Are there any other babies who never had a set schedule?

@benedix I use approximate wake windows but go off his cues as well. However my baby does not show cues all the time. He can go from very playful and happy to fussy in 2 seconds needing a nap. It is quite rare that he yawns and zones out or rubs eyes until it’s total meltdown. So for me approx wake window times help to at least get him prepared for nap time.
 
@katrina2017 Yup same, there's been times where we've been past wake window time and we're out at a family members house or something and she seems to be doing okay with being up a little longer and the BAM all os a sudden she turns and is overtired and pissed off.
 
@hongmao Yep it can be hard to determine when wake windows should lengthen lol. I end up playing in his room a bit when I think they should be lengthening that way I can quickly get him down for a nap if hell breaks loose haha
 
@benedix Plenty of people do this. I absolutely would have done this if it had worked for my son. I didn’t want to be rigid schedule mom. That was never the plan. My son needed it or he would get overtired and sleep terribly. I remember sitting at my MIL’s kitchen table in a sleep deprived haze after my son got overtired on a visit/vacation with them due to his schedule getting screwed up. He was waking every 45-60 minutes all night long as a result. She asked me if we had ever tried just not having him on a schedule. I sobbed, “Of course we did! That was the first thing we tried!” I’m sure that it was the first thing that 99% of people in this sub tried.
 
@vel Ok thanks for the insight, that doesn’t sound fun and no wonder you moved to a schedule! Hope you are getting more sleep now :)
 
@benedix Thanks! He started sleeping really well around 7/8 months old after we night weaned. He’s 5 now and still sleeps well as long as we’re consistent with bedtime. But we can keep him up late for a special occasion here or there. We just can’t push it. He’s a grouchy emotional mess on too little sleep.
 
@benedix I tried just following cues at first but once we started sleep training around 5-6 months following cues during the day no longer worked because his bedtime and wake up started being at a set time. He would get extremely fussy and end up fighting naps then just not nap/not nap long enough then be fussy the rest of the day if we didn’t follow some type of nap schedule during the day. I actually liked it better when he started being on a set schedule because for me it makes it easier to plan activities and things because I know what blocks of time during the day not to schedule things because a nap is expected during that time.
 
@benedix Wondering the same thing. We don’t have a set schedule, but our baby is pretty consistent with when she sleeps. Our life doesn’t work with a set schedule so I’m really glad our baby is okay with that. I like what someone else said, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
 
@benedix For us it happened organically once naps consolidated around 6 months and really became pretty “by the clock” once she dropped to 2 naps at 8 months. I’m a SAHM, but try to get out of the house often for activities and appts. It’s sooo much easier to know what times of day are generally “safe” to schedule things so I’m not stuck at music class or the eye doctor with a screaming tired baby. I also like keeping a general log on an app of sleep, diapers, and feedings so that I can tell if she’s getting sick or might need an earlier bedtime because of less daytime sleep.
 
@vonda007 This does make sense. When she was little she used to fall asleep at activities I took her to all the time and I would wonder if any of it was worth it.
 
@benedix For me- I like to have structure to my day and it seems to work best for my baby. I know when i can go out and know when he needs to nap. Not having that structure would stress me out too much.
In saying that.. i don’t follow a super strict schedule.. but he has fallen into a pretty regular nap routine himself. He’s with me, daycare and my mum.. I don’t tell them an exact time to put him down but he seems to nap almost the same times everyday.

How is your baby sleeping at night?

Lots of people I know who prioritise their babies schedules do so as the babies night sleep will fall apart if they don’t.
 
@archangellover Ahh that’s frustrating about the pram. I’m the same as you with me, daycare and mum. She sleeps well at night, I’m sure if she didn’t I would have tried anything so if day schedules help night sleep that makes a lot of sense!
 
@benedix He will sleep in a carrier but he is HEAVY so this just isn’t feasible anymore unfortunately..
glad to hear that your little one sleeps well for daycare and your mum too. It was such a stress of mine before going back to work.. but if anything, he seems to sleep better for them than he does for me these days 🥲
 
@benedix No set schedule here! 6 month old and follow LO’s sleep cues. As long as we follow the cues, he goes to sleep pretty easy. He does get tired at roughly the same time each day for nap and night sleeps. Could definitely set a clock by his MOTN feeds and up-for-the-day time.

I WFH and have always had a flex schedule, so I’m not used to set schedules. It works best for me that LO also doesn’t do set schedules.
 
@benedix Lots of my friends don't have schedules. I don't get how they do it and they don't get how I do it. If it ain't broke don't fix it!
 
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