A baby's needs aren't that complicated – food, sleep, play, and love pretty much sums it up. But knowing what your baby requires when, and how much of it, can be a real challenge. Not to mention balancing your baby's needs with your own and those of older children and other family members. Here are what you need to look up at this article from HappyMom.Life.

Many parents find that getting into a regular routine or schedule with their baby makes life much easier: It's almost like developing a personalized how-to manual for your child. As a parent, you'll have a predictable pattern for your days with your little one. And your baby will know what to expect – for example, that she gets a bottle after her morning nap, then playtime or an outing.When they're not sleep-deprived or hungry, it makes for a much happier baby. By meeting your baby's basic needs, you put her in the best frame of mind – and body – to learn about and explore her new world.

When Can I Start?

Experts say, babies are ready for a general schedule between 2 and 4 months of age.

Most infants' sleeping and feeding habits become more consistent and predictable after three or four months, says pediatrician Marc Weissbluth, author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. You may want to take this opportunity to encourage your baby to follow a more defined schedule.

Your baby may fall into fairly predictable patterns long before this, however. If that's the case, you can gently encourage your baby's emerging routine.

Tracking your child's eating, sleeping, and alert times can give you an understanding of his natural rhythms and enable you to pinpoint developing patterns. In the days following delivery, many parents begin to note when their baby feeds, when he poops and pees, when he sleeps and for how long, and so on.

* During the newborn period, it's especially important that your baby get enough breast milk or formula to avoid problems like poor weight gain and dehydration. You should never withhold food or sleep when your baby seems to need it because it's "not the right time yet."

What Are My Options?

To make things easier, we've grouped baby scheduling methods into three main styles: parent-led, baby-led, and combination.

• Parent-led schedules are the most strict. They may specify exactly when (and sometimes how much) your baby will eat, when he'll sleep and for how long, when he'll play or go out, and so on. The schedule may be one you create based on your baby's natural patterns or a suggested routine from an expert, but once it's set, it's very consistent – even down to the minute – from day to day

• Baby-led schedules are the least defined kind of routine. You follow your baby's lead, meaning you'll look for his cues to decide what he needs next rather than imposing a timetable for feedings, rest, or play.

• Combination schedules bring together elements of both baby- and parent-led methods. With this approach, you'll have a timetable for when your baby will eat, sleep, play, and so on, and you'll generally stick to a similar pattern every day.But you'll have more flexibility than with a strictly parent-led routine. A nap can be pushed back if your baby doesn't seem tired yet, and lunch can be postponed if a trip to the store takes longer than expected.

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