1 year old baby

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Just after people's personal experiences. I am due to go back to work in January when my baby will be exactly 1. I am looking forward to it to be honest but really am worried I'll miss my baby. He currently goes to bed at 6.30 and has dinner at 5ish. We have a good routine.

Anyway, I've been looking into what a typical routine for a 1 year old should be and it says dinner at 5 and bed by 7. Considering I don't get home from work until 5.45 it's making me worry.

What are real people's routines at this age so I don't get myself into a tizz worrying I physically won't have enough time in the day!

Thanks in advance

DS 1 would have dinner about 4.30-5 ish and then bedtime for 7. I used to pick him up from nursery at 6 (when I was working and he was there etc) and do bath/bedtime from about 6.20-6.30 and in bed for 7

My DS is 15 months and has been at nursery since 13 months. I pick him up from nursery (3 days a week) at 5pm and we eat dinner together at 6pm. I make sure it’s something quick to prepare or something from the freezer that just needs heating up. He goes to bed around 7:30/7:45pm so we start bath time around 7. He has tea at nursery at 4:30, but is always hungry so happily eats more at 6! I know his dinner and bedtime are late ish, but it seems to work for us, and means I’m not cooking dinner twice. I still feel like I get quality time with him on my work days. Good luck with the return to work - I love being back at work and am enjoying the new routine and new work/home balance.

Our routine isn't strict with DS who is 13 months, but mostly we eat about 530/6 and he will go to bed between 730 - 830, but alot of this is dependent on how easy he is to get to sleep.
I wouldnt worry, your baby will become used to a later dinner and bedtime if need be once your home from work.

Following with interest. I’ll be in the same situation as you OP and it’s really been playing on my mind too!

I used to pick up at 6 - by the time we'd got home, had dinner and bath we were lucky to get bedtime sorted by 8. Don't worry about what the book says... babies can't read

I do pick up at 6, dinner at about 6.30 and bath/bed at about 7.30. My son is 3 now but this routine has been the same since he started childcare aged 10 months Lots of 1 year old go to bed at 7ish, don't worry at all! Having 5 minute dinners you can do is essential and doing a bath every other night instead of every night is helpful too (and much better if they have eczema or dry skin)

Thanks for all the replies, I was conscious with him going to nursery and being fed his dinner at 12.30 that he would be starving by the time I got home and made dinner but like you say he will have to adapt. Unfortunately I can't go back part time so I'm feeling a bit crap!

I never read anything on routines so don't get to caught up on that. Sometimes it's just not realistic.
DS is 15 months we have dinner between 5-6.
He won't go to sleep until at least 8:30. If I settle him earlier he just won't go to sleep and cry and get himself in a bit of a state.
He usually goes to sleep around 8:30-9.

Nurseries usually do a tea type meal Around half 4 so that should tide him over until you get home. I'm hoping that'll be the case for my daughter anyway - we'll get home at 6 most week nights. I'm mor e worried that she'll fall asleep in the drive home

OP, even if he has lunch at 12:30, he’s bound to have at least a snack in the afternoon. Like the others have said, try not to stress about it. You’ll both settle into the new routine. Do you have some settling in days at nursery before you start back at work, so you can practice, if you see what I mean? Might also be worth asking nursery for a sample menu so you can see what he’s likely to eat and when.

Wakes at 7am cup of milk
Breakfast at 8am
Nap 10.30-11.30
Lunch 12/12.30
Afternoon nap 2.30-4
Dinner 5pm
Bed 6.30

He's 11 months and 2 weeks, if he stays up past 6.30 he just cries and cries and cries until he goes to bed.

Don't bother with worrying about routine. He will be assimilated into nursery's routine that they have for all of the other DC there.

Also don't feel guilty. I had to go back to work full time when my eldest was six months old. I also went back (thankfully part time) when my youngest was six months.