Sleep/nap routine during the day?

[Lulabell]

Josh doesn't have a routine at all during the day regarding naps. But is like clockwork for bedtime. Is this normal or should I try and sort a routine out? His feeds are roughly 6am, 9.30am, 12.30-1ish, 3.30-4ish and last bottle at 7.30. Bed at 8pm.x

 

[My1stBaby]

If he goes down well at night and sleeps fine I'd say you don't need a daytime routine. I tried a routine but I've found sometimes its made him sleep worse at night. The last 3 days I've had no routine n he slept really well last night- so who knows! I just try keep him awake for the final 2 hours of an evening, so if I wanna put him to bed at 9 I maker sure he's had a nap til 7. That way he can have a play bath bottle n bed in those last 2 hours n goes down easily.

Every baby is different though, its taken me ages to figure out what works, with help from Torino a few weeks ago I took her advice n now worked my own way out of that if that makes sense? I don't have any problem getting max to sleep now, its the waking from 4am ish I'm gonna conquer next. Even though he didn't do it last night- no idea what was different though except a later night as we'd been out for dinner!

Xxxxx

 

[LaurenMM]

I agree with my1st baby hun if everything seems ok and he seems happy then I wouldn't rock the boat. Angel has a bedtime routine but thats about it. There's 2 main reasons I didn't establish a routine for the daytime, one because she wakes up at different times every morning lol she wakes between 5-6am for a bottle then goes back down till between 7-8am and she'll nap 2 hours after previously waking. The second reason is I tried to start a routine and then was had a growth spurt and was unsettled, then she was teething etc etc so I just didn't really see the point. She naps now 2-2.5 hours after previously waking. She has her tea between 5.30-6pm then bath bottle and bed by about 7 and it's been like this for ages and she seems happy with it xx

 

[Princess81]

Agree with the girls, we only follow a very loose daytime routine as you need flexibility depending on what you're doing x

 

[LaurenMM]

Agree with the girls, we only follow a very loose daytime routine as you need flexibility depending on what you're doing x

Yep and that too, if you were to go out for the day it kinda ignored any routine as well. I've got a friend who has got her LO in a very strict routine as a result she rarely goes out too scared of it being messed up x

 

[TORino]

I've been following a fairly strict routine as I was at my wits end with a screaming baby. It works very well. It doesn't allow for me to do too much in the daytime though. I'm just working out how to fit things in the day without buggering it up.

We get up at the same time every day (7am) and T naps between 8.30 and 10 for between 30mins to 1 hour.

Lunchtime she naps from 11.45-2.30 for usually about 2.5 hours

Then between 4-5 she has 30 mins.

She goes to bed at 6.45-7

Personally though, if your LO sleeps at night and isn't grumpy in the day then I wouldn't rock the boat!

 

[GregorysGirl]

I agree with Tor, dnt fix it if it aint broken,......

However.....the past week we have fallen into a good routine which sits exactly the same each day (touch wood),

Wake 7 (feed 7-7.30)

Play / Bouncer / Read a book - some sort of activity.

Nap 9-11

Feed at 11

Play / walk round the village, go to friends, etc

Nap at 1 - 3 or 3 depending how much of a nap he needs

Feed at 3

Play 3-5

Power nap 5-5.30

Bath at 6

Last bottle at 7...

Sleep at 7.30.

Can seem restrictive, but Austin hardly crys at all now as he has become really predictable.

After his 2 hours of play, once he starts getting fractious, I sit him on my knew, put his dummy in, ask him if he is tired, rck him a little n take him up to bed.

Boom....hes out like a light bless him.

Lol...watch it all go to pot now, lol.

TBH I try to plan my day to day things around his routine m try to avoid him naping in the car if its his active time otherwise it screws him up.

I also try to have 2 days out n about n 3 days home spending time together, the weekends with hubby @ home or at my mums where he can still have proper naps. I dnt really like Austin napping here there n everywhere, I end up feeling guilty thats hes not having a proper nap n his brain isnt developing )paranoid mum club, lol)

Its deffo worth recording the times ur LO sleeps, eats etc so ur can see if they are falling into a pattern, I still keep a feeding diary to track things,

I do think each to their own tho n do what works for u, but I like structure, routine n predictability n it works for us, every baby is different xxxxxx