With our second noob on the way this May, I’ve been rereading many of my parenting books with more intensity, attention and renewed trepidation. I feel like I’ve been living in the lap of luxury for the past two years with Noob Baby sleeping an average of 11 hrs at night! Did I just voluntarily sign up to sacrifice all that beauty sleep again?! And by “beauty sleep”… I mean SANITY sleep.
I thought this would be the perfect time to create a cheat sheet with all of the Baby Whisperer’s E.A.S.Y Schedules on one easy-to-reference page! Download and print the E.A.S.Y Cheat Sheet here. Be sure to Share, Like, Tweet, Pin, Email it to your heart’s content! I love having useful content shared!
The E.A.S.Y Cheat Sheet includes 4 schedules which span the ages of 4 weeks to about 1 year. Here are some tips to remember:
1. If you aren’t already familiar with the Baby Whisperer’s E.A.S.Y method, please visit my Parenting Tips section to read a detailed explanation:
2. These schedules are adapted from the The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems (Hogg and Blau). I’ve made a few minor adjustments based on my experience. So, you’ll see that bedtime might be between 7:30-8:00 (slightly different than what’s written in the book). I just figured that for most people, the bath and bedtime ritual is longer than the 30 minutes Hogg indicates.
3. These samples are simply guidelines of how you can structure your day. By no means are you supposed to be following these suggestions minute-to-minute. Do not feel like a failure if your day doesn’t go as planned! Flexibility is something that all parents learn sooner or later. Read more on what do When E.A.S.Y is Not So Easy.
4. Don’t stress about a schedule for babies under 2-3 months. Hogg clearly states that the first six weeks is a time of huge adjustment. In fact, Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, hypothesizes that babies ages 0-3 month are making up for their “Missing Fourth Trimester.” My advice is to go with the flow and just try to make baby as comfy as possible while he’s adjusting to life on Earth!
5. Follow your child’s cues, but use parental judgement. All the parenting experts I’ve read (Hogg, Karp, Ferber, Ezzo, Sears, Weissbluth, to name a few) agree that you should always be in tune with your child’s needs. So even though you may desperately want to have an organized schedule, babies certainly don’t understand that (and they just don’t give a crap). Again, be flexible but remember that you are the adult and parent. An infant doesn’t understand what’s best for him/her. If you aren’t establishing some predictability and structure by 3-4 months, you are setting yourself up for a lot of habit-breaking, fussiness and even poor eating and sleeping later on.
6. The last sample schedule goes up to about 1 year. After this age, the day doesn’t really lend itself to the E-A-S-Y pattern anymore. Generally, toddlers (1 yr+) take 1-2 naps and have 3 meals w/2 snacks a day. Preschoolers will usually take 1 nap a day (or drop naps completely by ages 3-4) and have 3 meals w/2 snacks a day.
Just in case you missed the link for the FREE PRINTABLE EASY CHEAT SHEET.
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This is awesome!!!! I first found your blog when I was using EASY with #1. I’m expecting #2 in the summer and am definitely going to be using this handy dandy cheat sheet. Thanks so much!
Danusha – So glad you are going to find this helpful! I know I’ll be referencing this when #2 comes this Spring
Thanks for posting this, but I have a quick question. My baby (5 months and 1 wk old) will only sleep for 45 minutes during nap times. We used the Ferber method and now we are down to 1 (sometimes 2) nighttime feedings and we are pretty happy with that, but we can’t get him to sleep more that 45 minutes, so he takes 5 naps a day! He will only be happy being awake for about 60-90 minutes before he looses his cool and just becomes a major grump, whining, fussing, rubbing his eyes… how do you suggest following a “EASY” schedule when he won’t take a good nap? We still try to do the Eat/Play/Sleep pattern, but it’s hard because he eats every 3 hours, but oftentimes that runs into the middle of a nap! I will give you an example of how our mornings usually go:
7:00am- Wake and feed
7:30-8:30- Play (activity)
8:30-9:15- Nap
9:15-10:00 – Play
10:00-10:15- Feed
10:15-10:45- Play
10:45-11:30- Nap
We have tried letting him CIO when he wakes up, but he never falls back asleep… I am just not sure what to do! Help, please!
Thanks for the post! My daughter is 5 and 1/2 months. We have been following this routine for about a week now ( I was nursing on demand but once I read The Baby Whisperer and realized she should be able to go w/o a feeding for 4 hours after 4 months it has gotten so much easier). As far as the cluster feedings go, it says to only do if they are goign through a growth spurts. How do you know if they are going through one?
I’m looking at the 3 hour EASY and notice you have nothing on the schedule between 11pm and 7am. What happens during those hours? Our 7 week old baby is not sleeping for 8 hours thru the night.
Thanks!
I have started the EASY method and think its rather simple, but there are no options for babies with reflux! I have had a hard time trying to get the required amount of A-ctivity in because after I feed baby, I have to spend a good amount of time burping her which requires me to hold her on my chest for a good 20-30 minutes. End result is a sound sleeping baby. With the EASY method in mind, I get no Activity/play time in really. Has anyone had any luck with getting a reflux baby on a sleep schedule?
I was wondering the same thing! My baby also has reflux so nap times typically follow feedings. We get very little sleep at night now. He’s only 6 weeks so I’m not too concerned about it at this point, but I definitely want to get him on a good sleep schedule when he’s ready.
Dear Noob Mommy:
Thank you heaps for creating this site. As a fellow teacher, I was losing my mind as my tightly wound life spun out of control with my Noobie. I love and have been using the BW schedule for the past 6 weeks, and it has saved our lives and sanity. My one quick question, as we transition into the 4 months and up schedule—If we do not do the dream feed, how many ounces does baby get at each feeding to ensure that he is eating enough (getting enough calories, etc.)? He currently eats 5 oz. five times a day per the BW Newborn – 4 months schedule. If we cut his feedings down to four feedings, does that mean that we gradually work toward feeding him 8 oz. per feeding — which would be 32 oz. per day? I guess the anal, controlling teacher in me needs to know. I would love your insight and experience with this upcoming schedule. Thank you again; I am so grateful for your perspective, wisdom, and humor!
Teresa,
I am having the same issue with my almost 4 month old. I am working on slowly transitioning him. He gets 6 oz 5 times a day (on the current schedule) but if we drop a feeding as we transition to eating every 4 hours, it is not enough. I don’t dream feed as he is sleeping through the night. What did you decide to do? Any input would help!
Thanks!
Alissa
Alissa:
We just kind of rode the whole thing out. To be specific, our little one does not eat during the night. So, he eats every 3-4 hours during the day. He is now 6 1/2 months old, and his schedule looks something like this:
7- Wake, eat, play
8:30-10:30/11 – Nap
10:30/11- Wake, eat, play
12:30/1 – 2:30 – Nap
2:30 – Wake, eat, play
4:30-5:00 – Catnap
5:00 – Wake, eat, play
6:15 – Bath, bottle, in bed usually between 7:10-7:40 or so
As you can see, there are five feedings in this schedule. He eats 8 oz. the first 3 meals, and then 6 oz. the final two meals. We have also (as of this week) begun introducing solids–which he eats a few teaspoons in the two morning meals. Hope that this is helpful. I searched and found very little info on the BW schedule (not using a dream feed). The final meal is always a gamble; he’s so tired and sometimes he eats the whole 6 oz. and sometimes not. We are at the point of SLOWLY eliminating that third catnap, but it’s a slow process. We kind of allowed Wally to establish his OWN schedule, and we took into account that he only likes to be awake around 2 hours. Good luck!!!
This is so helpful. Thank you!!!
Hi…love your website. Inam reading the Baby Wisperer but like having your site as a quick refence to the main points. I have been dying to ask a few questions to someone who uses the EASY method. First off, above you have a schedule for a baby starting at four weeks but then you say to not even worry about a schedule for babies under two to three months. Can you please clarify when you can start using a schedule. My baby is only 2 1/2 weeks old but i am anxious to get her started on a routinen as soon as i can so i can know when it is best to take her on outings. I know right niw is too early, i’m just thinking ahead.
My next question is how do you keep your baby on the schedule? For instance, if she sleeps past the three hour feeding time should i wake her?
Hi…love your website. Inam reading the Baby Wisperer but like having your site as a quick refence to the main points. I have been dying to ask a few questions to someone who uses the EASY method. First off, above you have a schedule for a baby starting at four weeks but then you say to not even worry about a schedule for babies under two to three months. Can you please clarify when you can start using a schedule. My baby is only 2 1/2 weeks old but i am anxious to get her started on a routinen as soon as i can so i can know when it is best to take her on outings. I know right niw is too early, i’m just thinking ahead.My next question is how do you keep your baby on the schedule? For instance, if she sleeps past the three hour feeding time should i wake her? How do i convince her its nap time? By putting her in her crib? I still have a lot to learn but just wondering about these questions. Thanks for all the great info.
My baby boy is just about 3 months. He only takes 30-45 min naps during the day unless I hold him. He is also eating every 2-2.5 hrs (BF). How do I adjust the easy schedule to accommodate this pattern? He is definitely eating a lot so I’m not sure why he is still eating do frequently. I think part of it may be bc he wants to suck and won’t take a pacifier and I can’t tell when he wants to suck to soothe vs when he wants to eat. He also won’t take a bottle anymore and wakes up after every 2-3 hrs at night (regardless of whether he is in his crib or our bed).
First of all I have to admit that I reall like the book, it is very logical to me. My baby boy is just getting 7 weeks old on this Wednesday. Although I like the book and the EASY schedule, but I still have some questions! I hope somebody can help me.
So as the schedule says (if I am right):
1. E- Eat
2. A – Activity
3. S – Sleap
(4=3 in time this is equal )
So the rutine is the following right?
…. E – A – S – E – A – S … and again…
But what happens, if after SLEAP not the EATING is coming but a little bit of Activity and only then the EATING, for example, he had sleap well enough or he can just not go back to sleeap but he does not seam to be hungry at all and he is happly playing in his bad… Should I give him foood even if the last Eating was at 4 and it is noly 5:30 or should I play with him… and then give the food ….?
And normally according the cycle, after SLEAP comes EATING right? And what if according time wise he should eat, but he does not show any sign of being hungry at all… (He ate at 4:00 to 4:30 and he played from 4:30 to 5:45 and Sleaped from 5:45 to 7:00 and now he is not hungry at all, what should we do , …)
Generally I understand the cycle but what happens under special circumstances…. for example yesterday we went to wisit Grany and it took us two hours drive… We left right after eating, and he should have played in the car, but he falled asleap almost inmediately when we started the journey… and he has slepped all way , and woke up hungry…
Unfortunately I have started to read the BOOK only around the time he became 4 weeks old…
So by that time we have already had our OWN RUTINES by night and by morning, so now the cycle we are following is a little bit different, it is a mixture of the two…
THIS WAS ONE OF OUR DAY FOR EXAMPLE: (startning at previous night)
20:30-03:30 SLEAPING
03:30-03:45 EATING
03:45-07:00 SLEAPING
07:00-07:30 EATING
07:30-08:30 SLEAPING
08:30-09:30 PLAYING ALONE
09:30-10:00 PLAYING WITH DADY
10:00-10:10 CHANGING THE NAPPY
10:10-10:30 EATING
10:30-11:30 PLAYING
11:30- 12:20 SLEAPING
12:20-12:30 CHANGING THE NAPPY
12:30-13:00 EATING
13:00-14:15 PLAYING
14:15-16:00 GOING OUT TO WALK IN THE FRESH AIR = SLEAPING
16:00-16:15 CHANGING THE NAPPY
16:15-16:45 EATING
16:45-17:45 PLAYING
17:45-18:25 SLEAPING
18:25-18:30 CHANGING THE NAPPY
18:30-19:00 EATING
19:00-19:30 PLAYING
19:30-19:50 BATH TIME WITH DADY
19:50-20:10 EATING
20:10-03:00 SLEAPING ALONE
Playing is always half time alone, half time with us, mainly looking around and smiling to the world
What is your opinion? IS it good like this because the baby already knows what will happen or should I change some how?
Sorry for the long writing, and for the grammar but I am for HUNGARY , BUDAPEST…
tehát eddig rendben is volna , viszont az esti rutin nálunk már az els? héten kialakult, és ezt a módszert pedig csak a múlthéten kezdtem (5 hetes kora körül) (megjegyzem azóta sokkal kevesebbet sír csak éppen hogy jelez, hogy mi következik)
Viszont a kialakult esti rutinunk a következ? …
1É : VACSI1 kb 18:00körül majd
2É : ÉBRENLÉT – játék, nézel?dés (ez után max 20 perc pihi de ez többnyire kimarad…) és FÜRDETÉS 19:30 +-10 perc (ami még bele is fér a 2É –be) viszont ez után már nem a 3É következik, hanem az
1É : azazVacsi2 ami után viszont kimarad a 2É azaz az ébrenlét mert max a büfiztetést és az egyedül ébren elalvást lehet ébrenlétnek nevezni ami össz: max 15 perc és már jön is a
3É: azaz az ÉDES ÁLOM…
tehát kétszer is borul a sorrend viszont legalább következetesen ugyan így minden nap…
Reggel pedig még nincs igazán els? evés, mert még azután is aludni szoktunk (A férjem csak 11 körül indul el dolgozni)
- Este 9 után 1 szer ébred,
- hajnali 4 kor… ekkor a sötétben az ágyikóban szopizik 20 percet majd alszik tovább és kb
- 7:30-8:00 kor ébred megint (Ez lenne a reggel, ) de ha nem világosítok ki a szobában és nem kell még fel kelnünk, akkor az Ébredés után jön az É1 (szopika ott az ágyban úgy mint éjjel)ami még jó is de utána megint az É3 (Édes Álom) következik… majd kb 1 – 1,5 órát alszik még amit viszont az É2 : pelenkázás és nézel?dés követ apával és csak ezután jön az É1 azaz az evés ….
Viszont a kett? között rendszerben vagyunk…
NEM TUDOM HOGY EZ ÍGY JÓ E , VAGY ESETLEG HOSSZÚTÁVRA NEM LESZ JÓ… EZÉRT LENNE JÓ HA VALAKI ÍRNA AKI JÓL ISMERI EZT A MÓDSZERT…
Sorry, accidentaly I have left in the text the Hungarian Version aswell
Love your website! answers so many questions but of course i have a few more…
i am using the 3 hour easy with my 2 month old and am not sure what to do after 5 catnap…we don’t give her a bath every night either and this seems to be most fussy time but she usually won’t fall asleep until 8:00 sometimes later (usually try for 7:30). any suggestions?
if we miss the 8 bedtime completely (with holidays coming up) should i let her sleep later in the AM or wake her up anyway at 7am?
thanks!
This blog has been a lifesaver. We have been following the bw schedule since about 3 months and it has made life so much easier. It taught me how to read my baby’s signals, predict when he will be hungry and when he will be sleepy. We are now trying to introduce solids as well as transition over to the 6-9 mo sched but are finding it difficult to drop the dream feed…anyone have any suggestions? I am thinking of increasing his bottles to 8 oz but he sometimes won’t even finish the 7 oz he gets now so not sure if that is even the issue. Any advice would be appreciated. I was hoping to see a big difference in his sleeping habits once we started him on solids but so far that is not the case
I also have him in the habit of being rocked to sleep…totally my bad on that one…I just love doing it but i know it’s not good in the long run….any suggestions has to how I can break this habit?