Why You Need a Baby Routine (and How to Create One)

Establishing a routine for you and your baby is one of the first things you should do as a new parent. That might seem easier said than done, especially when you’re struggling through the first few weeks with a newborn. But a good routine has benefits for both you and your baby. The sooner you can start trying to get into one, the sooner you can take advantage of all of the ways it will help you. Creating a routine for your baby can take some time, but it doesn’t have to be very complicated. Some simple habits can help you and your baby to get into the swing of things and enjoy a calmer life because you both know what to expect.

Create Stability for You and Your Baby

So why should you create a routine? A routine for your baby helps to create stability and calm for your family. A consistent routine helps your baby to understand that certain things happen at certain times, which can help them to feel more settled. And as a bonus, it also helps you to feel more stable because giving your baby a routine means you have a routine too. It can help you to create order and be more focused, making it easier to get things done. You might not be able to get everything working like a well-oiled machine, but you can create something of a consistent routine for your family.

Get Your Baby Sleeping Regularly

One of the best reasons to start creating a routine for your baby is that it can help to get them sleeping in a regular pattern. It generally takes time before a baby will sleep through the night, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until then to have a routine for being awake and asleep. When you start creating a routine for your baby, bedtime should be one of the things you focus on. If your baby won’t sleep through the night when you think they should, it could help to ensure you have a solid routine to follow. Staying with the same routine can help you and your baby wind down at the end of the day for better and longer sleep for your little one.

Teach the Difference Between Night and Day

A routine for your baby is one of the ways they will learn how to tell the difference between night and day. Babies don’t really have any concept of this when they’re born. They’re much more concerned with when their next meal is going to be, no matter what time it is. But as they get a bit older, they can start to recognize the differences between night and day, and when it’s time to be asleep or awake. Simple habits can help your baby to start putting it all together. Changing into clean clothes when your baby wakes up and at bedtime, for example, is a good way to differentiate between different times. Introduce more light and sounds during the day, while making nighttime quieter and calmer.

Start Early with a Routine

If you want to create a routine for your baby, it’s important to try and start as early as you can. That doesn’t mean you need a routine from the very beginning, though, as it can take some time before you and your baby really get into the swing of things. At about three months old, your baby can start to benefit most from having a bedtime routine. It could include a number of things, including bathtime, a change, a nighttime feed, a story or lullaby, and some cuddles before bed. A bedtime routine doesn’t have to be long, and you don’t have to wait until a certain time to start doing it. You can introduce other elements of a routine as soon as you want to as well.

Let Your Baby Guide You

It can be really helpful to let your baby guide you when you’re creating or adjusting a routine. Paying attention to your baby’s cues can make it easier to understand what they need and what you should be including in your routine. When do they seem tired, hungry, or playful? What signs can you look for to indicate these things? This is more like letting the baby set the routine, which is more natural than trying to force the baby into a routine you’ve tried to create yourself. You can then plan other things around your baby and the cues they give you.

Practice Consistency

Once you’ve started to establish a routine, keeping it consistent is important. It makes things easier for your baby and for you because you both know what to expect and when. You might not be able to keep things to a military schedule, but that doesn’t have to stop you from having a general routine that you can follow each day. Even when things get disrupted or you have to do things a little differently (such as if you’re traveling), you can still do your best to follow your usual routine. Purposefully changing things a little can be good too. You don’t have to stick to a routine so strictly that it gets in the way of living your life in other ways.

Change Your Routine with Your Baby’s Age

As your baby gets older, you will probably find that you need to adjust their routine. At different points as your baby grows and hits milestones in their development, you might notice things like them waking up more often during the night or sleeping for longer. Sometimes it might even seem like your baby is going backward if they sleep through the night for a while but then stop doing it. If it feels like your routine has been disrupted, it can be a bit disappointing. But you can soon adjust to a new routine that works for everyone.

A baby routine can really help you to settle into a sense of calm and order. If you get started with one as soon as possible, you could find both you and your baby start to feel settled.