Tips to get a Baby on a Schedule & Sleep Through the Night by 12 weeks

I have been asked so many times about how my kids sleep so well and how we got them to sleep through the
night I thought I would share our journey on getting both of our girls sleeping through the night and on a schedule by week 12.

Before we had Jadyn we were petrified about what to do when and how. We were recommended to read the book Baby Wise. It was the best thing we ever did! We both read the book before she was born so we were on the same page. Then we read it again when we had to engage the plan.

Research says that babies and children that get 12 hours of sleep at night tend to have better focus and temperament and tend to excel in life.  I would have to say that now my girls are 3 and 5 yrs old and still sleeping from 7:30pm to 7am and they have excelled  academically and socially. I give a lot of credit to the rest that they get. Also, it has helped mommy and daddy get the rest we need and gives us time to spend together which makes for a happy marriage :) All the way around I would have to say it is a win.

We didn't do the cry it out method. We always would go in and comfort her and give it about 10 min at a time.  Using this method we found that she never really cried unless something was wrong. Because with this method she always new what to expect and wasn't hungry or tired. Which is usually the reasons they tend to cry to begin with.

I have shared this schedule with many friends and family that have had success with this schedule also. This is the schedule and plan that got us to both of our children sleeping through the night. Every child is different. But, I hope this helps you and your baby get the rest you both need on your new parenthood journey.

Birth:   In the hospital you feed on demand.
Usually every 1hr- 1.5hrs for 15-20min on each breast. Take advantage of every opportunity to have the lactation consultant if it is your first child.


Week 1-2:   Usually every 2hrs--- 1.5-2oz—10-to-12 feedings a day


Week3-4:   Try and start spreading out the time as you add oz. Your goal is to get to feedings every 3hrs
At 2-3oz. 8-9 feedings a day.


Week 5-6:  Feeding every 3 hrs. If he gets hungrier then 3hrs start increasing food .5oz to a bottle at a time.  Usually try and stretch the first feeding to a time you want to wake at this time. Ours is 7am.


Above is all pretty much on demand and trying to figure her out and having her continue to gain weight. You don’t start working on a schedule per say until Week 6-8. Here is what we found worked for us:


Week 6-8 at 24oz a day:
7am-3oz
9am-45min nap
10am-3oz
12pm-45 min nap
1pm-3oz
3pm-45 min nap
4pm-3oz
6pm-45 min nap
7pm-3oz
9pm-45 min nap
10pm-3oz
After this feeding no more naps. Just feed and back down.
1am-3oz
4am-3oz


Week 8 28oz a day:
She started sleeping in her bed at night. She dropped the 4am feeding. Down to 4 naps a day


7am-4oz
9am-45min nap
10am-4oz
12pm-45 min nap
1pm-4oz
3pm-45 min nap
4pm-4oz
6pm-45 min nap
7pm-4oz
10pm-4oz
1am-4oz


Week 9:
Went to 4.5oz bottles


Week 10- 30oz a day: She dropped the 1am feeding. I would wake her at the 10pm feeding. She would never open her eyes. I would just feed her and put her right back down.  I found that she would wake up around 4am if I did not wake her and feed her at 10pm. But, I couldn’t go up yet in ounces because she could not eat more at each bottle yet.


7am-5oz
9am-45 nap
10am-5oz
12pm-45 nap
1pm-5oz
3pm-45 nap
4pm-5oz
6pm-45 nap
7pm-5oz
10pm-5oz


Week 12 30oz a day:  Dropped waking her at 10pm. Went up to 6oz each bottle.


7am-6oz
9am-45 nap
10am-6oz
12pm-45 nap
1pm-6oz
3pm-45 nap
4pm-6oz
6pm-45 nap
7pm-6oz


She went up to 32oz a day at Week 16. She dropped the 6pm nap and went to 3 naps a day around Week 18.

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