It’s great to follow a daily nap and feeding routine that follows clock timings rather than shifting everything based on wake windows by around 4 months, or no later than 6 months.
Why is it best to switch from wake windows to a routine around 4 months?
Babies begin to develop a circadian rhythm (biological clock) in the first 3 months. This internal clock regulates various aspects of their physiology, including sleep and wake patterns, alertness, hunger, hormone production, and temperature rhythms [1].
We all have this internal clock. And as adults, because we often naturally have set routines - ie. we wake and eat at regular times, we work or have active time at similar times, and we generally fall asleep around the same time each night - our internal clock is able to sync with our regular activities and releases different hormones throughout the day to support our regular routine.
This is the reason why you experience hunger pangs at particular times each day, you’ll generally be tired at the same time every day, and if you set an alarm to wake every day you may find yourself waking up just before your alarm due to your body's internal clock being in sync with your routine [2].
And if our internal clock is thrown out of whack (say we cross into a new timezone) we experience feelings of jet lag. Our bodies are still on the old routine. Producing sleep hormones when we’re trying to stay awake. Or digestive and alert hormones in the middle of the night, in support of the previous routine [3]. This is our circadian rhythm at work.
Similarly, babies who lack a consistent routine might experience fussiness, irregular meal times, and difficulty settling to sleep, as their internal clocks struggle to establish a stable rhythm [4].
By 6 months, a baby’s circadian rhythm is well established, and a consistent daily routine helps reinforce this internal clock. Implementing a set nap and feeding schedule can aid in synchronizing your baby's body clock with these timings. This can result in easier sleep onset, longer naps, more consolidated nighttime sleep, better feeding, and generally happier and more alert periods during awake times [5].
👉🏼 Want to get started on an appropriate routine? Check out our nap and feeding routines from 12 weeks to 3 years.
"After following this guide for just 1 week I started to see big improvements in my sons sleep, and mood. He now takes his naps during the day and sleeps much better at night. I would highly recommend to any mummy or dad out there that needs help with their baby's sleep!" Jo, Victoria
"Instantly, we managed to get her down to a routine and this took the worry out of me trying to figure out when to drop naps etc. I'm now pregnant with our second and honestly one of the things I know I won't have to worry about is trying to remember routines again because I'm just going to pull this out and write it on our wardrobe mirror. Thank you!" Rosy, Sydney
References
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Tobler, I., & Borbely, A. A. (1988). Sleep and circadian rhythms in the first months of life. In Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms (pp. 101-110). Springer. Link
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Jenni, O. G., & Carskadon, M. A. (2004). Sleep behavior and sleep regulation from infancy through adolescence. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 1(4), 501-516. Link
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Montgomery, P., & Dennis, J. (2002). The impact of irregular sleep patterns on infant sleep and behavior. Journal of Sleep Research, 11(3), 233-243. Link
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Mindell, J. A., & Owens, J. (2015). A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems. Wolters Kluwer. Link
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Van Reen, E., & Meltzer, L. J. (2018). Sleep and circadian rhythms in the young child: The role of light and dark. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 37, 49-59. Link
