Did you have any routine at 6 wks? Help please.

[thislittlesisterlola]

So far had no routine. Now I feel tbh I need one. Ds is 6 weeks and I dont know if Im coming or going. I feed him on demand I guess. He sleeps well at night- 5 hour stretch. Daytime naps are not good at all. He takes so long to settle after a feed. Today I have resulted to being back in bed with him and classical music. He isfeeding well, great weight. I am trying the bw routine but I cant see how we can make it work as he takes over an hour to go to sleep. By the time he is asleep its nearly feeding time. I do however think the cluster feeds and dream feed would benefit him. Any ideas? I want to go by him but i also need to shower, cook, do washing. Tbh couple hours him asleep in his crib is what i need. Tia

Hi there thislittlesisterlola,

First of all, you are through the toughest bit! My friends and I (now with children 3+) still sit back and shudder/laugh at those first 6 weeks!

As for some proper advice, it really does depend on you as a person and your little ds as to what will suit - some friends went down the anything does, attachment theory route, others the Gina Ford super structured route.

For me and my best friend, the guide we found most useful was the baby book I found it gave enough guidance to help me in my 'what on earth am I doing?!' phases, established some basic structure but was still recognising things change and was compassionate for you and baby.

Some basics that have worked for me are:

Bedtime structure : Bath, feed, book (right from first week!), cuddle then left to drift off on their own (some very gentle nature sounds type music helped if she was a little unsettled)
Plenty of fresh air: at least one walk a day and a walk might be better after a feed at getting him to have a daytime nap. I know it doesn't help with you needing to get things done although my dd would stay awake and be worn out by the fun and go off when we got home!

Hi thislittlesisterlola

I think we started trying to do a little bath/feed/bed routine with DD when she was about 6 weeks. I would usually take her out for a walk or to the shops around 3.30, get back just before 5.30 and start it all off from there.

The rest of it followed on from there really, she slowly settled into a pattern so that by about 10/12 weeks there was a reasonably constant rhythm to her day.

Do whatever pattern suits you and your baby, personally I didn't get on with BW and found her rather patronising. I would add a second vote for The Baby Book mentioned by MindySimmons, I found it very helpful as it advocates a flexible routine and isn't rigid at all. The lady who wrote it is a mum and granny so you know there is some good experience behind what she says.

One friend swore by Baby Secrets by Jo Tantum.

Good luck with it all

xx

I second mindy's suggestion of The Baby Book, its was brilliant, the apprach was not to strict but routine is sensible and worked for us....... And used it from day one

I think that rountine at first is more for mum than baby, or at least in my case, it just meant I had a vague idesa of what I was meant to be doing and when - like a "to do" list (I know, am a control freak!!)!!!! But I think baby likes it yo as they come to know what to expect next.......

BUT and this is a big BUT, don't get too stressed if baby doesn't do exactly what the book (whichever one you choose) says.... I made the mistake of forgetting that DS is a little person and sometime he didn't sleep when it said it will and I went a bit manic when things didn't go to plan till my dear mum reminded me that ds has not read the book!!!

Congrats and good luck :o

i've always done the same things every day, and thus my routine has been formed...

that is breakfast, dog walk, little bit of indoor play, lunch, nap, play in kitchen (housework time) cbeebies..dinner..Bed!

with a new baby being fed whenever i get the opportunity imbetween. they quickly fall in with it...

6 weeks seems really early to me to have a rountine. Your baby is still tiny and his needs will change so much over the next few weeks and months that you won't be able to keep to much of a routnine.

When dd was born a friend told me not to even stop and think for 8 weeks and I found this advice really helpful. I just stayed on the sofa with books, magazines, telly etc and got to know her, letting her feed/sleep on demand. A routine will emerge that suits you both. It sounds like you are doing really well.

I would have killed for 5 hour stretches of sleep at 6 weeks. :)

hi all thank you for your lovely replies. I'll be getting that book I'm not sure bw really fits in with us tbh. A basic bedtime one is where I'll start I think. It doesnt bother me too much, his lack of daytime napping he all of a sudden can be put down- how did that happen? So that helps me. The routine is definitely more for me I just need to know where I am- control freak like you mrsmc. I think I need to bring more structure and get out once a day- round the block(we live in tiny village not really anywhere to go but the post office via noisy road). Thank you mindy looking back that past foggy 6 weeks have been tough tbh. The 6wk mark is such a turning point. Did anyone else find it hard to get out and about? I find it quite daunting. Getting the bus with the pram, feeding him out and about also daunts me.( spent last month of pg pretty house bound). Have baby groups that start in sept hopefully that will help me and the routine. jingle we do have very lazy mornings in bed tbh and i love it. Any days spent at home wil be spent like this til he protests! I refuse to get hung up on books but I need some guidance. Sorry for the long post, on phone apologises for no paragraphing. Thanks again