Your Baby's Daily Routine 4-8 Weeks

From 4-8 weeks the number of hours of sleep your baby has in 24 hours does not change that much. They will usually sleep for about 1^1/2- 2 hours during the day after each feed, and for periods of 3-5 hours during the night. They may have 5–8 feeds in 24 hours. You will notice that baby is becoming more alert, they are crying more to demonstrate their needs and becoming more difficult to settle.

By now you should be starting to understand the different cries baby makes – for example, the cry when they’re hungry is different to the cry when they’re tired. This is a challenging time – probably the most demanding time for you. Remember to watch for your baby’s tired signs and use the settling technique you have been practising (see ‘Settling for sleep,’ p.x).

By the time you reach the 8-week mark, you will notice that your baby has started to develop a pattern. It’s not really a routine at this stage, but their feed and sleep times become more predictable. At some time during the day, often after their first feed in the morning, your baby will have a longer sleep – perhaps up to 4 hours. During this time, take the opportunity to do what’s needed in the house, prepare dinner, relax and pamper yourself – or just have a nice long sleep.

Play

Put mobiles with bright contrasting colours above the change table to amuse baby (but not where they sleep). Toys could include a wrist band rattle or socks with built in rattles that make a noise when baby moves. As they can’t yet hold toys themselves, you can entertain them with rattles or soft toys that make a noise when you squeeze them.

Sit your baby in a rocker chair or bouncer on the kitchen floor so you can talk to them while you’re preparing your meals. Tell them what you’re planning to do that day, or what you’re having for dinner. Baby will be very responsive to the sound of your voice and will make noises back to you. Smile and talk back to them and tell them stories. It’s not too early to start reading them a storybook.