What's your routine like with your baby?

[nbrown2022x]

Hi all,

First time mum here. I have a three month old DD. Partner works full time and various shifts. On the days he works, which this week is 8am until 9:00pm, me and DD get up around 7:30-8am. I usually wake first and sneak in for a shower whilst she's sleeping. I get myself dressed, then once she's awake I change, wash and feed her. We then have some time on her play mat. I interact with her and she now smiles away when cococmelon is on🤣 Half an hour on the play mat and she's ready for her first nap.

I like to try and get out every day for a few hours with her. Come back, do the same as above.

I know she's a baby but I'm worried she's going to be bored and I feel like I should be doing more with her and she should have more toys. ( I must sound bloody bonkers)

Im now waiting to hear back from a baby sensory class this week that we're looking to start. She's at that stage where she's mesmerised by lights and noises so she'll love it, and we're looking to take her swimming on my DP day off on Thursday.

What's your routine like with your baby? Do you go to classes and if so, how many per week? What sort of toys does your baby like?

Sorry for the ramble, and thanks in advance!

I had no routine at 3 months. I went out for a walk in the morning for the dog, and then most days i'd stay at home. DD slept loads at that age so i was watching tv/boxsets etc, pottering about the house doing what i wanted. We started swimming classea at 6 months and never did baby sensory as always felt they were more for parents than babies.

Some days i would meet friends for a coffee if they were off work, started back at gym classes and my mum looked after DD while i was there. Basically DD just came along with whatever i was doing

Pretty much the same as me then. That's why we haven't started baby sensory yet as friends have told me before 3 months is too young. But you see other mums on instagram who take their babies when they have newborn. Fair enough, but that's why I feel like I'm not doing enough with her.

Like you I go to the gym and potter about the house too and meet friends and family when we're available.

Xx

Step awaaaay from the Instagram!

I never took DS to any classes or groups until he was six months or so. Earlier than that and they are just vaguely entertained by looking at other babies etc. Classes at that age are basically for your benefit.

Pottering about is perfect, if that's what you like doing. Your baby will be fine not being continually entertained. Potentially it is good for them to be bored sometimes as it develops imagination etc, but I'm not sure what age this starts being beneficial tbh.

Can you toy swap with someone else to keep things fresh? Just a suggestion! We haven't done this ourselves, but we are very free with what counts as a toy. Spoons are wonderfully underrated. And don't get me started on coasters...

DD2 is 4.5 months and we have no real routine. No classes or groups or whatever, but 4 out of 7 days our toddler is banging about and I think that provides plenty of sensory input!

Baby sensory etc is all for the mum. It means very little to the baby.

I did classes from the start. They were absolutely for me but I'd go mad staying in and I found walking around for hours on my own with no adult conversation a bit dull, so it was nice for the social aspect. It also gave some structure to the day.

Had no routine at 3 months. Started a nap routine at 4.5 months which did wonders for his nighttime sleep.

He's 8 months now and he is on 2 naps a day, I aim to have them in the cot (so I can relax and enjoy my "break" while he sleeps) but if I want to go somewhere then he'll nap on the go. Other than naps, we dont really have a strict routine. He has 3 meals a day, one during each wake window.

We go swimming Thursday (started at 6 months), recently started going to a baby language class run by speech therapists on Wednesday, sometimes we do storytime at the library on Monday and we regularly meet a group of other mums and babies at the park near our house maybe once or twice a week. We visit his grandparents most days too. I'm going back to work soon so we'll be dropping the swimming lessons.

I basically pottered about, went for coffee, watched box sets, and chilled out when DD was a baby. The only class we did was baby massage at the children's centre, and that was more for me than for her! I found all the other classes to be too socially draining, hated the songs and the small talk about how much the babies were sleeping. I know some people love them but I was happier just doing my own thing and meeting my usual friends. Baby DD was happy as long as she was with me. Everything was 'sensory' for her, even a walk around the park.

This is all really helpful and makes me feel less of a shitty mum! So the consensus here is that classes are not really beneficial until 6months+ ... got it! They're bloody expenses though aren't they? I got quoted £30 for a block of 5 for one class and £50 for a block of 5 for another. Was really shocked at that!

DD is the same, happy as long as she's with me. Easily entrained! She naps throughout the day and has started sleeping through the night.

If anyone can recommend anything new to watch that would be great 😂 xx

No routine til 4/5 months. I got out most days for a walk, either with friends or family or just myself and an audiobook. Other than that he just went where I went and we spent lots of time at home napping together.

Since then he has a solid routine. He started crawling very early and cruises about now at 9 months. He happily potters at home in the afternoon but only if we've been out to something in the morning as he likes to be around lots of people and explore new places. I get out a lot. I have an easier time with him that way and I've met a lot of new friends at baby groups.

Routine at 9 months is:

Wake 7 or 8 ish.

Breakfast then a morning baby group of some description. Also swimming once a week. Then a group of mum pals usually go for a leisurely lunch a few times a week and I bring a packed lunch for wee one. If it's a nice day we do a picnic in the park and the babies roam about on the grass. Love those days.

Home at some point to potter about with his toys and then an afternoon nap. Can be 2, 3 or 4 o'clock depending on whether it's a two nap or 3 nap day. Whatever he needs. I either nap when he does at this point or just enjoy time to myself. No housework.

Around 5 or 6 he has dinner and I'll do some laundry etc.

More pottering.

Then shower with me or his dad, bedtime story and bed at 8.

We are also very lucky that there is an absolute plethora of baby groups in my area that cost only £1-£3 to go to.

Check out local churches as they often have wonderful playgroups in their church halls. I think book bug is either free or very cheap too- we go to something similar once a week.

The best thing to come out of these groups is all the friends I've made and we have coffee mornings at each other's houses where the babies can potter about together and play with new toys- other children's toys are always more exciting to them!