5 month old - no routine!

[NHD4]

Please can other mums reassure me that their 5 month old baby has no routine! My baby sleeps when he wants, eats when he wants, naps when he wants! Although he’s fairly good at night and will sleep a good 10 hours, there’s no telling what time he goes down or wakes. Same goes with his feeds, no pattern or routine and same goes with his naps. Are there other babies like mine or am I doing something wrong and do all other babies have their routines?

Also 5 months with no routine here! I’m just trying to focus on following her lead and responding to her cues which I feel is working for us. We go to bed and get up at around the same time every day but that’s it really in terms of structure. Glad we’re not the only ones not in a set routine!

You are doing nothing wrong! We only got a routine (ish) by about 10-12 months and even now (16m) it is very very flexible.

Every parent has their own style but I've always been a bit when I'm on a playdate or something and another mum is like, ooh 2.25pm time for your snack! 12.28pm time for his nap he needs to be asleep in two minutes from now! I just find it a bit stressful to try to get my baby to eat or sleep if she isn't hungry or tired. And before 9 months for us it was basically, nap whenever she seems sleepy, and feed basically all the time lol.

we had no routine at 5 months. it's still very flexible now at almost 2yo! if he is sleeping 10hrs at night I wouldn't change a thing

🙋🏼‍♀️ another one with a 5 month old
and no routine. It just works so much better for us and she's been a really good sleeper from being a few weeks old. I like the flexibility and relaxed approach and never wanted to change anything whilst it ain't broken! I know roughly when she's getting ready for a nap but I just follow her cues and the timings vary every day. I know routines work for some people but I don't want to tie myself in a knot sticking to a rigid routine if we don't need one.

"fairly good"

10 hours is amazing! You're doing great! Baby led is working for you.

Another one here! 👋🏻

Wow this has made me feel so much better thank you for all the comments, I’m so glad to hear I’m not the only one and yes maybe I just need to view it as the relaxed approach rather than me doing something wrong.

@Flittingaboutagain after I read that back I realised the “fairly good” comment wasn’t quite the right phrase to use and I’m sure some mums will be super jealous of that so apologies to those Mummas in advance 🙈

Thanks again all ☺️

We didn't get into a routine with DD until she was about 9 months old.

Haha no don't worry! Although you will often find me in the sleep deprivation thread here 😀 Genuinely though, don't change what isn't broke I think!

Some babies (and parents) need a routine and some don’t. With two of my DCs we kind of evolved a loose routine over time, so feeds and sleeps at around same time each day, but not timed exactly, and no real problems with varying it if the days plans required it. With the other one we had to be much more rigid as if we weren’t he just wouldn’t sleep at night.

No need to fix something that’s working for you.

May I ask a question?
My DS is just 10 weeks, so I can’t really offer you any insight.
But… when you say yours will sleep for 10 hours a night but not in a routine… what do you mean? Could his 10 hours be, for example, 5pm-3am? So you’re starting your day that day at 3am?

I’m just curious to hear what is normal for some and what I might expect later on.

Sorry for jumping on your thread but if anyone can help, that would be great 😊

@ViaRia

May I ask a question? My DS is just 10 weeks, so I can’t really offer you any insight. But… when you say yours will sleep for 10 hours a night but not in a routine… what do you mean? Could his 10 hours be, for example, 5pm-3am? So you’re starting your day that day at 3am?

I’m just curious to hear what is normal for some and what I might expect later on.

Sorry for jumping on your thread but if anyone can help, that would be great 😊

Mine slept midnight till noon. Wild horses couldn’t have made her slept earlier. Suited me so didn’t change it.

We’ve never implemented routines beyond “get to school and activities on time”.

Said baby is now 11 years old, still a night owl but absolutely lovely and thriving in every way (apart from lockdowns as an only child). She’s seen a fair bit of the world without horrendous jet lag and seen every new year in.

Do what works for you OP. The world doesn’t end it your child isn’t in bed at 7pm. I promise.

Another no-routine-won’t-go-to-bed-before-10pm baby here. Luckily my work was happy to switch me over from 6-2 shifts to 2-10 shifts.

No routine as such but follow their lead. I know he has a bottle every 4 hours and sleeps after an hour of bein awake but we’re not at the bath bottle bed stage and can’t see it happening for ages we’re all over the place don’t feel bad

I have a four month old and we have no real routine either. She sleeps 10 hours overnight roughly 11pm - 9am but through the day her naps are just whenever as she's a bit of a sleep fighter during the day. She won't go down for the night any earlier. I spent ages trying to change that thinking it was "wrong" that she went to bed so late but I've embraced it now. It means we go to bed at the same time and I get a couple of hours in the morning to get stuff done before she's up for the day