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Parenting

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Original poster

Routine Advice

17 replies

Mmolly2013 · 05/11/2014 21:51

I was talking to a mum today as we were discussing baby classes in our area. She mentioned that she couldnt go to a certain class as it was during the babys feeding time.

Now what got me is my baby is 10 weeks ok we had the same nighttime routine but during the day we dont have a strict feeding and nap schedule I just let the baby do what they want, although she has sorted got herself into a similar pattern. But i mean if a class was on i would just do a top up feed beforehand.

Is this a big deal do you think.

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steppemum · 05/11/2014 22:09

I think it depends on the baby.

ds was like clockwork, he fed every 3 hours during the day. You couldn't feed him 'early' and as soon as the clock hit 3 hours he started crying for food. So, no, I would not have been able to go to a class.

dd1 was much more laid back, she fed when she was hungry, there was a pattern, but it wasn't so set. However, I couldn't have given her a top up feed either, she wasn't interested until she wanted a full feed, and then I could put her off for a while, maybe 20 minutes, but not more.

Both were breast fed on demand, and I didn't impose the routine, it was their own.

dodi1978 · 05/11/2014 22:19

Don't worry - I also let DS take the lead in sorting out his own routine and it worked great for us - I wasn't constrained in my activities and he was a happy, content boy and an excellent sleeper, both day and night. Doing it that way was the major reason that I enjoyed my maternity leave so much!!!

I remember that my baby yoga class was at 10, which was at his normal feeding time. I did the same as you and tried a top up feed before hand. Sometimes he would take and then be happy (or sleeping) through the class, sometimes he wouldn't and I would have to feed anyway, but I never felt that I couldn't do anything because of a routine that I imposed.

I may now be slaughtered, but one girl from my NCT group who had a very strict routine came out with the wonderful sentence "And he slept through his play time" when talking about her 6 week old baby. I had to grin a little bit about that :--))

dodi1978 · 05/11/2014 22:20

In other words, if YOUR baby is happy, keep on doing what you are doing!

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Gingerandcocoa · 05/11/2014 22:22

I do avoid doing things at certain times but only because I know that my DS needs 4 hours of napping during daytime and that he can't go more than 2 hours in between naps.

Having said that he only got into this routine when he was over 14 weeks old and started taking more formula and less breast milk....

pookamoo · 05/11/2014 22:24

In my experience, people just fed their babies during the class if they needed it?

NeedaDiscoNap · 05/11/2014 22:29

My baby needs a lot of sleep, similar to Ginger, and some of the classes I want to take her to are at times when she's usually napping.

I think it completely depends on your baby. Mine is fed three hourly but is happy to have an early or late feed and rarely cries - but mess with her naps...

Be guided by your baby; maybe take him/her to a class or two to try it out and see how they get on?

QTPie · 05/11/2014 22:49

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster

Mmolly2013 · 06/11/2014 03:35

Oh thats greats i think its right for us at the moment. He very rarely crys and is always happy and smiling so it obviously works. i put my baby to bed around 8 and he always wakes up 7,30/8 so the first feed is always around the same time, and the baby feeds like clockwork unless i do a top up feed but the baby mostly goes 4

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Mmolly2013 · 06/11/2014 03:37

also its reallt hard to regulate maps. how do yous all do it

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Original poster

Mmolly2013 · 06/11/2014 03:37

naps

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SurfsUp1 · 06/11/2014 07:08

I found setting and keeping to a daytime routine was really helpful in getting DSs to sleep through the night, but I wasn't toooo regimented about it. Other people prefer to just go with the flow. Swings and roundabouts.

On regulating naps I just put DS down at the same time every day (regardless of where we were) and got him up at the same time. Easy.

TarkaTheOtter · 06/11/2014 09:05

Both of mine fell into a routine when they dropped down to two naps once crawling. Before that they would just eat and sleep when tired and hungry. One of my close friends followed GF routine from 6 weeks, but was happy to feed during classes or adjust naps by 30mins or so to fit them in. It's horses for courses I think.

WishUponAStar88 · 06/11/2014 09:13

My little one is only 5 weeks old but it's the same here OP. Good night time routine - bath/ feed/ bed 7-8, feeds overnight at midnight, 4, 6.30-7. But no routine at all in the day as yet! Bf on demand and she is different every day in terms of her feeding pattern.

Littlef00t · 06/11/2014 10:13

I don't deliberately sign oh to classes if they clashes with likely nap time, but feeding time I would just do top up. I don't see the point in trying to do a class with an overtired baby and waking up from a short nap would just set us up for disaster later in the day.

Gingerandcocoa · 06/11/2014 13:20

About naps... I kind of wrote down what I felt would be a "good" day, ie DS had about 4 hours of naps, 2 hours in between naps, and wouldn't nap after 5pm. So I worked out this routine:
7am - wake up
9-11am - nap
1-2.30pm - nap
4.30-5pm catnap
7-7.30pm bedtime

Now, in the beginning there was NO WAY he would nap for 2 hours straight. After 30-40 minutes he would wake up, i'd have to rush to his bedroom and shush him back to sleep. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. But then it started getting a lot easier, and now 90% of the time he manages a 2 hour nap in the morning and another long-ish nap either at lunchtime or as a 3rd nap.

But my days are SO much better. I've got plenty of time to cook, tidy up the house, go on Mumsnet and he is never overtired (unless he misses a nap ).

It's really working out well for us, I'm dreading when he wants to drop a nap.......

Lunaberry · 06/11/2014 16:37

Gingerandcocoa can I ask how old your little one was when you started this?
My DD is 8 weeks and still very much led by her throughout the day but she really does fight naps and gets overtired do if love to work on this. Having said that she's great at night sleeps through from half 11 or 12 til about half 7-8 most nights so no complaints there! X

Gingerandcocoa · 06/11/2014 22:00

Luna your DD's sleep is amazing!!! I could only wish mine would do those stretches! Well he does do it but starts at 7pm so I don't enjoy it as much :)

I started when he was about 14 weeks old I think. But having said that, I wish I had started sooner. I used the Baby Whisperer's PUPD technique and it really helped me. Apparently it works best with babies up to 4 months old.

(as a caveat my DS is now almost fully bottle fed so it does make it much easier to have a routine)

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