E.A.S.Y Sleep Schedule for your Newborn

I can not stress how having a sleep schedule routine for your baby is so important not just for the baby, but for your sake. The sooner you get your little one on an eating and sleep routine, the faster he/she will be sleeping through the night (which is what we all want right?).

I have had all three boys on what is called an E.A.S.Y. routine and it was the best thing I could ever do! Being on a routine is hard, and it’ll require you to sacrifice things (like going out).

Being on a routine will also require you to plan your days, but it will be the most rewarding thing ever. To have your 10 week old or even 8-week old sleeping more than 4 hours a night will be worth the sacrifice. My kids were all sleeping from 10 PM-6/7 AM by 3 months.

What’s the E.A.S.Y. routine? The E.A.S.Y. routine is based on the Baby Whisperer book by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau. If you don’t have this book, go get it…. like NOW. You can thank me later.

I have read this book several times, and I get asked all the time about Liam’s sleep schedule and what I do. So I thought it would only be fitting to address a few key points that I think will answer the most common questions, as well I made a printable PDF for you to have as a guide for the E.A.S.Y. routine.

Before we move I want to make it clear that I am no expert, nor a doctor, and if you have any medical concerns please seek medical advice. This is just what has worked for me with my boys. Every child is different, remember that!

Let’s jump right in …

This is what an E.A.S.Y. routine will look like. EAT, ACTIVITY, SLEEP and YOU time every 3 hours. This 3-hour schedule (or routine really) will be for babies up to 4 months. As your baby grows and drops a nap, the schedule will vary a bit.

Don’t worry, this is a series post and I will tackle every age/schedule. (see stage 2 here)

Download the E.A.S.Y. SCHEDULE NOW!!!

** Note: This E.A.S.Y. can be applied to both breastfeed and bottle feeding babies. Allow variations in time for the schedule above especially until four months old. The activity time will be shorter for younger babies and will get longer as they grow. Around eight weeks old turn the two cluster feeding into one (at around 5:30-6 PM). Continue the cluster feeding until seven months old (unless the baby is a great sleeper).

1) The first 4-6 weeks are an adjustment for everyone. Don’t rush into anything. What I would suggest is to at least implement a feeding schedule. Like, eat every 2 or 3 hours.

2) Keep a log to track when your baby eats, sleep (and how long for), etc. It’ll be easier to pinpoint or see a pattern that needs to be changed.

3) E.A.S.Y. sleep does not apply at night. Avoid changing diapers unless you HAVE too. ie; changing a poopy diaper.

4) Don’t let your baby cry it out. Don’t ignore their cries. Try to figure out what he/she is telling you. Does baby’s diaper need to be changed, has he been up for too long and tired? Is he hungry?

5) EASY by the pound- if your baby was born a preemie or less then 6 1/2 pounds you may have to adjust how often they eat. For example, feed every two hours instead of three. Also, please protect your preemies and their sleep. They are technically not even supposed to be here yet, so they need to sleep. Keep them in a womb-like experience. Quiet, warm and dark.

Here are a few things to think about;

If you cant get your baby to sleep more than three or four hours during the night, then he/she may not be getting enough to eat during the day. You can also try “tanking up” before bed.

If your baby is waking up at the same time every night and only eating only more then a few ounces, that is called habitual waking. And it’s almost never about hunger.

If your baby was sleeping and now all of a sudden is waking up to eat, he or she may be going through a growth spurt. Try feeding more during the day during each feed.

You will have setbacks and bad days. That’s okay! Just pick back up the next day.

I put Liam to sleep in his crib during the day. That way, when the time comes to transition him to sleep in his crib all night he is familiar with the crib and space.

If he still happens to be asleep and the time to eat is approaching, I will wake him up. Let’s say your little one has also only been sleeping for 30 minutes, and just took too long to settle down and to fall asleep, I still wake them up. I just shorten the next activity time and let him sleep longer during the next nap.

Hopefully, this answers a lot of your sleep schedule questions. Stay tuned for the next E.A.S.Y. routine which 4-6 months.

Thank you so much for stopping by for our sleep schedule, as always I am here if you ever have any sleep schedule questions! You can DM me, send me an email or leave a comment.

Have a great day!

xoxo,

DON’T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD E.A.S.Y. SCHEDULE NOW!!!