At how many weeks should I start a sleep/nap schedule?

DS is only 3 1/2 weeks but I want to start planning for some sort of a nap/sleep schedule. Right now, I nurse on demand and he sleeps whenever he is tired. He has about 2 seperate "alert" phases throughout the day and night that can last 1-3 hours.

I go back to work in September - DS will be about 14 weeks or so and I need some sort of a schedule. I work in a HS and have to be there by 7am!

Any suggestions as to when I should start and what to do. I just ordered "healthty sleep habits"...thanks!

Re: At how many weeks should I start a sleep/nap schedule?

IMO, sleep training doesn't really work until around 6 months or so. Mostly because when babies wake up before that point, they still need you for some reason. After 6 months they may just want company or have trouble getting themselves back to sleep.

I wish I could tell you there is something you can do at 14 weeks, but a baby that young may still need night feedings, diaper changes, etc. Can your SO help out with night wakings? It's possible DC may be sleeping mostly through the night at that point, but not all babies do.

You can try and set up a bedtime schedule in that DC goes to bed at the same time every night. Naps are harder at that age, and I think there is a great deal of variation in sleep needs between babies.

Re: At how many weeks should I start a sleep/nap schedule?

bedtime schedule I started form day one, she followed my lead.

Naptime was different. I followed her lead at around 4 plus months.

Re: At how many weeks should I start a sleep/nap schedule?

Honestly at that young of an age the most you can really do is establish an evening routine. You have to follow DS' lead on the nap thing. My DS is 7 months and I can tell you that his patterns have changed vastly over time. Its only now that a real "schedule" is starting to emerge and I use that word loosely.

Re: At how many weeks should I start a sleep/nap schedule?

I have no advice but as you know I am in a similar situation. I figure I will see how the summer plays out and wait until later on in the summer to establish some sort of routine. For now, DS gets up 2x at night to eat and then sleeps in between feedings at night.