Palmer’s Schedule: 3 – 7 months

As I mentioned in my post about Palmer’s Schedule: 0 – 3 months, we took most of our cues from her natural circadian rhythms in order to determine her schedule moving forward. We were fortunate from the beginning because she never confused her days and nights and started sleeping through the night around seven weeks. I remember this vividly because we took her on her first trip to Chicago when she was just shy of two months and she slept the entire night each day we were there, I’m sure due in large part to the time change.

The next two weeks or so were a bit inconsistent but a pattern started to emerge around what time she would wake up each morning, when she was sleepy, how long she napped and when she would knock out for the day. In keeping with the healthy sleeping habits we practiced [post here], we maintained the following schedule for Palmer until she was almost seven months.

And actually, this is the exact schedule I wrote up for my parents when they watched Palmer one weekend while we attended a wedding back in California. You can see below I added a bunch of comments and tips to help navigate different scenarios. Hopefully this is all helpful!

7:30 AM: Wake for First Feeding

She often wakes earlier and just hangs out in her crib. If she’s content, feel free to wait until 7:30AM for her feeding. If she’s crying (not typical), go ahead and feed her early. If she wakes earlier than 6:30AM, let her cry it out and see if she falls back asleep for another hour but still wake her at 7:30AM for her feeding.
Please do her first feeding in a bright room – preferably naturally lit.
Her first feeding of the day usually dictates the rest of the schedule. She is fed in 3 hour increments 5x throughout the day (7:30AM, 10:30AM, 1:30PM, 4:30PM, 7:30PM). If, for example, her first feeding is at 7:00AM then the rest of the schedule would be: 10AM, 1PM, 4PM, 7PM. However, there is a chance you can course correct throughout the day if she naps longer than usual.

7:50 AM (or after feeding ends): Change Diaper and Clothes

I usually put a bib over her outfit to keep it dry bc she tends to spit up/drool a lot throughout the day.

8:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Awake/Play Time

She enjoys bouncing in her BabyBjorn but she can also lay on her back on a blanket, be held, go on a walk, etc.

9:15 AM: Tummy Time (~10 mins)

She pretty much rolls to her back instantly these days but do try to keep her distracted with Freddy the Firefly, other toys or simply block her from rolling. If she is on her back, I have started trying to “show” her how to roll onto her tummy again since that’s her next big milestone.
She does usually throw up during tummy time so make sure to use a blanket or be prepared with a burp cloth.

9:30 AM: Nap

Remove her bib (& hat/bow/shoes/etc), put her in the Halo swaddle, close the blinds, turn on her sound machine, turn on the portable heater/fan (if applicable), and let her fall asleep on her own. She may cry out but it will only last a minute or two.
If she continues to cry, do not go and pick her up. Wait approximately ~10 mins before intervening (assuming everything is normal). You can check her on the Owlet app if you’re worried.
She may cry out mid-nap. Depending on how long she’s been sleeping, she may fall back asleep on her own or she may be finished.

10:30 AM: Wake for Second Feeding

She may not nap the full hour and that’s okay. In this scenario, just distract her until closer to the 10:30AM feeding time if she’s content. If she’s crying, go ahead and feed her early but know this will also affect the remaining schedule.

10:50 AM (or after feeding ends): Change Diaper

Put her bib back on.

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM: Awake/Play Time

See Notes above.

12:15 PM: Tummy Time (~10 mins)

See Notes above.

12:30 PM: Nap

See Notes above.

1:30 PM: Wake for Third Feeding

She may not nap the full hour and that’s okay. In this scenario, just distract her until closer to the 1:30PM feeding time if she’s content. If she’s crying, go ahead and feed her early but know this will also affect the remaining schedule.

1:50 PM (or after feeding ends): Change Diaper

Put her bib back on.

2:00 PM – 2:45PM: Awake/Play Time

As the day progresses she starts getting more fussy so her awake/play time decreases and her nap start time gets moved up. However, if she seems content, feel free to keep her awake until she starts to get tired/fussy.

2:45 PM: Tummy Time (~10 mins)

See Notes above.

3:00 PM: Nap

See Notes above.

4:30 PM: Wake for Fourth Feeding

She may not nap the full hour and a half and that’s okay. In this scenario, just distract her until closer to the 4:30PM feeding time if she’s content. If she’s crying, go ahead and feed her early but know this will also affect the remaining schedule.
Because this is a longer nap period, she is more likely to wake up mid-nap. Again, I would let her cry it out for about ~10mins in her crib before rushing in to get her if there’s more than ~45mins until her next feeding.

4:50 PM (or after feeding ends): Change Diaper

Put her bib back on.

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM: Awake/Play/Tummy Time

She does not typically nap during the final cycle of the day but she may fall asleep in her bouncer/car seat/stroller for 10-15 mins. If she does, that is okay.

7:00 PM: Bath (only on Sunday & Thursday)

After bath, please gently clean her ears and brush her hair.

7:15 PM: Bedtime Routine

Change her diaper, put her Owlet sock on, change her into her PJ’s, read her a story.

7:30 PM: Final Feeding

I prefer to do her final feeding in a quiet, calm environment to help her unwind. Avoid loud noises, TV’s, energetic dogs, etc. if possible.
She may fall asleep mid-feeding but try to keep her awake to finish in full.

8:00 PM: Bed

Put her in the Halo swaddle, lay her in the middle of her crib, close the blinds, turn on her sound machine, and let her fall asleep on her own. She does not typically cry but if she does, it will likely only last a minute or two.
f she continues to cry, do not go and pick her up. Wait approximately ~10 mins before intervening (assuming everything is normal). You can check her on the Owlet app if you’re worried.
She may cry out mid-sleep. Do not intervene (assuming everything is normal) because she will fall back asleep. If she does NOT fall back asleep, make her a 6 ounce bottle, feed her and then put her back down to fall asleep on her own.
Turn on Owlet base station and check on her periodically via the Owlet app.