Parents seldom realize why starting your day at the same time is vital in setting their child up for success during sleep training. If your child starts their day at inconsistent times each morning, they will never be able to have consistent nap times. Read on to discover my top tips for starting your day at the same time successfully!

why starting your day at the same time is vital

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What Time to Wake Your Baby

I recommend setting a firm start time for each day. For example, once my clients start my sleep training program, I advise them not to do any in-person checks from 4 A.M. until 6:30 A.M. (Unless in case of emergency.) If the baby is awake at any point prior to 6:30 A.M., Mom and Dad wait until 6:30 A.M. to get their baby up. Once Mom and Dad enter baby’s room, this counts as when baby “wakes up” for the day. Regardless of whenever the child actually woke up prior to that time.

Nap Times for Baby

If baby is asleep at 6:30 A.M., I have Mom and Dad wake baby by 7:00 A.M. Either way, baby’s first nap is set at a firm time. (8:30 A.M. for babies on three naps, anytime starting between 9:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M. for babies on two naps, and anytime starting between 11:30 P.M. and 1:30 P.M. for toddlers on one nap). The Baby Sleep Trainer method does not use wake times when determining what time to put baby down for a nap. Instead, we base baby’s nap times “by-the-clock.”  This means that baby goes down for their naps at their scheduled times, regardless of how short their previous nap was.

Want to Learn More?

To review, why starting your day at the same time is vital is because it allows your baby to have a consistent schedule each day. By starting your child’s day at the same, and by using a “by-the-clock” method instead of wake times, you are likely to find your child adjusting to a schedule quickly. If you and baby are struggling to build healthy sleep habits, I have affordable training options that can help you both get the sleep you need! Find out more about the Baby Sleep Trainer programs here.