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One year ago, the words “nap schedule” scared the life out of me. I felt like there was all of this pressure to make sure my baby was napping at certain times every day. What if my baby isn’t tired? What if my baby doesn’t feel like sleeping? What if my baby is crying every time I put her down? All of these questions sped through my head and I felt so defeated that I didn’t even want to try. Man was I missing out!

The goal of a nap schedule is to keep your baby happy by allowing them to nap before they get overly tired and to regulate when/how they sleep so they can establish healthy nap patterns which will ultimately help them have a good night sleep.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, pediatrician, or medical professional. My experiences are all my own. Please refer to your pediatrician for questions medical questions you may have. Please read my full Disclaimer, Disclosure, and Terms Policies here.

Making a nap schedule for your baby isn’t about a certain time that they sleep, it isn’t about saying that your baby naps well, it isn’t about anything else other than what’s best for your little one. Finding a nap schedule for your baby that works for both of you will allow you to create an overall schedule for their day that will help you establish a healthy pattern for their growth.

We already talked about the importance of having your baby on a schedule here, and how to accomplish a full feeding schedule here. So now it’s time to dive into what that the nap schedule should look like.

How to Start a Nap Schedule

First Things First: Start a Nap Routine

Nap routines are golden! I find that most parents’ issue is resolved when they start an effective nap routine with their baby. This routine is done every time your baby goes down for a nap. In your nap schedule, you will be adding this routine before each nap. This nap routine can be used for babies of all ages (just tweaked a bit to accommodate their age). I personally used this nap routine for my daughter since she was 1 month old and I still use it and she is turning 18 months soon.

So what does that routine look like?

Download my Free Printable Nap Routine Now! 

Important!

Keys to make sure your baby is ready to be put down include:

Baby has had a full feeding, has played enough, and is showing tired cues. At this point, your baby should be fully fed, did an activity and is ready for a nap. (This also will be a part of your baby’s daily schedule.)

Keep in mind that it does NOT happen overnight, but it takes time for your routine to be established. That is why I recommend following a nap schedule so within that schedule at every nap time you are doing your same routine. After a week or so- you should see the benefits of the routine and your baby sleeping during naps consistently.

Feel free to make your own routine. Maybe you want to read them a book instead of singing a song. Or maybe you want to just stand up and hold them instead of sitting down and rocking them. Do what makes you comfortable- just be sure to follow the routine for EACH nap and avoid letting baby fall asleep in your arms. The goal is to put them down tired not sleeping. This will help them self-soothe and settle themselves, which is a great thing for them to learn as they develop!

Each nap in your baby’s daily schedule will begin with the nap routine. Your nap routine will be the cue for your baby to let them know that they are about to go to sleep!

Track all Nap Times

Make sure to take a day to write down all the times your baby sleeps, where they sleep and how long they sleep. This can allow you to see the pattern that they already have. Most times as parents we just have to slightly adjust what the baby is already naturally doing. We are not disrupting their whole lives by making them follow OUR schedule but taking what they do naturally and adjusting it.

After writing down a couple days’ worth of patterns, make a list of things you want to accomplish with your baby’s nap schedule and start from there. For example, maybe baby sleeps in the swing all the time and never sleeps in their crib/bassinet and you want to start transitioning baby to their bed for some naps. Create goals that when accomplished they will grow with your baby and establish a healthy schedule.

Don’t forget to download your Baby Journal so you can track each of your baby’s naps everyday! When you track your baby’s naps, you begin to see a pattern for their schedule. Download your copy of the Baby Journal below!

Have the Same Nap Routine for Each Nap

A lot of people do not give their babies sleep props. Sleep props are things that will help baby fall asleep and stay asleep because they are comforted. Some sleep props are pacifiers, swings, vibrating swings, or special blanket. While there are some sleep props that I do not think a baby needs there are some that I used early on and it helped establish a nap routine. This means for every nap you give your baby the same things and they know it’s time for sleep. Maybe it’s a special blanket or pacifier or maybe you sing a song and then turn the lights off.

For baby L I used the pacifier they gave her in the hospital (the soothie) and a special blanket I would wrap her in. I’m a firm believer in the swaddle and I would swaddle her with a nap blanket for every nap. Some naps she slept in her swing but I would still give her that blanket. After a week or so when I would start to put her down she knew she was going to take a nap by just the environment that I was creating.

For example, the first 4 months, my daughter had her morning nap in her crib, 2 daytime naps were in her swing, and the last nap was in her crib. I wanted her to get accustomed to her crib but also stay in the swing because during the day when she was fussy this calmed her. The key is to keep your baby happy and go at their pace. Do not try to rearrange or take away everything that they comfortable in.

Go at Your Baby’s Pace

If you have a lot of different goals and they all seem to jumble up then prioritize the ones that are most important and start with one at a time. Take a week to make each transition and then once you see it accomplished then you can start the next goal. Make sure you aren’t changing everything about how your baby sleeps all at once. That will be catastrophic for your little one. Keep things that your baby is used to and only change one thing at a time. Once your baby is comfortable with the nap schedule or change that you just implemented then you can move on.

Know your Baby’s Tired Cues

It’s hard to put your baby down when you don’t know when they are tired. The key is to put them down before they get full on tired. This will help them settle themselves and you teach them to fall asleep by themselves (meaning without you having to rock them). When you know the cues your baby does when she’s tired then you can know it’s time to put them down. Some usual cues when your baby is tired is yawning, rubbing eyes, fidgeting, long blinks and fussiness.

Nap Schedule:

Here is an outline of what a nap schedule should look like. This is beginning at square one.

I’m not going to use specific times in this schedule but just specify activities so you can accurately use this as a template for your schedule:

• Wake: Baby wakes for the morning from their nighttime sleep.

• Feeding: Baby eats. Make sure they have a full feeding from the first feeding of the day. You can read more about full feedings here.

• Playtime/Activity: Play for a small amount of time or read a morning book until baby shows tired cues (rubbing eyes, yawning, etc.) This play time is usually no more than 45 minutes in my experience.

• Nap: Down for a nap. When you start to see your baby getting tired or even if you don’t see her getting super tired I would recommend putting her down. If your baby is tired then she will fall asleep but if she isn’t then she might be a little cranky and you may have to try a couple of times to soothe her.

• Wake/Feeding: Wake and baby eats

• Playtime/Activity: Feel free to insert here what you would like your baby to be doing. Maybe it’s time on a play mat or a swing. Or maybe its tummy time or time you play together. Maybe it’s a combination of everything. You can also mix things up and do one day a week a different activity. Be creative! Be sure to be on the lookout for tired cues.

• Nap: Down for a nap. This will be your baby’s second nap of the day. For most one-year-olds this is will be there last nap of the day. For babies under 12 months they will be needing another nap before they go down for the night.

• Repeat this pattern as needed until your baby is down for the night.

If you want to see a sample of my schedule take a look at the post “What My Baby’s Daily Schedule Looks Like.”

As you begin to do this schedule on a daily basis you will notice that your baby will begin to get tired around the same time each day. This will serve as a good foundation for your little one’s overall schedule. You will also notice their tired and hunger cues as you start to use a daily schedule consistently.

Your baby’s nap schedule is going to change as she gets older so don’t get too worried when your baby starts to transition out of a nap or naps longer than usual. Nap schedules will also be affected by major events that are happening in your baby’s life, such as teething, being on vacation, sickness, etc. Don’t stress if your little one is off a schedule for a day or so. Just try to get them back on a schedule that is best for them when things go back to normal.

Get your Free Sample Nap Routine!

If you’re totally convinced that you need to start a baby nap schedule but don’t know how to actually start or what do- I’m here for you! The first thing to do is to start a nap routine! Here is my very own baby nap routine so you don’t have to go through trial and errors and guess what will work.

I went through a whole month of hard days trying to figure out the best nap routine and once I did it was magic! Not only did my daughter start napping consistently and longer, but she also started sleeping through the night! Sooo I wanted to share my baby nap routine with you so you can print it out and have! Be sure to download the Sample Baby Nap Routine below!

So there you have it! This is the basic foundation of introducing your baby to a nap schedule. Remember, the goal of a nap schedule is to keep your baby happy by allowing them to nap before they get overly tired and to regulate when/how they sleep so they can establish healthy nap patterns which will ultimately help them have a good night sleep.

As always, feel free to drop me a comment or email me if you have any questions! Do you have your little one on some sort of nap schedule? How have you seen any benefits? Join the conversation below!

Want to remember this? Post “How to start a nap schedule with your baby” to your favorite Pinterest board!

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Inside: What to accomplish a full feeding and find out your baby’s full feeding schedule? Read on for my tips and tricks!

“Why does my baby still seem hungry after a feeding?”

“Why do I need to start them on a feeding schedule?”

…I hear these questions a lot! And they are great questions.

When you think of a “schedule”, you think of a time-stamped activity. But when we talk about your baby’s feeding schedule, we aren’t talking about feeding them only at an exact time every day and not feeding them unless it’s that time.

We’re talking about getting to know your baby and the way she eats, how often he eats, and how much he eats at a time.

This is the full feeding schedule.

It’s important to know that the goal of every feeding is to have a full feeding– this will allow your baby to stay fuller longer and create a feeding pattern for them that works called the full feeding schedule.

There is one fundamental thing to do to help you know (and help create) your baby’s feeding schedule): accomplishing the full feeding.

We already talked about the importance of having your baby on a schedule here, so now it’s time to dive into what that schedule will look like by starting first with the full feeding schedule.

What is a full feeding?

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, pediatrician, or a medical professional. My experiences are all my own. Please refer to your pediatrician for questions about overeating, under-eating, nutrition, and medical information. Please read my full Disclosure, Terms, and Disclaimer Policy here.

A full feeding is making sure that your baby is full at the end of the feeding. Seems obvious right? But in fact, this is hard to do sometimes. This will look different if you are breastfeeding or formula feeding because pediatrician has a maximum number of ounces a baby can drink of formula.

So, while a breastfeeding baby can eat for 15 minutes, a formula feeding baby can eat for only 5-10 minutes because they finished their given number of ounces quicker. Remember, it’s not about time but about being full.

You will know when your baby is full not by the amount of time but by their cues.

How do I get to know my baby’s cues when they are full?

Know this will take some time and you will not know this overnight so don’t stress yourself out!

The main thing to look for is what your baby is doing after they eat. These will be the cues you look for. In reality, you are looking for cues that your baby is still hungry after a feeding.

When you know what your baby does when she’s hungry, then you’ll have a better understanding of when she is full.

How do I know if my baby is completing full feedings?

If your baby had a full feeding then he will be satisfied and ready for the next activity. This is why it’s so important to know your baby’s feeding schedule because it’s hard to complete your overall day schedule when you don’t have feedings down pact. Also, if your baby is eating at normal intervals, usually 3 hours or so apart, then you know they are getting full feedings.

In my Full Feeding Cheatsheet, I go over in-depth the signs to look for if your baby has or has not completed a full feeding as well as exclusive tips to help you accomplish a full feeding! You can download the FREE cheatsheet here!

How do I begin to create a full feeding schedule?

First things first, you want to make sure to take a day to write down all the times your baby eats and how much they eat. This can allow you to see the pattern that they already have.

Most times we just have to slightly adjust what the baby is already naturally doing. We are not disrupting their whole lives by making them follow OUR schedule but taking what they naturally do and adjusting it.

Bonus: As a bonus to my exclusive Full Feeding Schedule Cheatsheet, you also get a free Full Feeding Schedule Tracker!

So how do you even begin to start a full feeding schedule?

Let’s start from scratch with a sample schedule!

I suggest writing down everything your baby did during the day, documenting when they woke, when they ate, how much they ate, how long they are sleeping and so on.

(I’m not going to use specific times in this schedule but just specify activities so you can accurately use this as a template for your schedule):

• Wake: Baby wakes in the morning (if your baby is still waking for an early morning feeding and going back to sleep, that’s fine! Just add that to your schedule first.

• Feeding: Baby should eat the number of ounces/breast milk for the amount of time that he usually does, this will be the start of the trial and error.

• Activity: Baby plays for a small amount of time or reads a morning book until baby shows tired cues (rubbing eyes, yawning). This is usually no more than 45 minutes in my experience. Make sure to check for any hunger cues. If you see some hunger cues then maybe you didn’t have a full feeding but continue what you are doing and wait for the next feeding to confirm.

(If your baby is really fussy and just cannot continue without having more milk then feed them a half-ounce or ounce more. If they do this again the next feeding then you definitely know that they need a milk increase.)

Use this time to set a schedule for what you would like to do every morning with your little one. Make sure its time you have together, good body and eye contact so you can continue to bond.

• Nap: Put baby down for a nap. Take note of how long baby naps so you can see if there is a pattern for the next couple of days. This will help you with your nap schedules. (We talk more about nap schedules here).

• Wake/Feeding: Baby wakes and eats. (If baby woke early and wants to eat then maybe that first feeding wasn’t as full.) Feed your baby the amount that you did in the morning. We won’t know what works and what doesn’t unless we continue the same pattern. (If your baby is obviously still “hungry, hungry” then, of course, feed them but our goal is to pinpoint exactly what their full feeding looks like.)

• Playtime or activity: Feel free to insert here what you would like your baby to be doing. Maybe it’s time on a play mat or a swing. Or maybe its tummy time or time you play together. Maybe it’s a combination of everything. You can also mix things up and do one day a week a different activity.

Be creative!

Make sure to check for hunger cues like you did in the morning. If you see your baby is still fussy/hungry or is acting like she did in the morning after her first feeding then maybe this is confirming that she is not getting a full feeding. Use one more feeding to see if this is a pattern.

• Nap: Put baby back down for a nap. Be sure to continue to take note of how long she sleeps.

• Wake/Feeding: Again, if baby woke too early after a really short amount of time then maybe the feedings are not full enough. Feed your baby the amount that you did the other feedings. After this feeding you will know if she continues hunger cues then the feedings were not full.

From here you continue this schedule until the night and the last feeding of the day. If your baby is waking in the night to eat abnormally then that is a clear sign that full feedings were not accomplished.

If your baby is eating well, playing well, napping well then you can safely say you are succeeding at full feedings!

How do I change the amount of milk my baby is eating to get a full feeding?

If you feel like you have to increase breastfeeding time or ounces then do so cautiously and in small increments.

You do not want to overfeed your baby (even though there are some schools of thought that say you cannot overfeed a baby because your baby will let you know when they are done).

I am NOT recommending to feed your baby a huge amount and see when enough is enough!

I suggest to increase a small amount of milk once and take a week to see if your baby is responding to it well and is showing signs of a full feeding. Remember to document and take note of everything during this time, including milk increases.

If you are formula feeding, always ask your pediatrician what the maximum number of ounces your baby can receive a day. Take that amount and divide it by the number of feedings your baby has. Sometimes that number can reassure you that your baby can, in fact, be drinking more.

Remember, as your baby grows, feeding amounts will grow as well. And over time, some feedings will be dropped, such as late-night feedings.

Find a source you can trust to guide you through the ages your baby goes through feeding transitions/dropped feedings.

Get the Free Full Feeding Schedule Cheat Sheet (with bonus Full Feeding Tracker!)

Don’t forget to download the Full Feeding Cheat Sheet!

The Cheat Sheet includes exclusive tips and directions to help:

• you know when your baby has accomplished a full feeding
• tells you what signs to look for
• advises you what to do if your baby has not had a full feeding.

It also includes a free Full Feeding Tracker so you can write down your baby’s feedings and track how much they are eating and what time. Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on this amazing resource!

There you have it!

This is a basic foundation for knowing how to accomplish a full feeding schedule with your little one!

Feel free to use this schedule as a guide to your baby’s day and feedings. Also, use that full feeding schedule to guide your nap schedule and then you can begin to see your overall daily schedule forming.

When you accomplish full feedings, your baby will automatically create their own schedule and feeding pattern that works for them. It takes some effort but it is well worth it!

You can do it, mama!

As always, feel free to drop me a comment or email me if you have any questions!

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 Check out these related posts!

Thinking about putting your baby on a schedule? Find out the 7 reasons why having a schedule for your baby is beneficial to you and to your baby!

The first time someone told me to put my baby on a schedule, I just rolled my eyes and nodded my head. I was pregnant and it was honestly the last thing on my mind.

9 months later, I immediately regretted not paying closer attention because I quickly found out how important having a schedule for my baby was!

Why does my baby need a schedule?

Why is a schedule so important?

It’s impossible to get my baby on a schedule, why try?

I have heard all of these questions time and time again and trust me, I hear the validity in all of them!

Having a schedule for your baby comforts them by giving you baby something they can expect daily- this, in turn, will benefit both you and your baby greatly!

Your baby’s overall daily schedule will consist of 2 schedules within a daily schedule:

1. a feeding schedule, and
2. a nap schedule.

The feeding and nap schedule will create your overall daily schedule. (I know it sounds like a lot of information but it’s really simple- I promise!)

Take a second to think about your normal day… I bet it has some sort of schedule. It may or may not be a super detailed schedule but in some way, shape, or form you follow a schedule.

Wake up, go to the bathroom, get dressed, have breakfast, etc.

Babies are the same way! Only they can’t create their own schedule because they can’t do anything for themselves. This is where parents come in…

7 Reasons Why a Schedule For Your Baby is so Important!

1. Babies Thrive on Schedules

Did you know that babies actually love schedules? I’m not a doctor or therapist or scientist so I cannot tell you the actual facts behind this, but from experience, the babies that I have helped get on a schedule have drastically, positively changed.

When a baby is fed, bathed, plays, naps, and sleeps around the same time every day it gives them a pattern. This pattern will help you teach them fundamentals- such as eating, sitting up, self-soothing, etc.

When your baby knows what’s going to happen next, it becomes a part of them and then begins to flow naturally as they grow.

When I first started taking my daughter with me on errands she would be up the whole time and get fussy because she was overly tired. Then I started nailing down her schedule.

When I started planning my day with her schedule in mind, she completely stopped all fussiness because she wasn’t tired and uncomfortable anymore!

2. Schedules Can Help You Know Your Baby

Having your little one on a schedule can help you know them better. Because you can already anticipate what your baby will need from you doing or what he will be doing, can better guide and help him.

I started a schedule with my daughter when she was about 2 months. I began to know my daughter on a whole new level because I started to notice her moods at certain times.

If she was fussy at 2:00pm then I knew she wasn’t tired because this is the time that she usually plays, so it had to be something else.

I started to notice she was fussy and crying at certain times throughout the day and that’s when I was able to predict that she might have gas issues/colic.

If it wasn’t for her schedule, I would have just thought she was hungry or tired.

You begin to know your baby because your baby knows their schedule.

3. Schedules Help You Learn Your Baby’s Cues

When you know what your baby is about to do next (such as nap), you begin to quickly learn their cues.

When a baby is tired they can start to rub their eyes or rub their nose/face. Sometimes this can be confused with hunger because if you don’t know your baby you can maybe think they are touching their mouth for food.

By knowing your baby’s cues (hunger cues, sleepy cues) you can better understand them. This is their early way of communicating with you!

Truth is, a lot of parents miss out on these early communication cues. When your baby is on a daily schedule, it can help you learn your baby’s cues and help them communicate with you better.

Don’t forget to download your copy of my free Mommy & Me All in One Planner to help you start your own daily schedule with your baby!

4. Schedules Can Help You Teach Baby New Things

Having a schedule can help you teach your baby new things by allowing you to introduce something new to your baby at a certain time each day.

Let’s say you want to start your baby with tummy time and then eventually help her start sitting up. Use your scheduled play time to start baby exercises that you can do together.

After implementing the activity for a couple of days in a row, your baby will begin to learn those patterns, therefore remembering what you have done the day before.

Obviously, they can’t “remember remember”, but they can little by little learn the things you are teaching them.

This came in handy for me when I was teaching Baby L sign language. I knew I wanted to give her a way to further communicate with me so when she was 9 months old, every day at a certain time I would teach her one sign.

After 2 weeks she did the milk sign I was teaching her! AND it was a couple of minutes before her feeding time. Talk about a mommy win 🙂

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Become part of the Mastering Mom Life Insider tribe and get instant, FREE, exclusive access to my resource library filled with printables + worksheets to make mom life easier!

5. Schedules Can Help Baby Sleep Through the Night

Having your baby on a daily schedule can definitely help your baby sleep through the night sooner and smoother. (Sound amazing right??)

It sounds odd but when Baby L doesn’t have all of her scheduled naps during the day she doesn’t sleep well that night. In my mind, I would think because she’s so tired she’s going to sleep harder but that’s not the case with babies.

Babies need a certain amount of sleep to be regulated. When they miss a nap or have an irregular feeding it can mess with the schedule they are used to and throw them out of whack.

Having a consistent schedule throughout the day can help your baby feel rested, full and satisfied so they can go to bed easier.

Having a bedtime routine also helps with this too!

6. Schedules Can Help Make Baby Outings Easier

I remember being terrified of taking my daughter out in public. Call me a compulsive, new mom or whatever you like– but man was I worried.

I was afraid she was going to cry too loud and I wouldn’t know what she wanted so I would have to use trial and error. Having a schedule completely trumped these fears!

When you have a schedule for your baby you can already anticipate what your baby is going to do or what they are expecting you to do for them.

Maybe you have an appointment at 1:30pm and you know your baby eats at 12 and starts his nap at 1. You can plan so much better because you know what your baby is going to need.

You don’t have to just rush to the appointment and hope your baby sleeps. You can have peace of mind knowing that you have it under control!

7. Schedules Give You Sanity

When you have peace of mind knowing you have it under control, you find your sanity!

Sometimes the unpredictably of having a baby can be super stressful and overwhelming. Always being worried about what your baby needs and what you have to do can so debilitating.

Having a daily schedule can give you the reassurance because you know when your baby will be eating, sleeping, and playing so you know how to plan your day.

Baby goes down at 1, maybe 1:15 the latest- now I can get dishes done, fold the laundry and find time to feed myself. If I was stuck worrying when my baby was going to go to sleep for me to get things done I would be a mess! (Which I was before I got the schedule going!)

Now What?

What if you’re totally convinced that you need a schedule for your baby and have no idea what it should look like??

Question Answered! Read my post “What My Baby’s Daily Schedule Looks Like” here!

It is a sample daily schedule for your baby that I used for Baby L from birth. I adjusted the activities and times as she grew and took away some naps and feedings as she got older.

Be sure to get your FREE copy of the Mommy & Me All-In-One Planner!

The planner & tracker includes everything you need to help you start your baby’s schedules including a Baby Journal, Weekly Feeding Tracker, and Daily Baby Schedule Template!

Trust me, it will take the stress out of starting a schedule for your baby!

Be sure to get the Free Planner Now!

And there you have it! These are just some of the really great reasons to have your baby on a schedule.

Having a schedule for your baby comforts them by giving them something they can expect daily. This, in turn, will benefit both you and your baby greatly!

Remember that everything takes a little trial and error and that most things will take a while to adapt to. So definitely keep that in mind as you are beginning your schedule.

Don’t be like me and just roll your eyes at the mention of a baby schedule. Learn from my mistake and see how a baby schedule can change you and your baby’s life!

As always, feel free to drop me a comment or email me if you have any questions! Do you have your little one on some sort of schedule? How have you seen any benefits? Join the conversation below!

You can do this, mamma!

P.S. If you are convinced that your baby needs a schedule but have no idea how to start- do not fret!

Remember, your overall baby schedule will consist of 2 different schedules- a feeding and nap schedule.

To find information on how to know your baby’s feeding schedule, click here.

You can find information on how to start your baby on a nap schedule here.