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Parenting

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Original poster

When to try to introduce a routine?

10 replies

Niketan · 30/08/2019 12:33

What age did you try to introduce a routine for your baby? And how do you do it? Is there just a lot of crying to begin with? How long did it take to be successful? Looking for others experiences in the hope my baby might actually nap one of these days!!

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Laurie01 · 30/08/2019 13:16

Right from the start! Try to introduce 1 thing that you do the same each day, ie bath at 6.30pm, kids thrive on routine and discipline. I did bath, story, milk, bed! A long time ago now, wish I could go back, babies are way easier than teenagers x

Lizbiz89 · 30/08/2019 13:25

I'm a very routine based person as I've got mild OCD. So my children have gone into a routine from day one. But if you're asking about naps and feed times then this didn't start becoming routine until after 5-6 months with dc1.
My dc2 is 4 months now and is in more or less a sleep and feed routine, but that's probably because I know what I'm doing more this time around.
Don't beat yourself up too much about routine though as you'll find they'll naturally get themselves into one. However as pp has said I would encourage a night routine ASAP as i believe this massively helps them start sleeping through the night.

thunderthighsohwoe · 30/08/2019 14:45

We had routines from about five weeks in that I offered a bottle every three hours (earlier of course if ‘asked’ for), and she had a bath, bottle and was in bed by 6.30. She instigated the bedtime herself though, by struggling to settle in the living room and getting overtired, and the milk was necessary as she really wasn’t keen on it and needed to gain weight.

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thunderthighsohwoe · 30/08/2019 14:47

Routines did shift every few weeks though and have now been pretty stable since about 7 months (she’s 9 months now) when she was on three meals and two snacks a day. All that’s likely to change in the near future is that (I hope) she will drop her early hours feed and morning nap.

Pinkblueberry · 30/08/2019 14:54

When DS was about three months I think. He’s 16 months now but I still don’t really do ‘timings’, e.g. bed time is anywhere between 7-8 depending on how long he’s napped or what time he woke up in the morning. But the routine is the same - pyjamas/brush teeth, watch night garden on i player, story, bed. Before he was 3 months it all seemed a bit pointless - he was quite colicky and waking every 2 or 3 hours for a feed anyway, trying to put him down to sleep would have been completely pointless and stressful. I think you can drive yourself mad trying to fit a baby into a routine, or you can take a step back, see what your DC needs and what their natural rhythm is and build one up from there - I found that much easier and less stressful.

Mrsducky88 · 30/08/2019 15:00

I mostly just followed what natural routine baby fell into, seemed a lot less stressful than enforcing a routine on her. When she was little timings weren’t so important and our routines were more the order of doing things eg wash, nappy, pjs, feed, bed. She is 2 now and still have the same general routines as a year ago- out every morning, chill time after lunch, play at home or walk in the afternoon. Dinner at 6ish, play then bed at 7:30/8.

Pinkblueberry · 30/08/2019 15:07

Looking for others experiences in the hope my baby might actually nap one of these days!!

I found nap routines a bit pointless too I’m afraid - it all depends how much sleep they had at night, and their napping needs change from month to month. I just put mine down at certain intervals after whatever time he woke in the morning and when he looked tired.

Original poster

Niketan · 30/08/2019 17:47

Thanks everyone! FTM and just want to do the best for him and me.

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Chitarra · 30/08/2019 18:21

What worked for me was to have quite a strict routine in my head, but not to worry at all if he didn't stick to it. So I had a pattern to follow, but I didn't get stressed if it didn't work out that way. Sort of half way between a routine and following his cues

neverornow · 31/08/2019 13:14

From day 1....although realistically you may not be into the swing of everything yourself until 4-6 weeks.
But do try and aim to nail it as soon as possible, it's so worth it. My DS routine was disrupted big time for a month or so when I went back to work and he was a nightmare. Got things sorted again and he was like a different child.
We did the crying it out method to get him sleeping the night which you can start from about 6 months. I avoided it at first as couldn't face it. It will hurt your heart to leave your baby cry but again, it's worth it as it does work.

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