Blog » Daily Routine For a 5 Month Old

Daily Routine For a 5 Month Old

Posted May 10, 2009

Hi Kitty,

I have a 5  month old and am wondering what a typical day should look like with regard to his schedule. I introduced solids at 5 months, so that is part of our day. I have taken your sleep classes and they have worked wonderfully with my first and great for night times with my second, but we are still working on napping. I read your last Connect newsletter regarding this.

I'm very happy sleep training has worked well for you. For your 5 month old's schedule, here is one to consider:

7 AM if awake, milk feeding #1

8:30 - 10:30 in bed for nap #1

10:30 if awake, milk feeding #2

Noon - 2 PM in bed for nap #2

2 PM if awake milk feeding #3 followed a little later by solid food if you like this time of day (1 x day only at this age is my recommendation)

3:30 - 5:30 in bed for nap #3

5:30 up if awake, last milk feeding sometime between 6 and 7:15 , then bath (optional) , dressing, song/story

8 PM into bed awake for the night.

Tell me what you think of this. It's ideal, of course, and you may have tweaks you need to make.

(4) comments

Filed under: Daily Routines

Comments

A little off the subject but why do you recommend feeding a 5 month old solid food only once a day?
My baby is almost 7 months, started solids a few weeks ago and he is up to 2 solid food meals. OK?
Thanks

By elizabeth Flanagan Diamond on June 17, 2009


Kitty’s schedule for a 5 month old seems similar to what we did with our son except we were putting him down earlier and we eventually moved to a 6:30 bedtime.
Regarding the solid food… I remember discovering that our son became increasingly interested in our foods so we started to offer him solids at around the 6 month mark. He ate a bit, spitting most of it out.  So, I stopped at and started again when it was very clear milk wasn’t enough. Today he eats well msot of the time and mealtimes so far have been a non-issue. In fact, the longer we wait to feed him, the better and more passionately he eats. The only thing that bothers me is when he leaves certain foods in favour of others. Any ideas on how to combat that? He’s now around 15 months.

By Alexandra Simsilevich on June 17, 2009


Since milk is still the major growth food for a baby until age one year, I feel it is prudent to go easy with how many solid feedings a young baby gets; by 7 or 8 months I feel 2 per day would be just right.

Regarding babies leaving certain foods alone, other than presenting them anyway and knowing they’ll be left behind, there isn’t much you can do.  Presenting them anyway (small amounts) keeps them familiar with the look, smell, etc., of all the foods you want to be in his repertoire.  Just don’t comment on what is left behind.  Next week he might eat it!

By Kitty on June 23, 2009


If I remember correctly from the sleeping class, the routine for a 1 month old is similar to the routine advised for a five month old above.  I believe it was also recommended that there be only 2 feedings during the night, very tough for us to achieve at this young age.  Any suggestions?

By A. Martin on July 15, 2009


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