How to Implement an Eat Play Sleep Schedule for Your Baby

Your baby spends most of their first few months asleep. Figuring out how to make the most of their awake hours and how to get your baby on a schedule can be daunting, especially when your baby’s wake windows are short, and they need to frequently eat. Schedules are also beneficial for their sleep and development – and give you some structure amidst the chaos of having a newborn!

This is why many parents implement the Eat Play Sleep schedule for their baby, which is a simple yet effective way to help your baby develop a daytime routine.

In this article we’ll go over the basics of an Eat Play Sleep schedule, why many parents choose to implement it, and what you should do to make the most of the Eat Play Sleep schedule for your baby.

What is an Eat Play Schedule for Your Baby?

The Eat Play Sleep schedule is a proven way to help babies develop a daytime schedule and start to build healthy sleep habits that last a lifetime.

With the Eat Play Sleep schedule, when your baby wakes up, they eat, then they play, then they go back down for their nap. Then, when they wake up from their nap you repeat Eat Play Sleep in that order, and continue until they go to bed at night.

The Eat Play Sleep schedule is recommended by many sleep consultants because it has you scheduling your baby to separate feeding and sleep. As your baby gets older, not having them rely on feeding to fall asleep helps make it easier for them to fall back asleep if they wake up in the middle of the night. It also can make bedtimes easier.

Why Should I Start an Eat Play Schedule?

Getting your baby used to some sort of schedule is key to helping them start to consolidate their sleep, so they sleep more at night (and so you can too!).

Knowing how to best take advantage of their waking hours also benefits their development. Sleep is crucial for cognitive, physical, language, and more.

Having a schedule for your baby also helps parents. It can be beneficial to have a structure in place so you can plan your day.

How Do I Start an Eat Play Sleep Routine

The Eat Play Sleep schedule for your baby is easy to start. There are three steps:

1. Feed Your Baby. After a nap or in the morning, the first thing you do with your baby is to feed them. The amount they eat per feed may change as they get older.

2. Play with Your Baby. After your baby eats, start playing! There are many ways to make your playtime both fun and productive, especially since little baby’s wake windows are short. Experts suggest diaper changes are part of Play (of course if they have a dirty diaper when they wake, you can change them). Playtime can also include tummy time, singing or reading, cuddling, or even just chatting. The Eat Sleep Play schedule for a 2-month-old, for example, may not have a very long play window.

3. Put Your Baby to Sleep. Wake windows differ depending on your baby’s age, but as you approach the end of your wake window you should start keeping an eye out for sleepy cues, so you know when it’s time to start preparing for a nap or bedtime. You can use the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers^TM app to track your baby’s sleep and let their AI-powered sleep schedule send a notification when it’s time to start your sleep routine.

What Age to Start an Eat Play Sleep Schedule

Your baby changes by the day at the beginning of their life! When a baby is a newborn, their schedule can be unpredictable as they need to constantly feed to keep up with their massive growth. That means they are waking constantly to eat, and very rarely stick with a predictable schedule.

However, getting your baby on a consistent schedule even if the times don’t line up has many benefits.

Whether it’s an Eat Play Sleep schedule for a 2-month old, an Eat Play Sleep schedule for a 3-month old, an Eat Play Sleep schedule for a 4-month-old or even an Eat Play Sleep schedule for an older baby, the structure of the schedule stays the same. It’s just the number of times you cycle through Eat Play Sleep may change.

Optimize Your Baby’s Sleep Environment

• Make sure their room is as dark as possible

• Set your baby’s room at a temperature between 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit (20-22 degrees Celsius)

• Follow safe sleep guidelines

Remain Consistent – but Flexible

Routines help your baby feel safe and can cue sleep. Even if your baby is a newborn and their sleep is unpredictable, keeping the routine in the order of Eat Play Sleep can help cue that it’s time for sleep.

Keep in mind that baby’s sleep and feeding needs change as they age, so even if the times shift, keeping to the order is still helpful to learn the difference between day and night.

Separate Day and Night

To help your baby recognize the difference between day and night, keep nighttime feedings quick and quiet – no playtime after bedtime! Many babies continue to feed in the middle until they turn 9-months-old, at least. Also, if you’re curious about what to do if your baby poops at night, generally the recommendation is to change them.

Is an Eat Play Sleep Schedule for Babies Worth it?

There are many pros of an Eat Sleep Schedule that makes it a good choice for many babies and families.

1. A routine that a baby or any child can rely on helps them feel safe and stable. It’s also great for parents to have an idea of what to expect (albeit loosely) for their day.

2. Eat Play Sleep schedule focuses on eating, playing, and sleeping – three important parts of a baby’s healthy growth and development.

3. Sustainable sleep habits can start being solidified at a young age. The Eat Play Sleep schedule can help with baby sleep by getting a baby used to eating without falling asleep.

Some parents choose not to implement Eat Play Sleep schedule for different reasons, including the following:

• The Eat Play Sleep schedule doesn’t work for some babies. All babies are different, and that includes their sleeping, eating, and playtime needs. If you or your baby find sticking with the Eat Play Sleep schedule difficult, that’s okay.

• Certain types of play before sleep can sometimes overstimulate your baby and make it more difficult to fall asleep. Make sure to incorporate a bedtime routine or naptime routine to help calm them and get them ready to fall asleep.

Note: if you want to make it easier to follow the Eat Play Sleep schedule, download the Smart Sleep Coach app which will tell you when it’s time for your baby to sleep and wake, so you can make the most out of their wake windows. To get started take this free 3-minute sleep quiz.

The Bottom Line

Trying to figure out a schedule for your young baby can be tricky, and the Eat Play Sleep schedule can make it easier. It also has many benefits including starting healthy habits in your baby from day one, which can lead to longer sleep stretches sooner, while also supporting healthy growth and development. While every baby is different, which includes having different sleep, feeding, and playtime needs, the Eat Play Sleep schedule is an easy routine that all parents can at least test out.

_{How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.}