Routine for 10 week old

[FizzyOranges]

Hi there

My DD is 10 weeks. She is EBF. With covid going for a walk is pretty much the only thing we can/have felt safe doing. I don't feel like she is in any kind of daytime routine with feeding/naps. Meaning some days it feels like she naps a good amount and some days hardly at all.

I was wondering if others of the same age are and if so what and how did you establish it?

At night she comes upstairs with me and DP at 9.45/10 and is usually down by 11. Sometimes she wakes around 2 and then 5 and then up for the day around 8. On good days she doesn't have the 2am wake.

I'm also wondering what activities/stimulation others are doing around this age. I feel like we don't do much. She will only tolerate about 10 mins a time under play gym and doesn't seem to like the bouncer. I carry her around a lot of the day and sing to her. We go for an hours walk in the pram most days.

Thank you

That sounds perfect and that to some degree is a well established pattern (with very few wake ups, especially for a BF baby)

She is still in the 4th trimester and really being carried to look at things and being sung to is perfect.

You are doing a good job. t

@Harrysmummy246

That sounds perfect and that to some degree is a well established pattern (with very few wake ups, especially for a BF baby)

She is still in the 4th trimester and really being carried to look at things and being sung to is perfect.

You are doing a good job. t

Thank you! She is my first so it's just hard to know what's normal and I don't want to miss out doing something I should!

I've only got one and it's staying that way. We've somehow got to 3y6 mo so muddling through.

Just with fewer nappies, no more boob and a lot more words. And food. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much food. Oh and a lot less cuddling. Which I miss

It changes a lot and gets easier in many ways but also new challenges why mummy

Hi I’m in a very similar boat to you...I’m a first time mum to a ten week old and seems very similar in terms of feeding night wise...I bath him about six/half six and make a real song and dance about it and stretch it out to tire him out if he isn’t tired already (lie him in his cot under his mobile let him kick there for a while and then in the bath have some chilled music on and have a sing and then put him to bed with the baby monitor on at 7 and we do a dream feed and change his nappy for the night (tag team so not to wake him) at around half ten and then go to sleep...he’s up at about 2 and 5 and then up for the day about 8. However I also find during the day, apart from walks, it’s hard to know what to do with them at this age. I’ll put him in a rocker chair which has dangly things on and then on his play mat and that gives me about twenty minute blocks but it is literally a case of moving him from one thing to the next until he gets tetchy... literally feel like a never ending cycle atm (play feed wind sleep play feed wind sleep) and I definitely don’t have any structure to where he sleeps in the day...sometimes on me, sometimes in the car, in his carrier or pram etc...hardly ever in his own crib or Moses basket though (seems wishful thinking!). If you come across any tips yourself I’d love to hear them as currently losing my mind and running on near empty with how overwhelming this all is!!!

@GBA123 are you leaving a 10 week old on their own to sleep? Sorry to be that person and you might be fully aware of this but babies shouldn’t sleep alone until 6 months according to the recommendations for SIDS prevention. I don’t know many people actually stuck to that but SIDS risk peaks at 2-4 months and personally I’d never leave a tiny baby of that age by themselves. A monitor doesn’t count, you need to be in the room with them.

OP your routine sounds brilliant to me. You could start reading to her and showing her simple books. They love black and white patterns at this age.

I think I’m in serious luck if my 17 month old only bf twice a night. Sounds like everything is going well. I had more of a routine with DD2 but in reality it was more she was forced into it because we had to do set things for DD1

Yes I put them to bed at seven and our monitor has sound on it so we can hear him breathing...I do also go and check on him frequently in person...was finding it hard to get him settled down at night previously and he’s a nightmare when he’s overtired so finding this works for us

@GBA123

Yes I put them to bed at seven and our monitor has sound on it so we can hear him breathing...I do also go and check on him frequently in person...was finding it hard to get him settled down at night previously and he’s a nightmare when he’s overtired so finding this works for us

Have a look at the lullaby trust guidelines. A monitor is completely irrelevant - the research shows that there needs to be someone else physically in the room with them to prevent SIDS. It’s unclear why but may be to do with the fact that the baby sleeps less deeply and/or regulates their breathing from the parent. I doubt you sit there listening to every breath on the monitor (if you do, why not just keep them in the room with you). Maybe have a read up on the reasons behind the recommendations so you can make an informed decision.

Ok thank you I’ll have a look in to it...the monitor is loud enough where we can actually hear him breathing and we have it next to us so not sure why that is being disputed. As I said, we used to have him with us downstairs after bath time but unless we stayed quiet and had the tv almost silent he would keep getting disrupted and this posed more problems in trying to settle him back down. Appreciate the advice nonetheless

What would happen if you stopped hearing him breathing? I know this sounds jarring but rooming in reduces SIDS, the not going into a deep sleep and therefore waking more frequently is part of that. If your baby is going into a deep sleep in a different room it’s a sign that you have increased their risk of SIDS.

@GBA123 It's it just about you hearing their breathing but also them hearing your breathing - they use it to regulate their own.

They should sleep through some quiet tv or conversation once settled.

Can I draw attention the word ‘should’ you’ve used there. I replied to this post to share experiences about my routine with someone in a similar situation to my own. Believe me when I say I tried to follow the guidebook pedantically from day one and have had to find my own way to achieve what works best for me and my husband and our baby... we had him in his Moses basket or in our arms in the living room for a few weeks after bath time and were failing to get the little one properly settling and therefore resulting in cranky baby and a worse night sleep for him and us. I’m already finding this new chapter so difficult and beat myself up about what I should and shouldn’t be doing all the time. Whilst advice is appreciated, please do not think I am naive to associated risks and suggest I don’t consider the safety of my baby. He sleeps in his crib by our bed all night...for these three hours, this works for us. Perhaps offer some positive support during difficult times rather than hounding about what I’m doing wrong

@Thatwentbadly

@GBA123

Hi I’m in a very similar boat to you...I’m a first time mum to a ten week old and seems very similar in terms of feeding night wise...I bath him about six/half six and make a real song and dance about it and stretch it out to tire him out if he isn’t tired already (lie him in his cot under his mobile let him kick there for a while and then in the bath have some chilled music on and have a sing and then put him to bed with the baby monitor on at 7 and we do a dream feed and change his nappy for the night (tag team so not to wake him) at around half ten and then go to sleep...he’s up at about 2 and 5 and then up for the day about 8. However I also find during the day, apart from walks, it’s hard to know what to do with them at this age. I’ll put him in a rocker chair which has dangly things on and then on his play mat and that gives me about twenty minute blocks but it is literally a case of moving him from one thing to the next until he gets tetchy... literally feel like a never ending cycle atm (play feed wind sleep play feed wind sleep) and I definitely don’t have any structure to where he sleeps in the day...sometimes on me, sometimes in the car, in his carrier or pram etc...hardly ever in his own crib or Moses basket though (seems wishful thinking!). If you come across any tips yourself I’d love to hear them as currently losing my mind and running on near empty with how overwhelming this all is!!!

It does feel like an endless cycle with every day pretty much the same. I like doing bath time too. I bring her in the bath with me mostly (with DPs help) between 5 and half 6 (when DP finishes work) and it's one of the best bits of my day, she always seems so happy. Screams when she is taken out though!

I don't have much luck putting her down in the day either. The only reliable daytime nap that isn't on me is during our walk on the pram. And somehow rocking the pram back and forth in the kitchen doesn't replicate this!

[quote harrietm1987]@GBA123 are you leaving a 10 week old on their own to sleep? Sorry to be that person and you might be fully aware of this but babies shouldn’t sleep alone until 6 months according to the recommendations for SIDS prevention. I don’t know many people actually stuck to that but SIDS risk peaks at 2-4 months and personally I’d never leave a tiny baby of that age by themselves. A monitor doesn’t count, you need to be in the room with them.

OP your routine sounds brilliant to me. You could start reading to her and showing her simple books. They love black and white patterns at this age.[/quote]
Thank you! I do have some black and white books which I try to show her but she doesn't seem that interested. Possibly I am expecting more engagement than a 10 week old is capable of. I know it sounds bad but flipping through the pages of the black and white books is quite boring so I probably don't do it as much as I could. Will try and build some book time into each each day.

I agree...bath time is such a relaxing time of day compared to everything else I really look forward to it, it’s nice you do it together! Only this week we’ve managed to overcome the crying as he leaves the bath so hopefully yours will also get used to it as well soon. Does your little one have a dummy? Mine doesn’t really need it going to sleep at night but during the day it seems he needs it to have any chance of falling asleep, problem is he spits it out and then cries that it’s out so he doesn’t even end up napping! It’s hard work when the weather’s bad but I just rely on him having a cosy late afternoon nap on me whilst I watch the tv as otherwise they’re a struggle

@Thatwentbadly

I think I’m in serious luck if my 17 month old only bf twice a night. Sounds like everything is going well. I had more of a routine with DD2 but in reality it was more she was forced into it because we had to do set things for DD1

I should count my blessings then! I just don't know any different haha. I am prepared for the 4 month sleep regression and lots more wakes. Aware but not looking forward!

Yes I imagine that is true of second children!

Wow! Sounds like a fab night routine. Daytime at 10weeks - from what I remember- it’s likely they’ll only nap for 45minutes stints as this is a sleep cycle. Linking them happens with the 4month sleep regression.

Best activities are tummy time (if they dislike being on the floor, lie on the sofa at an angle with them on your chest and talk to them - they’ll try to lift their head), seeing your face and expressions as you talk, and popping them in a sling so they’re upright while you do something else. Black and white books ( prop them up against the sofa so you don’t have to hold it) and dangly toys, or the rattle socks/wristbands.

Really, there’s not a whole lot you can do. The baby sensory channel on YouTube is good if you need a little break. Obvs not constantly.

I echo PP - sounds absolutely normal and good activities for a baby.

Another idea: there's a show called "baby club" on the bbc iPlayer, where they sing songs and play little games -- it's like a baby club as you might assume. Each episode is only a few minutes long but i found it a nice change of pace during the first lockdown when I had a 3 month old and struggled for ideas.

I used to put YouTube on the tv too, virtual aquariums, log fires or "walks" around the forest, all set to fairly easy-to-listen to music. It was just a nice bit of background noise and something different to look at! sometimes she'd look at the fishes/landscapes too. Maybe she was a bit older than yours by this point though. I can't remember.

Ooh and Hey Bear Sensory. She'd sit and stare at the patterns/colours.

Baby wearing is great if you don't already. You can strap her to you and just potter around the house/garden etc.

A water sensory mat for tummy time might be a good idea. Though, maybe something she'll enjoy a month from now. My baby is 12+ months and she still sits and plays on hers & pokes the fish. Well worth it I think.

And you can't go wrong with reading her books, if you don't already. I bought a "bundle" of second hand books on eBay for next to nothing. I'd sit and read them too her. That'll pass some time!

Oh and I don't know if anybody has already said this but prepare for it all to change!!! And often!!!

I'd just get into the swing of a routine with my little girl and she'd change and shake things up just to confuse me 😂

@GBA123 I initially found it easier to clean her holding her in the bath with me when she was newborn and now it's just stuck. Plus gives me 30 mins a day to myself before DP bring her in haha. I have also sometimes bathed her in the baby bath in the morning/early afternoon, not to clean her but just cause she likes sitting in it. If she has worked herself into a right state it seems to calm her.

We don't use a dummy. DP is against it as the book we've been reading advised getting rid at 12 weeks. I was slightly worried it may affect BF supply if she was sucking that rather than at me to build supply so we just never really used it.

@BalconiWaferAddict - thank you! I do quite a bit of tummy time on my chest. We often lay in bed from 8 to 10 am doing a cycle of feed and lay on my chest on repeat. She does lift up to look at my face with such a serious expression of concentration I love it. If I try and put her down on a mat for tummy time she just crys though. I'm not sure why it is so different.

@hellolittlebaby - thanks I will check out those shows, baby club sounds great! I didn't think of putting stuff like log fires on tv, great idea! When she sleeps I am still watching my tv shows but I know she won't tolerate anything but her shows at some point!

I have a water tummy time mat, I tried her on it 2 weeks ago and she didn't like it but will try again at 12 weeks I think.

I've just got an ergobaby embrace sling. I've tried to put her in a couple of times and she

Sorry posted too soon! And she doesnt seem to like it but may be partly cause I'm getting the hang of putting it on and putting her in so messing her about a bit. Hopefully she grows to like it!

With the sling - if you have a baby sized teddy practice with that when she’s asleep / napping, honestly so much easier at first.

@FizzyOranges my baby is 8 weeks today and your whole post sounds identical to me and my baby, even the night time timings!
Apart from what you’ve already mentioned, we go to Asda a couple of times a week (she seems to like that!), I try read to her every day, mostly because I like the books and she likes the pictures - we read proper stories like The Gruffalo, it doesn’t matter that she doesn’t have a clue what I’m saying, she’ll learn! Other than that, I mostly just chat and sing to her.

My little one was fussy with her baby carrier at first. I echo PP. try with a teddy. And watch loads of YouTube videos/read articles on positioning etc. It's a learning curve.

It took me a week of FORCING myself to use it daily and watching YouTube videos before I got really confident with it.