Are you feeling overwhelmed? In this article, we discuss why it is important to build a routine for your newborn baby, what to expect, ways to build a routine and how to overcome common challenges most new parents face.
The first 40-60 days of being a parent can be a shock to your system because of the frequent night wakings, sudden loss of sleep and unpredictability, so it helps to get into a rhythm with your newborn baby.
For the first year, it’s not about following strict schedules and setting dozens of alarms, but instead, trying to create simple, actionable routines that will help you feel more in control of your mind and life.
Let’s discuss this in more detail to help you understand why routine is important and how you can build a routine for you and your baby.
What is Routine?
Explained simply, routine is a sequence of actions performed repeatedly to create habits, which help you achieve specific goals.
In other words, if your goal is to get fit and tone your body, you could create a fitness routine with specific targeted exercises (habits) to help you strengthen and tone parts of your body.
Ask yourself this: if you have a goal, how will you achieve it if you don’t know what steps to take to make it happen? Your mind will feel scattered, you will get distracted, and your efforts will be inconsistent.
The truth is, we can get a lot done without having a routine, but routine adds structure and goal-driven habits to your life, and it will be difficult to achieve your goals with no clear plan in mind.
Think of routine as a roadmap that you can follow every day to help you stay organised and focused – it is your personal plan for success.
A lack of routine can lead to:
- Inconsistency
- Procrastination
- Inability to focus
- Not feeling motivated
- No sense of achievement
- Lower self-esteem
- Depression
- A life that feels unpredictable and chaotic
- Higher levels of stress and anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed
💡What Are the Benefits of Having a Routine
We often overlook the importance of routine as adults. Without routine, we may find we are more anxious, tired and unable to regulate our emotions or organise our days.
The same applies to children. You will often find that children who do not have routine have behavioural issues, lower immunity and energy levels, higher anxiety levels, and an inability to develop discipline and independence.
The benefits of routine for your baby:
✅More Bonding
Dedicated time for playing, cuddling, singing and talking
✅Mental Development
Baby learns that things happen in sequences and patterns, they develop healthy habits and develop independence
✅Improved Sleep
Bedtime activities (bath, massage, feed, cuddle) become triggers for sleep and improve sleep quality
✅Better Mood
Babies adapt better to change when they feel safe and secure
✅Cooperation
Babies are less fussy when things are predictable and consistent
The benefits of routine for parents:
✅Time management
More structure allows parents to plan their days better
✅Lower cortisol levels
Predictability helps reduce anxiety and makes you feel less stressed when you get things done
✅Less relationship strain
Routine takes pressure off your relationship with your partner because of less fighting and misunderstandings
✅Consistency
Routines make it easier to stay focused on goals
✅Clear expectations
Routine takes the guesswork out of knowing what needs to happen and when
👶Why Routine Helps Your Baby Feel Happy and Safe
Most experienced parents acknowledge that having routines makes it easier to manage time and plan their days, and both children (and adults) thrive on routine.
Routine creates a predictable environment with clear goals and expectations for the day, which gives children a sense of security, purpose and understanding of the world.
The easiest way to remember a newborn’s routine is “eat, wake, sleep, repeat”.
Your days will mostly revolve around reading your baby’s cues, feeding your baby (and yourself), changing diapers, cuddling, and putting your baby to sleep. (and hopefully having a shower and naps yourself)
What types of routine do newborn babies need?
Your baby will require more than one routine for each part of their day, and we suggest following this order:
Wake > Feed > Play > Bath > Sleep > Repeat
🍼Feeding time:
Typically, you will feed your baby until they are full (15-45 minutes at a time) and then you will burp your baby (1-2 minutes).
Newborn babies will typically feed up to 12 times a day (every 2-3 hours), will be awake for 30-60 minutes at a time and sleep for about 18 hours a day.
Items you will need for feeding time:
- Burp clothes
- Nursing pillow
- Bottle cleanser and brush
- Bibs
- Bottles
- Breast pump
- Milk storage bags
- Formula (if not breastfeeding)
What are signs my baby is hungry?
- Licking lips
- Rooting (turning head/opening mouth)
- Sucking fingers and hands
- Clenched fists
- Crying and fussiness (if cues are missed)
🧸Play time:
Newborns are awake for about 30-90 minutes at a time. During this time, you can do short burst of tummy time (2-3 minutes), sing, read and talk to your baby.
Items you will need for play time:
- Play mat
- Baby mirror
- Baby toys
Check out these infant toys from Babies R Us
What are signs my baby wants to play?
- Alertness
- Wide, observant eyes
- Focused attention/head turning
- No fussiness
- Reaching for things
- Smiling
- Babbling/cooing
🛀Bath time:
Some parents wait about 2 weeks before bathing their babies for the first time. If you choose to wait, you can simply wipe your baby with a soft, warm cloth.
New parents might find it especially intimidating to bathe a newborn baby, so it will help if you have a small baby bath or shallow sink to use.
Use lukewarm water, a gentle baby soap and a soft cloth or sponge to bathe your baby.
Wrap your baby in a warm towel after the bath, followed by a gentle massage, a clean diaper and comfortable clothing.
You can also use a soft baby brush to brush your baby’s hair and prevent oil build-up on the scalp.
Items you will need for bath time:
- Baby bath
- Wash cloth
- Mild baby soap
- Baby moisturiser or massage oil
- Soft hooded baby towel
- Babygros
- Beanie
- Soft baby hairbrush
- Anti-slip mat
What are signs my baby is tired?
- Yawning
- Rubbing or covering eyes
- Fussiness
- Not making eye contact
💤Bedtime:
Babies usually sleep up to 18 hours a day, but will wake more frequently at night. Naps are usually 2-3 hours, which progress to 6-8-hour naps by 3 months.
To ensure your baby is ready for bed, offer a long feeding session, thorough burping and a warm, cosy swaddle.
If your baby seems particularly fussy, you can give your baby a pacifier to encourage self-soothing.
Items you will need for bedtime:
- Swaddle
- Pacifier
- Burp cloth
- White noise machine
What are signs my baby needs a fresh diaper?
- Strong smell
- Wet, sagging diaper
- Blue wetness indicator on the diaper
- Crying and fussiness (if signs are ignored)
Reasons babies wake up at night:
- Dirty diaper
- Hunger
- Seeking comfort
- Too hot/cold
- Loud noise
- Colic/gas
⏰How To Build a Routine with a Newborn Baby
Here are 10 easy steps you can follow to build a routine with a newborn baby:
- Follow a simple pattern of Wake > Feed > Play > Sleep
- Starts each morning at the same time
- Follow a repeatable bedtime routine (bath>cuddle>feed>sleep)
- Keep track of wake windows (don’t follow the clock)
- Keep daytime bright and stimulating, followed by dimmed, quiet nights
- Choose sleep cues (swaddle, lullaby, dimmed lights) and stay consistent with them
- Feed on demand, but try to feed at specific times if possible
- Establish a wind-down period (3-5 minutes) before every nap
- Be flexible for the first 6 months and follow your baby’s cues
- Be mindful of growth spurts, sleep regressions and cluster feeding
Common Challenges Parents Face When Building a Routine with New Babies
➡️Daily responsibilities
❌Problem:
New parents usually feel exhausted and struggle to cope with daily responsibilities.
✔️Solution:
- Sleep when your baby sleeps and rest as much as you can in the first few months. You will not get this opportunity later, as naps get shorter the older your baby gets.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help with cleaning, cooking and housekeeping if you have options.
- Try to plan your days and set goals and priorities to stay on track
➡️Regulating emotions
❌Problem:
Sleep deprivation interferes with your brain chemistry and can make you feel depressed, angry and more irritable.
Combined with sleep deprivation, some new parents feel overwhelmed when baby cries and becomes inconsolable.
✔️Solution:
- Learn to recognise your triggers and know when you create distance between you and your baby.
- If you feel overwhelmed, put your baby in a safe place and take 5 minutes to breathe and calm down.
- It may seem unconventional, but get yourself some earplugs so that you can care for your baby without the emotional overload.
- Consider going for therapy if your emotions become unbearable
➡️Reading baby’s cues
❌Problem:
You might miss a cue or misread it, which could cause fussiness and result in tears.
✔️Solution:
- Take mental notes of your baby’s cues for feeding, sleeping, discomfort and emotional connection.
- Do some research, read books and watch videos to familiarise yourself with baby cues
➡️Colic
❌Problem:
Babies become extremely fussy when they have gas because it is uncomfortable and even painful at times.
✔️Solution:
- Always burp your baby after every feed
- Keep anti-colic drops on hand
- Learn different burping techniques
➡️Visitors
❌Problem:
Family members and friends may not be understanding of routine, and it is hard for new parents to set boundaries with family
✔️Solution:
- Offer visiting hours and days that fit into your routine
- Limit visitors to one or two people at a time
- Don’t feel guilty if you are feeling too overwhelmed or tired to have visitors, it’s okay to say, “not today”.
- Visit when you can; people don’t need to come to your house all the time and that way, you can leave when it’s time to go
- Try to be flexible, keep an open mind and allow yourself to rest when family visits
➡️Unplanned events
❌Problem:
Sometimes, things suddenly come up (doctor’s visits, illness, shopping trips) and it won’t always be at a good time.
Solution:
- Plan longer trips before naps so that baby can sleep in the car
- Make sure you have backup milk ready
- Always have your diaper bag packed for the next day
- Try to plan your days as much as possible, even if something comes up unexpectedly
- If you can, pack your breast pump and storage bags, a baby blanket, a muslin cover, and anything else you will need in case plans change while you are out with baby
- If it’s not absolutelynecessary, don’t feel pressurised to do things that will cause too much stress for you and your baby – it’s okay to say no.
➡️Chores and errands
❌Problem:
If you don’t have extra help available, it might start interfering with daily tasks like cleaning, cooking, shopping, self-care and other responsibilities.
✔️Solution:
Let go a little. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect all the time
Set priorities mindfully. Is cleaning more important than your health and baby’s needs?
Lower your standards and expectations if you are putting too much pressure on yourself to get everything done in one day
Get extra help if possible. It might help to find a nanny or someone to help clean the house and cook
➡️Self-care
❌Problem:
When we feel tired and overwhelmed, and focus on what everyone else needs, we often neglect our own needs.
✔️Solution:
- Set aside at least 30 minutes over the course of the day for hygiene, health and relaxation
- Make time for things that bring you joy
- The little things count – a 5-minute shower is better than no shower. Brush your hair, brush your teeth and change into something clean and comfortable.
Conclusion
You will also find it extremely difficult, as a parent, to get anything done without a routine in place. Even something as simple as a shower will eventually feel overwhelming.
The truth is that children and adults alike need routine to cope with life. Establishing a routine early will develop discipline, which eventually makes it easier for you and your children to accomplish goals and succeed.
Routine creates structure and requires discipline, but it is important to be flexible and be mindful of growth spurts, sleep regressions, teething and other changes that come with having a baby.
Ask yourself: “What are things I can do (differently) every day to make my life easier and/or better?”
We hope that this article will make it easier for you to build a routine for you and your baby. You’ve got this, Mamma!
🤔What can make this easier for me?
Parenting can be challenging, but having the right tools can make it a lot easier. Below are practical, parent-approved sleep sacks that simplify bedtime and save you time, energy, and second-guessing.
My son woke up 6-10 times a night (even after he turned 1) until we started using these sleep sacks:
Featured products
Recommended products
Not sure where to start? Download this Newborn Routine Template for FREE
FAQs
1. When should I start a routine with my newborn?
You can begin gentle patterns from birth — but don’t expect strict schedules in the first 6–8 weeks. Focus on rhythms (feed, wake, sleep) rather than exact times.
Can newborns really follow a routine?
Newborns can’t follow a clock, but they respond well to repetition. Consistent feeding, calming, and sleep cues help their nervous system feel secure.
What’s the difference between a routine and a schedule?
A schedule is time-based (e.g., nap at 10:00 AM).
A routine is sequence-based (feed → change → play → sleep). For newborns, sequence works much better.How long does it take for a newborn to adjust to a routine?
Most babies begin showing predictable patterns around 6–12 weeks. Before that, consistency matters more than predictability.
What if my baby resists the routine?
That’s normal. Growth spurts, cluster feeding, and developmental leaps can temporarily disrupt things. Flexibility is part of healthy routine-building.
Should I wake my newborn to keep a routine?
In the early weeks, especially if your baby hasn’t regained birth weight, doctors often recommend waking every 2–3 hours to feed. Once weight gain is steady, you can allow longer sleep stretches if advised by your healthcare provider.
How do I create a bedtime routine for a newborn?
Keep it simple and repeatable:
Dim lights
Warm bath (if part of your rhythm)
Feed
Short cuddle
Lay down drowsy
The goal is cues, not perfection.What’s a good daytime routine for a newborn?
A simple pattern works well:
Feed → Change → Short wake window (5–30 minutes depending on age) → Sleep.
Newborn wake windows are very short — overtiredness happens fast.Can routines help with colic or fussiness?
While routines don’t cure colic, predictable feeding and sleep rhythms can reduce overstimulation and help babies feel more regulated.
What if my routine falls apart?
It will. And that’s okay. Travel, illness, growth spurts, and life happen. The key is returning to your core rhythm without guilt.
READ MORE:
