Does a 9 week old need a routine?

[NoManJan]

I am friends with a handful of mums who I met doing antenatal classes. I was the first of the group to have my baby and she's now 9 weeks.

We have a group text conversion and recently most the mums have been talking about routines and how they're following Gina Ford. Having set nap times. Napping in the cot.

When I've said that me and DD have no kind of real routine (she sleeps, cuddles and feeds as and where she wants), the others have expressed concerned as my baby is a few weeks older than the rest.

Am I meant to be trying to implement a routine at this point? Am I parenting all wrong. I'm the only one EBF so I'm not sure how I'd go about it.

I was happy with how things are going but now starting to doubt myself and worried I'm making a rod for my own back for when she's older.

I'd just like to say that not all routines are "Gina Ford-ish".

I love the EASY structure (Eat, Activity, Sleep, You) - which gives a repeatable structure to your day but in a baby-led way.

I would (and have with my four DC) loosely following an EASY structure from newborn. In that I separate feed and going to sleep, and generally follow a repeating pattern of regular feeding and sleeping through the daytime.

IMO this makes life much easier later on down the line and is much more easily established with a newborn than trying to establish with an older baby.

I am unapologetically a huge routine fan. OP you don't have to have a routine. Your baby may well like it though and with some attention to detail you may notice baby developing his/her own routine anyway. Even at 9 weeks old.

You also do not need to be scared off by the idea of routine. Not all routine is a rigid timetable of events.

Just hug your baby and follow her cues. She will fall into routines of her own as she grows. These will change just as soon as you have accommodated them ...
Nine weeks is ludicrously early to be forcing a routine you've read in a book. Your baby knows what she needs and will let you know, if you listen.
Have fun, and shelve the sleep ;).

Best piece of advice I wish I'd been given: if you're doing something that works for you, don't fuck with it.

Giraffes that made me Spot on. They should give it out in giant poster form to all new parents!

Giraffes that's excellent advice! I'm going to remember that one!

I have nothing against a routine FATE more that the other mum's were expressing -faux- concern about a lack of one. I've just followed my instincts which has worked for me and seemingly lots of other posters, just as a routine has worked for you

DD slept for 6 hours straight last night