Routine

[hayleys1]

Hello all,
I am just wondering how people get their babies into routines. Currently my DD will go anywhere between 8-11hrs sleep at night so depending on which one, it will then make her feeds at different times in the day which she goes 4hrs between (is formula fed). I have read that people will top their babies up at around 7pm with a feed, even if they have had a feed at say 5:30 so it gets them into the bedtime routine, would you then do the same in the morning if say they wake up at 5am for a feed, do you then give them a feed at 7am so they get used to those 2feeds at a set time (7/7)? I'm quite happy going with the flow at the moment but wondering the best way of how to start a routine! Sorry it's a bit of a waffle and appreciate any advice

I started with a firm bedtime routine at 4 months with a bottle at 7.30pm, at that time she was going 3 hours between feeds so if she then needed a bottle at 5.30 I’d do a smaller bottle to keep her going until 7.30, for example I’d give her 4oz rather than 6oz so that she’d be ready for one at 7.30.
My DD is now 8 months and feeds in the morning any time between 7-9am and goes about 4 hours between bottles. It tends to work out pretty well particularly as she eats which lengthens time between bottles.

I fed on demand when mine showed early hunger signs. The timings don't matter really and baby will fall into a routine naturally, but not til 3-4 months. The only time I offered a feed regardless was at bedtime. We always did a feed before bedtime, she took as much as she wanted. If she woke at 5am hungry, I would feed her and get her back to sleep and then I'd feed her when she was hungry when she next woke. The times didn't matter. There was no night and day really to start, but by the end of 3 months/into 4 months, her feeds were pretty regular give or take about an hour. Again, I always offered one at bedtime regardless as it was just part of our bedtime routine together and it settled her to sleep.

I follow a rough routine, hour out here and there-

9am feed
12pm feed
3pm feed
6pm a couple of oz as she can’t seem to go more than 3hrs
7pm the rest of the bottle (around 8oz including the 6pm feed- she normally has 6oz)
Then she will wake up around 5/6am for a bottle and go back to sleep and the routine starts again-

It’s only a rough guide, tonight she fed an hour before each time so the last bottle at 7pm was an oz more (7oz) to see her through until 5/6am.

Previous poster had just reminded me that before I started at 7.30pm bedtime I also always gave a feed (breastfeed at that time) as the last feed before bed at 10ish in a dark room with no noise.
Even if they’ve fed not long before it helps create routine and associations with last feed before bed .

Thanks everyone, that's great!