24
2009
do you have a routine for your baby?
When did you start it and how well does it work?
My baby’s sleep patterns are all over the place, so unpredictable. And he sleeps his long nap at tea time so he doesn’t go to bed until late.
I’m going to give Gina Ford a try maybe. What do you think? Please answer, I just got two weird answers to this question the last time (some guy trying to sell my shoes…like thats going to help).
Cheers x
From 3-6 weeks my son had horrible sleeping patterns. He slept great during the day. He would just wake up long enough to eat and go back to sleep. Then from 11pm-4am he just screamed uncontrollably.
Finally at 6 weeks I started a routine. Instead of letting him sleep all day I kept him awake for most of the day. I’d let him take short naps but I made sure that he was awake more than he was asleep.
At 9pm I gave him his bath and then got him in his pajamas. I gave him a bottle in the dark while I rocked him. Once he was finished and obviously ready for bed (but before falling asleep) I laid him in his crib and turned on his mobile. He fussed for about 5 or 10 minutes because it was different but then he fell right asleep for several hours.
I did the same thing for a couple of day and it finally stuck! He is now 11 weeks old and sleeps through the night! He goes to sleep around 10pm and wakes up at 630am! Then throughout the day he is awake for an hour and a half and then sleeps for about 2 hours. Then he usually has a long nap in the afternoon. He made that schedule himself. The only thing I pushed was the part where he sleeps through the night!
Good luck with it!
Comments
Bedtime is the same time every night, but everyday is different so it is hard for us to have a set schedule for my son.
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Yep I routinely get in that diaper every day haha
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I have my daughter she is 18 months on a set schedule
730-8am breakfast
830-9 bath time
915-10 sesame street
10-12pm play time activities
12-130 nap time
130-2 snack time
2-5 free time whatever she likes to do go outside or run errands with me
5-6 dinner
6-630 bath time
630-8 we lounge around
830 bedtime
hope this helps a lot of ppl wont like my schedule and i have tried changing it but she so used to it
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We try to keep my daughter on the same schedule every day. She naps at the same time, and normally has a bottle at the same time everyday. Then goes to bed at the same time.
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From 3-6 weeks my son had horrible sleeping patterns. He slept great during the day. He would just wake up long enough to eat and go back to sleep. Then from 11pm-4am he just screamed uncontrollably.
Finally at 6 weeks I started a routine. Instead of letting him sleep all day I kept him awake for most of the day. I’d let him take short naps but I made sure that he was awake more than he was asleep.
At 9pm I gave him his bath and then got him in his pajamas. I gave him a bottle in the dark while I rocked him. Once he was finished and obviously ready for bed (but before falling asleep) I laid him in his crib and turned on his mobile. He fussed for about 5 or 10 minutes because it was different but then he fell right asleep for several hours.
I did the same thing for a couple of day and it finally stuck! He is now 11 weeks old and sleeps through the night! He goes to sleep around 10pm and wakes up at 630am! Then throughout the day he is awake for an hour and a half and then sleeps for about 2 hours. Then he usually has a long nap in the afternoon. He made that schedule himself. The only thing I pushed was the part where he sleeps through the night!
Good luck with it!
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We haven’t taken our routine from a book. We just adjust it to my sons natural patterns.
He is almost 8 months old and his day roughly consists of:
wakes at 7am
breastfeed and breakfast (fruit and porridge or yogurt)
play
back in bed by 8am
wakes at 10am
breastfeed and sometimes a snack
play
back to bed by 11.30am (often in the pram as this is when we go out)
wakes around 12.30pm
breastfeed
play
lunch at 1pm (pureed or mashed veggies)
more play
back to bed at 2pm
wakes 4pm
breastfeed
play
dinner at 5pm (more veggies with either some meat or dairy)
play
bath at 6pm
breastfeed at 7pm and then to bed
Hope that helps!
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I don’t bother too much with a strict daytime routine, my son seems to have set his own. This is really roughly how it goes for feeding and napping:
6.45 - 7am: wake
7.15am: milk 8oz
8am: breakfast
10am: nap
11am: wake
12 noon: lunch
2pm: snack
2.30pm: nap
3.30pm-4pm: wake
6.30pm-ish: bath
7.15pm: milk 8oz
7.30pm: bed
This really is just a rough guide, it varies daily, but it seems to work for us. To be completely honest, I don’t like GF’s routine. I’ve read the book, it’s too restrictive for me and my son, I like that he is able to sleep in his buggy, and I like that I can alter his routine without worrying about what a book says. If you want to try a book, I preferred The Baby Whisperer. It seems alot more flexible and acknowledges that babies are individuals too.
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Gina ford is now my bible. I started it from day one …. but got alot of negative responses from family and friends - so i stopped. 5months later, i had no routine and baby breastfed as and when - plus all through the night.
I got out the book again last week and thankfully my daughters natural sleeping pattern in day was exactly how it states in the book :-)…. i’ve been getting much better nights since going back onto the routine. Baby is more happy - which means mummy is more happy.
You may get some negative replies too…. but i’m a definate yes to Gina!!!! you can adapt her routines to fit you and baby..
Good luck x
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I have two kids a 2 year old and a 11 month old and i have a good routine
7:30-8:00= breakfast
12:00-1:00= lunch
4:30-5:30=dinner
6:15= bath-time
7:00= bedtime
and even though i stick to this routine my kids still wake during the night i think its just a case of tryng as many ways as you can think of and finding the one that suits you best
good luck
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mum of 2 little monsters