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Parenting

Routines?

11 replies

mumtoblaire · 26/08/2010 17:52

Wondered if anyone is following a structured routine.

My DD2 is almost 4 weeks old and is in a sort of routine, she is feeding every 3-4 hours during the day and 5-6 hours at night. I know that between 3.30pm to 6.30pm everyday she will be fast asleep.

I am looking into Gina Ford routine and Baby Whisperer. My DD1 is almost 7yrs and with the school run being 8.30am - 9.30am and 2.30pm - 3.30pm it is going to be difficult for me to get out the house with the both of them unless I rearrange the timings of feeds/sleeps/playtime.

I am also a bit of a cleaning fanatic and need to know when DD2 will be asleep so that I can get stuff done.

Bit of a ramble but wanted any feedback from those that do follow a routine.

Thanks in advance

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RonansMummy · 27/08/2010 10:55

hi, i have been waching this thread to see what people write. Maybe everyone else was as shocked as me?

I think its ridiculous to expect a 4 week old to follow a routine!! The routine she has already fallen into is amazing and you are really lucky!

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gastrognome · 27/08/2010 12:07

Hello,
If your daughter has already found her own routine, I'd suggest not rocking the boat by trying to shoehorn her into a new one.

I presume DD2 does sleep in the mornings too? Could you get the cleaning done then, and then make the most of her afternoon nap to have some time with your elder daughter?

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PutTheKettleOn · 27/08/2010 14:14

wow, want to swap your DD2 for mine? 9 weeks and still no routine whatsoever!

Re the school run, if it was me, I would try and feed her to the gills just before I needed to go out in the hope she'd sleep in the car/pushchair. Could you try and shift her afternoon nap earlier so she sleeps from whenever you need to leave?

As for cleaning, give youself a break you've got a 4 week old!

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foxy123 · 27/08/2010 15:18

I started to get my DD (now nearly 2!) into a routine at 4 weeks as I knew I had to go back to work at 3 months. The routine was to feed her every 3 hours from 7am - 10pm, bathing her at 7pm

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foxy123 · 27/08/2010 15:19

BTW if she wanted extra feeds in between of course I always gave

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MrsMc82 · 28/08/2010 09:57

No ronansmummy, I don't think its shocking at all, annoys me so much that anti routine type on here think its ok to criticise those who favour a routine....... While no-one criticises the go with the flow types........ Why can't people accept that routines work for some mums and babies and just as going with the flow works better for other mums and babies..... Its not shocking and if you've not got anything helpful to add to a thread why make the op feel like shit by suggesting what she's wanting for her family is "shocking"????

Sorry op, totally hijacked your thread with a rant, but this is my pet hate about mumsnet...... Sometimes the support on here is invaluable and wouldn't be without it but other times people are the most judgemental fuckers you'll ever come across....... Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

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MaMattoo · 28/08/2010 23:22

Its good to know that your 4 week old has a routine. My little one, now 11 weeks old, has had a routine since he was 2 weeks old..feed every 3 hours :) the health visitor was mighty pleased for me and told me I am lucky.

Would not your LO be sleepy around 3? Or is that time for playing/talking etc? I follow the easy routine therefore I ask. Kind of agree with PutTheKettleOn.

About the cleaning..I know!! Its close to midnight and I have just finished cleaning, well tidying up and am sitting with me midnight cup of tea..me time finally!

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TheSugarPlumFairy · 28/08/2010 23:50

what MrsMc82 said!

OP, my dd (19 weeks) has been in a routine from very early on and is a happy, healthy, chilled out and settled little girl and has a mum who is similarly disposed. I always planned on a routine and knew i would never cope "going with the flow" as it were. Just my personality type i guess.

GF appealed to me somewhat because of its certainty and detailed instructions of when baby should do what which i found very comforting when i was pregnant and contemplated the reality of actually having a baby to look after but in the end we found the baby whisperer worked best for us. The EASY routine makes a lot of sense for us and DD fell into step with it quite easily. The concept is flexable enough also to allow for us to get out of the house when we want to which i didnt think GF did.

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mumtoblaire · 29/08/2010 19:47

Thanks for the replies.

I am looking at the Tracey Hogg books at the moment and think that this may be the one to take ideas from.

I know that I am lucky to have such a settled baby and I don't take it for granted. I make the most of every minute when she is asleep and I like to know when that may be happening.

I had to got back to work when DD1 was 9wks old and I need to be prepared in case that happens again.

As some of the other posters have said Routines work for some and not for others.

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Orissiah · 31/08/2010 09:38

My DD is 2.3 years old but we followed a strict routine (GF) pretty much from birth and it worked extremely well for DD and therefore for us. It annoys me when people jump up and down and say you needn't have your newborn follow routines - for some babies and their parents a strict routine actually works well - if routines are your inclincation then try it and see. If it doesn't work out for your baby then try a different way.

My DD thrived on the routines and was sleeping through the night from 12 weeks and napped fantastically and predictably. She was a very easy baby so it worked for us. If she had been less predictable/easy then I would have shoved the strict routine and tried something different.

Each to their own. Babies and parents are all different as are parenting styles.