Routine for 14 week old

[Winter07]

Just wondered when people felt they were able to establish some form of a 'routine' with their lo? My dd is 14.5 weeks. She is ff and feeds every 3.5-4 hours through the day and has been sleeping through from roughly 8pm-6am. Her daytime naps don't seem to have much of a pattern so far and I'm wondering if I should be taking note of when she sleeps through the day to establish a better routine around them for playtimes etc. I sometimes worry we don't do enough play as she tends to get tired quickly - I worry she gets bored of us doing the same things and maybe I need to be more creative with play ideas?! Roughly how much play time would be right at this age and what kind of activities do people tend to do? We do one regular baby group a week and another sporadically and again I worry maybe this isn't enough? I'm trying my best to go with the flow but find myself worrying I'm going about it all wrong and getting anxious about her hitting milestones etc! She still hates tummy time and isn't showing much interest in trying to roll as yet. Any advice would be appreciated

It sounds like she has a beautiful routine, OP. No need to worry. It's early days yet, and milestones are for her to hit, there's nothing you can/should do to make her hit them.

To put things into perspective, here's the routine for my 8 week old DD2:

• Wake some time between 5:30 and 7:30 am, usually whenever my 2.5 year old DD1 charges into the room and tries to smother her with cuddles.

• Go with me and DD1 wherever we want to go, and sleep if she can manage to fall asleep in the sling. Naps are terminated when DD1 shouts or sings loudly.

• Feed whenever she wants, which tends to be every 1-3 hours during the day, and every 3-4 hours during the night.

• Have a bath twice a week, and have her face washed twice a day if I remember.

Ah thank you Elle that genuinely makes me feel heaps better! I do tend to overthink everything and worry we don't fit enough in. We tend to do songs, playmat, tummy time and then I run out of ideas and on busy days out and about we don't always have time to do much playing and then I start worrying she's not had enough tummy time today etc etc! She also tends to sleep or be sleepy through the baby classes. I'm going to try and chill out about it a bit more and take each day as it comes!

Try to enjoy it, Winter. It's a beautiful time for you to spend with your little one. Take lots of photos and make happy memories :)

Sound advice

I have the same worries sometimes about 'play' time (my DS is 12 weeks) but he just doesn't seem to get much out of it.

My friend came round last week when I was trying to read The Gruffalo to him (a friend of mine swore her boy loved her reading to him from eight weeks) and he just wasn't having any of it. She reminded me, quite sternly, that he was a baby and there was plenty of time for reading in the years to come.

She also reminded me, and I'll say the same to you, that your DD will get so much out of being 'here, there and everywhere' and will be stimulated just by you talking and all the sights and sounds around her.

Chill - you're doing great

I was the same and I remember doing counting songs at this age to introduce numbers.

Just chat to your baby, tell about what you are doing and what you need to buy from the shops etc.

At this age baby groups are really for you so if she sleeps then just steal ideas to use at home.

She is not getting bored of the things you do in fact it will be the opposite as she need lots of sleep to process at the information that she is being exposed to.

My daughter hated tummy time until one day she suddenly rolled and then loved it.

Thanks so much for the reassurances - I must admit I read to her too and I do have to remind myself that she's learning all the time even if I'm not actively trying to 'teach' her. She's been sleeping more lately but then I think she may well be going through a growth spurt! I make the mistake of comparing her development to other babies her age at groups etc and I know I shouldn't do this either. It's such a huge responsibility this parenting lark!

My DS is 20 weeks this week and we're trying to master rolling over with no luck. She seems to be getting bored of the baby mat/chair etc but can't do much else at the minute.
I think variation is the key stay in some days go out others walk to the shops see family/friends mine loves watching me do things, watching me eat and talk to other people.
I do have a routine which I need as I have 2 other kids and school runs but don't think it matters too much but here it is anyway
Up at 7 bottle play school run and back to sleep after about 2 hours hopefully for an hour usually in the car seat.
Next bottle at 11 she has normally woke about 10-10.15 sit on settee with toys some singing songs on my lap or if we're out just a toy in the pram and views and back to sleep about 12.30 for hopefully a longer 1.30-2 hour sleep.
Another bottle at 2.30 before school run then entertained by other kids and in peppa pig in bouncy chair whilst I do tea. Last quick nap about 5 then it's the witching hour grumpy as hell till 6.15 bottle and back down to sleep at 7pm