How I got my baby on a good sleep schedule (newborn-4 months)

This is what I did to get my baby on a good sleep schedule. I just kept doing it every night and at 2 almost 3 months he was sleeping through the night. He does have those bad nights still where he wont go to sleep or wake up at 4. Its once in a while that he'll wake up but go right back to sleep. Right now he goes to sleep between 9-10 and sleep till 7 or 8.  All babies are different you are more than welcome to use this method. Hope it works.


First off i would set a night (quiet) time. I started off at 8 when he was a newborn and gradually went to 9.  When it was quiet time I would turn off all lights except a lamp or two or a dim light. All he could hear was the T.V and me humming or singing a lullaby. 

Now if its bath day I would give him a bath between 8-8:30 when it was the 8 schedule I would do it at 7. I would use a certain kind of soap and lotion. I use the nighttime kind so when he smells that lavender and vanilla that means its quiet time. During the bath I would talk to him in a low voice and let him sit in the tub for a couple of minutes (while I watched him of course), at least 10 min so the warm bath would make him tired. Also his fussy time is between 7 and bedtime so the bath is a good thing to keep him occupied and not be fussy. If I wasn't giving him a bath I would just put the certain lotion on him and make sure he can smell it. I would even put it on me, mainly my arms and chest. 

After the bath I would take him into his room which is dim lighted. Enough light for me to see what I'm doing. Put his diaper on, than the lotion all over his body. I would concentrate more on his head and face so he could smell it. I would talk in a low tone voice and hum a lullaby. Put his pjs on, swaddle him and than feed him. 

This might get a little confusing. This is for if you are bottle feeding and nursing it could work if you are just nursing.  For feeding time I would either feed him before the bath depends on how hungry he is. But I would feed him only half or 3 oz and feed him the rest after the bath or nurse him. He is eating 4-6 oz. Give him a bath and take him into the living room (which is dim) make his bottle. Now that he is a little older and almost 4 months I use rice cereal. For feeding I would use the gentle for fussiness and gas formula instead of the regular formula I use. I would only use the gentle kind during fussy time (and it actually works, I would just buy a small jar of it). I would mix the gentle and rice cereal together. I would only use the rice cereal before bedtime,but just one time not throughout the night and me putting him to bed. If he hasn't eaten and he has had a bath I would gradually feed him 4-6 oz. Its a pain but it works. I would feed him 3 oz or 4 oz with the rice cereal or nurse him while holding him and humming. If hes still hungry I would make another 3 or 2 oz and put him in his crib and prop it. Also is you have one of those toys that you hang on the crib that move and plays songs, ya those are useful. I would only turn it on during nap and bedtime. If you nursed him give him 2-3 oz with the rice cereal. I know that propping is bad but I am constantly checking on him and watching him on our baby monitor video (those are amazing invest in one!!). 

 I gradually got him use to the rice cereal by giving him 1 tsp during lunch time just to see how he would do. After he gets use to it i would start giving it to him before bed and 2-3 tsp. This depends on how much you are feeding him. For 4 oz I would do 2 and a half tsp of rice cereal. 2 oz just 1 tsp, if its more just raise it to 3 and 3 and a half so on and so fourth. I need to mention the bottle, I use a different bottle for the rice cereal. I got those cheap bottles from wal-mart and cut a small X on the top of the nipple so the rice cereal will flow freely instead of getting stuck. After he has finished it with that bottle I would use the ones I normally use which is the Nuk bottles. I introduced the rice cereal and the new nipple at the same time. He didn't mind the new nipple and took his food like normal. 

I would just stick to this schedule no matter where I was and it worked for me. Like I said before It prob will work or it won't. This is just my experiment and sharing it to help other mothers. It doesn't work with my baby every night, but he's getting there. Usually if he cried after he ate and everything I would let him cry for a couple of min and than if he still is than go and calm him and put him back in his crib or nurse him. He doesn't really eat he just uses is as a pacifier. Hes not a fan of pacifiers. 

Try it and let me know if it works for you. I would like to know:)