Routines...

[Beansprout30]

So dd is 5.5 months old, she ebf and s total delight during the day. Before Christmas I was putting her down upstairs awake and she'd go off to sleep within 15 mins. She'd wake a few times in the night which I know is nornal.

Last few nights I've been letting her sleep in my bed as she was getting harder to settle and It was getting me down.

Basically any routine we had has gone tits up and I feel like I've failed a bit.

Dd Is downstairs doZing on me now I'm thinking sod the routine, stop stressing and just enjoy her.

Will I regret this attitude in a few months? Is she too young for routines and should i be sticking with it?

Hello beansprout! You're absolutely not alone and you're absolutely not failing! Most of us have had a baby in our bed at some point for varying amounts of times for varying reasons! You can be sure babies will often throw curve balls, one day you feel like it's going perfectly the next you're back to square one. One routine will work for one baby and one will work for another. So, your baby, you will make adjustments that suit you both. Together you will work out "successful" ones. You're getting to know each other and things like growth spurts, teething, colds etc will throw a spanner in the works anyway. For me, I follow a relaxed routine i.e feed on demand, bath before bed, cuddles, sleep. You're right, now is the time to really enjoy your time with baby, it goes so quick and just gently form a routine together, I successfully did this with dd1 (now 3.5 years) and am doing the same with dd2 (10 months) no regrets & no real dramas. Enjoy!

I'm a slave to our routine and it works really well for me. But it also has massive downsides and can be a source of intense stress if I let it.

So do whatever works for you and your baby and don't feel guilty!!

The only reason I'm trying to get DS (6 months) into a routine is because I'm back at work next week. If it wasn't for that, I would just go with the flo.

Routines seem to change all the time anyway depending on what stage they're at. Sometimes my DD will sleep in her cot for the whole week other times she wants to be in our bed. Plus you will start weaning soon so that will be another change for her.

Relaxed is definitely the best way forward -no point stressing it's hard enough as it is

Thanks all I feel a bit better now

At 6 months I moved to cosleeping. If it makes you feel better there are lots of articles about the positive benifits of cosleeping and attachment. My Fitbit tells me that my DD woke me up 22 times last night but as she was in bed with me a snuggle, change of position and with a quick rock she was asleep again in minutes.

I am really enjoying having her next to me, I just feel like we've gone backwards instead of forward and worry she will never go on her cot again!

I am the same. My mil thinks I am making a mistake but even the WHO say you can't over cuddle a baby and my parents tell me to do whatever I need to in order to survive.

When she is a teenager and you never see her you will not regret the cuddles.

Can I ask what you do with your lo early evening? Does she stay downstairs with you or go up on her own for a bit? This is what I'm struggling with id like just a couple of hours downstairs

My lo is nearly 8 months of our evenings go like this 6 i

....

5 to 6 she wakes and has a bottle, 30 to 40 mins later we all have dinner together, then bath and about 7.30 DH holds her to sleep and he can gently put her in the cot and then we get some baby free time from 8 until 10 when she wakes again. It is not always this successful.

Thanks that's kind of how it was going for us until Christmas when she got a cold and now won't go down in her cot!

My husband is away next week and I cant get her to go to sleep at all in the evenings.

There is sleeping training, like the pick up put down method but I don't know much about them. My DD little face is so cute when I pick her up and put her into bed, she is just so happy.

She had a two hour afternoon nap on me when I watch to.

That's another of my problems dh works away Monday to Friday so it's all down to me.

Yes my lg is the same she gives me the cheeckiest smile when I put her in my bed!