After the hustle and bustle of the holidays families are usually ready for daily routines to normalize.  If you don't have a daily routine for your baby you might want to consider the benefits.  Creating a daily routine for your baby helps them to feel more at ease.  Babies who are on a routine are usually less fussy and sleep better. But, experts agree that it is best to wait until baby is about three months of age before establishing a routine.  The reason is because, it is important for babies in these early months to feed on demand in order to support optimal growth and brain development. 

When you begin to develop a daily routine for your baby it is best to let your baby take the lead.  Observe their eating and sleeping cues for several days.  Many new parents find it helpful to journal daily activities in order to see baby's natural patterns. Then structure baby's routine around their needs. While establishing a routine it is important to remember that your baby's well-being comes first no matter what the schedule says.  In other words, follow the advice of your Pediatrician and your common sense to decide what is best for your baby. 

If mom is working and baby needs to be at day care by a specific time in the morning, it is best to put baby to bed early then wake them up early in the morning to spend extra time playing, reading and snuggling with them before you leave for work.  In most cases this helps the transition from home to daycare easier.

When building a daily routine along with the basics of eating, sleeping and bathing it is vitally important to schedule in time for parents to play with their babies, and time for baby to play and explore by him or herself.  Play and discovery time are important learning opportunities for babies. 

Remember that as baby grows and his or her needs change the daily routine should be varied to meet these milestones in baby's development.  As baby gets older nap times should be altered along with eating and play needs.

Another thought to keep in mind is that there will be times when it will be difficult to stick to the routine for instance, vacationing can disrupt normal routines. If you are planning a stay away from home it can be helpful to bring familiar items like night-lights, special blankets or stuffed animals to help baby feel more comfortable.  During times of anticipated disruption like appointments, try to stay on schedule as much as possible for the rest of the day.

Another expected interruption is when baby is teething or becomes ill, he or she might not be able to eat or sleep as usual.  When this happens you will need to relax on the schedule or forget it until baby is well and then start again from the beginning.  In most cases it only takes a few days to get back on track. 

Most of all enjoy parenting your little one.  They are a blessing each and everyday!