Schedule for 16 month old

user2

Sun, Sep 06 2015, 5:53 pm

my baby is 16 months old and she has no schedule. she's my first, I'm not working right now and we're on the go a lot. I try to have her sleeping by 7:30-8 (depending on when -if- she napped). she doesnt sleep in the carriage, so she just ends up being exhausted, kvetchy, sleeping when we get home-but bad for her bedtime. I do try to have her nap before leaving the house, but sometimes give up after a really long time. ( I need to get out of the house a bit, get some fresh air)

I'm ready to get her onto a regular schedule (despite the inconveniences...)
what would an ideal schedule -including meals- be??

mamita

Sun, Sep 06 2015, 7:24 pm

Hi! I have a gorgeous 16 month old too!
But he is my first-with plenty of older siblings Baruch Hashem;)
Every Individual (babies too) have their own needs. Providing them creates the routine.

At that age you feed when they are hungry. Drink in morning . breakfast. A little play if needed? Often needs nap within an hour or two of waking up.
Once they are kvetchy they are already overtired and will have a harder time sleeping.
The trick is to catch the window when they get tired but not overtired . I followed their cues like on a roll or high (emptying shelves ,nervous, in everything) or low like sad cranky needy clingy.
Expect baby to cry a little when put to bed even after established routine. It is age appropriate for transitioning from wakefulness to sleep and sleep to wakefulness.
Best time to go out is after nap. Meal . Then a trip now!. That way you can respect your tiny persons smaller abilities and be back before exhausted.
All my kids needed second naps that age and still went to bed by around 7. And if they really wanted even earlier.

With set routine set by baby and HIS needs at this age my kids often ASKEd to go to sleep.
(Then at two I knew they were tired because they would go suddenly sleep-NO . you know terrible twos and all Smile

)

Having a set sleep place and sleep routine is vital. My kids by six months liked to nap only in their set nap place. And so they were BH a breeze to put down.

Though I would guess its a little harder setting a routine and teaching baby to listen to own body signals if never done it since birth. But babies are young and catch on fast Bezrat Hashem
Hatzlacha Rabbah in the first month! The work will pay off for both of you!