Feed, Play, Sleep Routine

Starting Sleep Habits Together: Implementing the “Feed, Play, Sleep” Routine for Newborns

Newborns Don’t Come With a Schedule—But You Can Build One Together

In the first few months, everything feels upside-down: days blur into nights, feeds are unpredictable, and sleep happens in short, mysterious bursts.

But there’s one gentle structure that can help: the “feed, play, sleep” routine.

Recommended by the Better Health Channel and supported by sleep educators worldwide (including in the Sleepy Little One course), this simple rhythm gives both baby and parent a sense of flow.

What Is “Feed, Play, Sleep”?

It’s a flexible routine—not a schedule—built around your baby’s natural needs:

1. Feed: Begin each wake window with a full feed.
2. Play: After feeding, offer brief wake time—diaper change, cuddles, tummy time.
3. Sleep: Watch for tired signs, and put baby down drowsy but awake.

This structure teaches your baby to:

• Connect feeding with waking (not falling asleep)
• Practice settling in their crib
• Begin to learn day vs. night patterns

Why This Routine Works

Newborns don’t yet have circadian rhythms, but routines help introduce predictability. Over time, the repetition of “feed → play → sleep” becomes familiar and calming.

It also supports:

• Self-settling skills
• Healthier sleep associations
• Better understanding of your baby’s cues

And most importantly, it helps you feel less lost in the chaos of early parenting.

Tips for Using the Routine

• Don’t aim for strict timing—watch wake windows (usually 45–90 minutes at this stage).
• Look for tired signs: yawning, staring, jerky movements, red eyebrows.
• Keep “play” simple—this is not Pinterest-level stimulation! Just connection.
• Place baby in crib awake, even if they fuss a little—that’s how self-settling grows.

A Routine for Both of You

This isn’t just about teaching your baby—it’s about giving you a rhythm too.

Even on hard days, this gentle loop gives you somewhere to start.

Over time, it creates confidence. And confidence brings calm.

Final Thought

“Feed, play, sleep” isn’t magic—but it is incredibly effective.

One moment at a time, one routine at a time, you and your baby are learning together.

And that? That’s the beginning of a beautiful sleep story.

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