When to Move to a Four Hour Schedule
What is a four hour schedule, and how do I know when my baby is ready for it?
For the first few months of your baby’s life, they will likely eat every 3 hours and take a nap every 1-1.5 hours, which is known as the “3 hour schedule”. However, as your baby gets older, they will start to stay awake longer between naps, as well as go longer between feedings - about 4 hours. At this point, your baby will move to what is called a “4 hour schedule”.
In my courses, I suggest moving to a 4 hour schedule around 12 weeks, but I also let you know that there is no rush and it’s important to wait until your baby is ready before switching to a longer schedule.
So, how do you know when your baby is ready? There are 3 things to look for.
Baby’s age. Make sure baby is at least 12 weeks old and growing properly.
Hunger cues. Is your baby turning away from feedings at the 3 hour mark now? They might not be hungry at 3 hours anymore, which can indicate they are ready.
Sleepy cues. Is your baby taking a long time to fall asleep for naps after 1-1.5 hours? This could be a sign they are ready to stay awake closer to 2 hours.
Once your baby shows these signs, you can slowly and gently start making the transition to a 4 hour schedule. My method teaches you exactly how to do it:)