routine or not?

[tinkerbell*]

Gina Ford!

without a rouine i was going insane. Theo was waking up 3-4 times night drinking 30mls of a bottle, falling asleep in his bouncy chair for 10mins, wanting but more bottle. and at night we'd have to rock him to sleep in our arms and slowly lower him in to bed and then carefull remove our arms and hands so he didnt wake up... most the time he did... so we had to start all over again!

i read Gina ford book and one morning (when theo was 6weeks old) i woke him up at 7am. i put him in his bed at 9am (no rocking to sleep ect ect), and he cried for about 5mins and fell asleep all by himself. i woke him up at 10am
then he went down for a nap at 12pm. we woke after 45mins and cried for a few mins, but i left him and watched him on our video monitor (~highly recomended~). and he just took himself back off to sleep. work him up at 2pm
then he had a nap 4-5pm
then bath at 7pm
bedtime 7:30pm

we had to wake him up from his naps for about a week, but from then on he has gone down for a nap every time on time and just takes himself off to sleep. sometimes he does not even look tired at his nap time, but we put him in to bed anyway and he just lays there quietly untill he falls alseep. it is the best thing i have ever done for theo, since we have has a routine he has been much happier, he knows when he is going to have a botttle and when hes going down for a nap.
(and i know also). its great! Thumbs up for gina ford!!!!

 

[beanie]

never had routines here, me and OH aren't int hem and a routine would just not fit in with my lifestyle - it would personally make me feel too restricted. I always eat when hungrey/sleep when tired so let my two do the same and its worked out great for our family

 

[Lisamj]

Yep, Gina Ford for us too. Each to their own but I think a routine offers a sense of security for a baby, and the fact that it keeps me sane too is an added bonus! I swear it was this routine that meant that Sam was sleeping through from just over 10 weeks old.

There are parts of GF that we ignore - for example she advises "dim lights and no eye contact during the evening feeds" - we've NEVER followed that advice and have a whale of a time after his last feed of the night with giggles and games etc. It DH's favourite time of the day.

I know exactly when Sam is ready for a nap, feed etc AND he really is such a happy baby. It doesn't restrict as he can sleep or feed at the same times if I'm out too. My mum says she's never seen such a happy soul As for sleeping, we put him in his bed, say "night night", he watches us close the door and off he goes to the land of nod. One of the best parts is his 2 hour nap from 12-2pm - I get soooo much done in that time.

Would recommend it to anyone.

L xxxxx

 

[lea m]

All my kiddies have set their own routine from very early on and I just help encourage it!(for example, last feed I do in my bedroom with the light of and I dont chat to her much and stuff just to let her know that at night, its quieter etc!) Ive never read any routines to follow? They do eat when they are hungry etc I think we have a half routine lol! I have enough routine for babs to know what shes doing but flexible enough not to restrict myself if circumstances mean we cant do set things kwim? Its worked well with my other 3 so I wont try and fix what aint broken lol!

 

[Charlie:-)]

My routines are very similar to Valentines.

I started a bedtime routine at around 6/7 weeks old and started at 5:30pm when hubby got home with nappy off time, then bath at 6pm and changed and ready for bed at 6:30pm then breastfeed and bed for 7pm.

Now Maia is eating solids we have tea anytime between 5/6 then bath anytime between 6/7 (although not every night), a story when she doesn't have a bath then bed before 7:30pm with a final breastfeed.

During the day we have no routine apart from obviously breakfast and getting dressed, and she will always nap 2 hours after waking so she will nap at home in her cot or in the car if we are out and about. We always have lunch together too but that may be at home or if we are out then we will sit in a cafe and have something.

I did read some of the Gina Ford as it was thrust upon me by a friend but to be honest I thought it was too rigid and not for me at all.

 

[Steelgoddess]

I kinda dip my hand into a fw pots really... i bath him every other day and our nightime routine those days are lovely, he has a bath at about 6;45 massage and dress at 7pm then bottle and bed by 730, hes normally asleep by 8pm on the other days he would ALWAYS be in the cot upstairs by 7:30pm sometimes earlier.

Some structure is fine but I would never be strict to the point of not hugging Hay or not enjoying him... I also think people do routines to fit in with their familes so what works for one family may not work for another the main importance is that baby is not forced into anything or parents aren't stressed
x