How do I know it’s time to extend my baby’s wake window?

So you finally get settled into your baby’s schedule, then – BAM – it’s time to adjust everything. 

Here’s the thing – babies grow so quickly in such a short time. And as they get older, they just need more awake time (and unfortunately less sleep…womp). So yes, that means you need to continually be adjusting their wake windows!

These are the best ways to know it might be time to extend:

• Your baby is taking longer to fall asleep at nap/bedtime
•  It seems like your baby could play for a little longer before going down (just doesn’t really seem tired)
• You’re experiencing a pattern of early morning wakes
• Naps are getting shorter
• You’re experiencing more frequent overnight wakes and/or split nights

Of course there could be several factors at play here, but overall, it’s important to know that as baby grows —> they need more awake time in their day. Awake time helps build up that drive for sleep to sustain a full nap and/or night, so paying attention to awake time is just as critical (if not more!) as paying attention to sleep time. 

If you need more support through this, don’t hesitate to reach out! You can always connect to me through my website or instagram (@bigpicturesleep).