05/26/2024
As your baby gets older, they are able to stay awake for longer stretches between sleeps. A simple Google search will generate an ideal schedule based on your child's age, but what about when your child gets older & they fall into a new wake window standard?
Do you increase to the new wake window standard all at once, or do you increase wake time gradually until you reach the new wake window length?
This really depends on your child & their personality! In my experience, babies are usually ready for a lengthier wake window before we realize it. It can often feel like we are "forcing" baby to stay awake when we are adjusting to a new sleep schedule. However. If we maintain the shorter wake windows, it almost always results in a short nap. For babies who seem to really struggle to stay awake beyond the time suggested in their currebt schedule (even though they have aged out of that age), I recommend increasing wake time by 5 minutes every few days until you reach the new wake length.
If your baby is more relaxed & you have been experiencing those short naps, you can increase to the wake window all at once!
If you need help figuring out a new schedule or calculating what your babies wake windows should be, my DM's are always open! 🤗
