Expecting our first soon. I have seen friends around me with babies be absolutely fixed to apps that tell them when their babies should be awake and asleep. My sister starts the bedtime routine at 4:30 in order for DN to be asleep in bed at 5:30 (and complains that he doesn’t sleep past 4am no matter what she tries).
I can’t imagine being limited in such a way. I understand routine is important for children but due to my DH being a shift worker, if our child went to bed before 7pm then he wouldn’t see them lots of days. Of course it would be different when I return to work and they need to be up for childcare and later on school, then I totally understand an early bedtime.
Is routine essential before say 6m ish? Baby will need to sleep where we are anyway as per safe sleep guidelines, so I thought surely they would be in a Moses basket in the living room until we go up to bed anyway. This time might change depending on the night.