedtime routine

7:15 pm | Bed

Issues moms have when creating a 2 year old routine

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

Toddlers can resist transitions like it’s their job

What do I do with my 2-year-old all day?

Nap transitions… 2 year olds daily routines can shift with the months

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

The Key to a Good 2-Year-Old Routine

Hang a routine reminder up.

Set alarms around the house or on your phone.

Practice.

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

Here’s why your baby feeds every hour

How to get your baby to stop feeding every hour

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

How do you do that?

Here’s how to keep baby awake during breastfeeding

The reason baby doesn’t sleep well when they feed every hour

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

How to stop the cycle and get on a good routine

How to get your newborn to nap better

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Here is how to approach napping with your baby:

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

If baby is feeding every hour and not sleeping, comfort yourself with this!

Frequent feeding is normal, but you aren’t a victim of it.

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Learn settling techniques for baby

Recap and FAQ… How to get baby to stop feeding every hour and start sleeping

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

About those growth spurts…

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Milk supply?

I feed my babies when they are hungry.

Sample Newborn Routine

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Why so much sleep in your newborn routine?

Does the family ever get to see the newborn on this routine?

Please stop that.

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

How do you know when to change the newborn routine?

Tips and things to note:

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Should I wake my newborn up or let them sleep for longer periods in their routine?

The Key to a Good Newborn Routine

Hang it up somewhere.

Set some alarms.

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Practice.

Want Routine Printables to hang up?

Newborn Routine FAQ

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

The 3 Year Old Sleep Schedule You’ll Be Able To Keep

A Sample 3 Year Old Sleep Schedule

Routines To Cut Through The Crazy

Wake Time – Get A Clock? (Important For 3 Year Olds!)