Routine suggestion

[positivity :)]

Hi ladies,

the talk in the 'ladies just over thread' about finding time to get dressed etc made me think about posting this routine suggestion. i've only done it for 2 days and i would say that if my LO was having a 'bad' day i wouldn't be able to do it but..on a normal day it worked out really well for me.

I got the routine from a book, its called the 7am to 7pm routine but as we were waking later my timings were different.

• 9am - 1st feed
• after feed, let baby play. i put Will in his rocker in front of the TV and also under his mobile for a while.
• 10.45am (put him down for a nap of 1 hour ish)
• 12pm (woke Will for his 2nd feed)
• after 2nd feed spent an hour playing on his mat, showing him books and back in his rocker etc.
• 1pm - put Will down for a 2 hour nap
• 3pm woke Will for his feed
• 5pm put Will down for his last nap of about 45/1hr
• 6:30/7 gave Will another feed.

after that i left him to 'self manage' his sleep as i put him in his swing.

at 9pm bath, bottle and then bed...didn't actually go to sleep until 11.30 though!

the reason i put this down is because im managing the routine i can anticipate when i am going to have time to myself. i got so much done yesterday, 3 loads of washing, tidied LO's chest of drawers and wardrobe, done my tesco order, made up all his bottles etc and prepared the dinner well in advance. i know this won't work for everyone but it did for me so i thought i would share. xxxx

 

[pinkyprincess]

It's so much easier when they sleep! Tyler has been out if it the last few days just feeding feeding feeding. Today he's snapped out of it and is on his second nap, so I managed to shower, get dressed, have brekki, 2 loads of washing, sort my FB out on the laptop (warning timeline is going live soon so I've fiddled with my security settings) munched sone fruit as a snack and I'm now catching up on some FB messages to people! Phew! Haven't done this much in a long time!

Well done Pos for your routine I can't wait to get into one!

 

[positivity :)]

yeah its true, you need a baby that will sleep. some days gone by i know this wouldn't have worked for me.

the big difference for me is that i 'make' him nap and actually it turned out every time he was actually tired where as on days gone by he would have continued to be awake when he was actually tired. still early days, i'm sure Will will prove me wrong soon lol xx

 

[pinkyprincess]

Lol I've started trying to put Ty down in his basket when he's awake sometimes just to get him used to being in it awake iykwim? Even its for a few mins before a feed or something. Not going to try and 'insist' on anything until he's 6 weeks old.

 

[Pinkprincess23]

I tried a routine with my LO from been 2 months old and she took to it really well. She has slept 8.30/9pm to 7/7.30am for the last 2 weeks. She will have a 20-30 min nap after a feed but I dont put her in her basket to nap she will nap in her chair or on her gym. After her bath at 7.30 she will have 4/50z (she has 70z during the day) I put her down to sleep and the only time she wakes is if her dummy falls out.

s
xx

 

[positivity :)]

when i say i 'make' i mean i suggest a nap and using that routine he was tired each time. i doubt i would have been able to do it before 6 weeks xx

 

[pinkyprincess]

I wasn't having a dig I was talking about me! I think if my mum hadn't told me to just treat him as a newborn I would've tried too early. They do sink into there own 'routine' I think they just aren't liveable lol! 'No Tyler I put you to bed at 10 so getting up at 11 is not acceptable!' lol!

 

[positivity :)]

oh i know hun but i read my post back and 'make' prob wasnt the best word to use xx

i think ur right, Will has been in a routine since he was born, its just been his own routine lol xx

 

[Piglet's Mama]

I put a lot of pressure on myself to get Brooke into a routine at about 6 weeks. Everyone was telling me I had to do it and it just stressed me out because she didn't get into a routine and I felt bad because I felt like I was expecting her to do things she really didn't understand at 6 weeks old. So in the end I just did whatever - for ages she just fell asleep on me downstairs and then I'd take her upstairs. But then at 4 months she really did just find her own routine. Now she's goes into her cot every night awake between 7.30-8.00pm,bashes her light show around for 10 mins then falls asleep. At 6 weeks we didn't stand a chance.

I think it's great Pos that Will is doing so well in your routine, but I just wanted to say don't get too caught up in it if it ever stresses you out or if you think "this isn't working". They are only small for such a short period of time (Brooke is weaning now and today she rolled all the way over from back to front - where has my baby gone?) So just enjoy these early weeks, and embrace the madness x

 

[Olive]

Do you think routines only work from a certain age? I don't think we could get Brody into one yet, even if we tried. He basically eats, sleeps and wees (sometimes poos ). When he's awake, he sits and looks around, but doesn't play yet. I'm assuming that's normal for a baby less than 3 weeks old...hopefully!

Really glad you've got a routine working well for you hun.

xx

 

[positivity :)]

I put a lot of pressure on myself to get Brooke into a routine at about 6 weeks. Everyone was telling me I had to do it and it just stressed me out because she didn't get into a routine and I felt bad because I felt like I was expecting her to do things she really didn't understand at 6 weeks old. So in the end I just did whatever - for ages she just fell asleep on me downstairs and then I'd take her upstairs. But then at 4 months she really did just find her own routine. Now she's goes into her cot every night awake between 7.30-8.00pm,bashes her light show around for 10 mins then falls asleep. At 6 weeks we didn't stand a chance.

I think it's great Pos that Will is doing so well in your routine, but I just wanted to say don't get too caught up in it if it ever stresses you out or if you think "this isn't working". They are only small for such a short period of time (Brooke is weaning now and today she rolled all the way over from back to front - where has my baby gone?) So just enjoy these early weeks, and embrace the madness x

thanks jen! well i'm giving it a go, its only been a few days so if it doesn't work i'm not going to pressure him or me but its worth a try. xx

 

[positivity :)]

Do you think routines only work from a certain age? I don't think we could get Brody into one yet, even if we tried. He basically eats, sleeps and wees (sometimes poos ). When he's awake, he sits and looks around, but doesn't play yet. I'm assuming that's normal for a baby less than 3 weeks old...hopefully!

Really glad you've got a routine working well for you hun.

xx

there is no way i would have tried before 6 weeks, they really do as they please before then. i'm following this book and the routine only starts from 6 weeks xx

 

[Olive]

Thanks hun xx

 

[ForestLas80]

My routine with Fin has been based around his natural patterns but if I can influence a little I will such as doing a feed at 6ish, bath and play and then pjs on and last feed before being put in cot tired @7pm for bed. He has done this much better this week (is 6 weeks thurs!! ) to the point that he slept 7pm to 1/2am then awake at 6/7am and back to sleep for sn hour or so and up at 8ish. So proud of my little man!!

 

[ForestLas80]

Have you heard of the magic 12 milestone for sleeping better/through the night?

 

[Piglet's Mama]

Do you think routines only work from a certain age? I don't think we could get Brody into one yet, even if we tried. He basically eats, sleeps and wees (sometimes poos ). When he's awake, he sits and looks around, but doesn't play yet. I'm assuming that's normal for a baby less than 3 weeks old...hopefully!

Really glad you've got a routine working well for you hun.

xx

Sweetheart, I wouldn't even worry about it at this stage. Just enjoy him! He'll find his own way when he's ready x

 

[littlemiss83]

I have a similar routine, except I dont wake Kayden for feeds. Here's mine -

7-8 - lo wakes up naturally & gets bottle & in buggy for school run
9-10 home from school, another bottle & lo is offered sleep
10-11 sits in his seat watching me do whatever in the house, plays on mat ect
another feed
around 1pm - lo offered more sleep & normally sleeps for about an hour & half this time of day.
3pm back out in buggy for skl run
4pm home, bottle, offered more sleep
5-6 a play on mat/in seat
6-7 bath bottle & bed.
if he is any later than 7pm going to bed he gets overtired & fusses for about 2 hours before going to sleep & wont take his bottle, if thats the case i let him sleep in cot til he wakes then go up & give him bed time bottle

 

[clairebear22]

I didn't bother with a routine with Jack as far as times were concerned when he was tiny. They have no sense of whether it's day or night time and will eat and sleep when they're hungry and tired (imo). I started trying to get Jack into a routine on 1st january because he'd decided bedtime was midnight which was just silly! Slowly slowly I stretched the amount of time I kept him awake and also slowly stretched the length of time inbetween him eating food and having milk. It took a long time and still now somedays doesn't work which resulted in me having a total breakdown yesterday and made me realise I put too much pressure on me & Jack to be 'perfect'. I think being a childminder hasn't helped because I think everyone thinks I should have a perfect baby in a perfect routine etc.

I've realised that Jack is 'perfect' for us! He'll reach his milestones when he's good and ready and he'll sleep through the night etc when he's ready too! I'm now laid back Mummy rather than strict routine Mummy

Please enjoy your tiny newborns ladies because before you know it's they're not newborns and you'll wonder where the months have gone!!

Jack's routine at the moment is:

Wakes between Midnight & 3am for a feed
Wakes for the day between 7-7.30am
Breakfast between 7-7.30am (as soon as he wakes and has been changed)
A nap by 9.30am
Milk between 10-10.30am
Lunch between 12.30-1pm
A nap between 1-1.30pm
Milk between 3-3.30pm
Dinner between 5.30-6pm
Bath between 8-8.30pm
Milk & Bed between 8.30-9pm

Inbetween all that is playtime and visiting friends time

Our 1 and only rule we have with Jack is we never ever wake him when he's sleeping. If he sleeps past milk or food time (which he rarely does now) we just adjust accordingly. We think if he's sleeping, he's sleeping and must need the amount he's having. Simples!

He's stuck to these times for about 2 weeks now and is such a happy chappy!! x