Sample Schedule for 3-month-oldApproved by
the What’s Up Moms Medical Advisory Board By three months, your little dumpling is starting to look (and act!) less like a newborn and more like an actual alert human. Not only is she filling out and looking more like a baby baby, but she’s aware of her surroundings, and possibly beginning to consolidate sleep at night by going 5-6 hour stretches. Woohoo! If she’s not, don’t stress, as
each kid is different. But you can take solace in the fact that by now, baby is producing the hormone melatonin — a natural neurotransmitter that helps set the body’s circadian rhythm. [Read on to learn more about your 3-month-old and sleep, or if you’re really chomping at the bit to get schedule-y….Scroll down for a sample schedule!] Baby is still not developmentally ready for an actual schedule, but you can help lay the groundwork for one by establishing routines and patterns. For example…
Sample schedule for a 3-month-oldAt three months, baby is generally sleeping 11-12 hours at night and 3-4 hours during the day. Most will take three naps per day, others four; usually one of those naps is longer — often the morning nap — and the others may be as short as 30 minutes. 7:30a – Wake and feed 8:00a – Play! 9:00a – Nap #1 10:30a – Wake and feed 11:00a – Play! 12:30p – Nap #2 1:30p – Wake and feed 2:00p – Play! This is likely to be baby’s longest awake increment of the day, so bust loose, i.e. get out of the house. 3:30 or 4:00p – Cat nap (often, especially if you have an older child, this catnap is on-the-go — in the car, stroller, sling, or carrier) 5:30p – Wake and feed 6:00p – Play! 7:00 – Wind down! Now’s the time for your calming evening routine: books (yes, you can and should), bath, feeding/cluster feeding 7:30 or 8:00 – sleep 10:30 or 11:00 – “dream feed,” if this is your preference Nighttime feedings will vary but will likely be 1-3. Like what you see? Sign up for our weekly newsletter!How long should a 3 month old stay awake between naps?Q: How often do 3 month old babies sleep? A: Typically, most babies this age have a wake window of 60 - 120 minutes, meaning they may need to sleep after just an hour of awake time. Aim for at least 15 hours of sleep during a 24-hour period (between 3 and 5 naps a day).
Can a 3 month old stay awake for 4 hours?Baby wakes 4+ times at night
3 month-olds can sleep 3-5 hours at night without needing to feed (some can go even longer.)
What should a 3 month old schedule look like?At three months, baby is generally sleeping 11-12 hours at night and 3-4 hours during the day. Most will take three naps per day, others four; usually one of those naps is longer — often the morning nap — and the others may be as short as 30 minutes.
What time should 3 month go to bed?An ideal bedtime for a 3 month old baby is between 7:30 – 9:30 pm. This is based both on the developing circadian rhythm (or body clock) of a 3 month old and also fits in with the 9 – 11 hours of nighttime sleep needed.
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