Routines

Hey, we have no routine yet, I have a 2 year old so find it hard to get my 4 month old into a proper routine x

My LO is 17 weeks and we’re only just about to attempt a routine next week for the day times. We have a pretty set nighttime routine, but with his sleep regression and teething it’s hit and miss how much nighttime sleep he has. I’ve been reluctant to wake him at a set time in the morning because I know sometimes he just hasn’t slept enough, so then every nap time has been at different times/lengths x

We have a bedtime routine but just go with the flow in the daytime

I found we didn’t really get into a day routine with our toddler until she was on solids and we could have breakfast, lunch and dinner at specific times of day and then milk in between. I find it hard to get it beforehand as sometimes baby wants milk every 3 hours and sometimes he fights every bottle 🫠

@Jess oh this is a really good point, things will naturally become more structured when there’s meal times! Thank you that really helps xx

@Emma this is the same as us so glad to know it’s a common thing xx

@Hannah it’s tricky to try and put things in place isn’t it when they just sleep and feed when they need to!!! I feel like atm I’m happy to keep going with his flow of the day but was worried I should have something in place already xx

@Lily I’m super happy to hear it’s not just us! Out of interest when did you find you got into a routine with your 2 year old? Xx

I just started a nighttime routine with my little girl last week as she turned 4 months. It’s working so far which is good but our daytime routine is none existent - it’s basically just me and her doing whatever we need to that day in the house, going on a walk and hoping she fits about 3 naps in somewhere 😂

@Tink hi 👋 I would love to know your bedtime routine - I am struggling to know what to do and have a 3 year old too so am finding it difficult to put one in place x

We have only just started a bedtime routine over the last 2 weeks and it doesn’t always go to plan 🫠 daytime don’t really have one I just try and always give her last nap around 5pm-6pm so she can be asleep for the night 8:30-9pm however like I say it doesn’t always go to plan xx

@Jess heya! If I feel it’s not a sure thing that she will fall asleep I do some tummy time or plop her on her play gym mat thing so she can tire herself out for 15 mins first but generally the routine is 1) nappy change 2) clean pjamas if she has been in an outfit that day/she’s a bit smelly and sicky 3) story read to her with little light on 4) sleeping bag on 5) 5mins swaying to help her warm the bag up 6) feed to sleep Takes me about half an hour on average unless she needs tiring out before or has had a nap for too long before bed then I’ll be there for like an hour 😂😭 but I’m hopeful it will get more efficient over time! I can’t imagine juggling a 3y/o too omd I wish you the best of luck x

Day time I lead on his cues for naps, the only nap I do watch is his last one and try not let him sleep past half 6ish. There’s no set routine but I do find he tends to nap at similar times each day now. X

Nighttime routine yes, kinda day time routine… but mostly just winging it haha

@Tink thank you so much. I am going to try to start doing a proper bedtime routine, so thank you for the great tips. We have been doing his last feed in the living room and he falls asleep in our arms and then we put him in the cot around 10, but I am going to try moving everything to our bedroom and then putting him in his cot straight away x

@Jess my little one was exact same as you’re describing! But I wanted more free time with my boyfriend so tried to do bedtime at 8pm hence the routine and so far so good. Wishing you all the best with it! X

It was so much easier having a day and night routine with my first but now with two it’s hard😅 my daughter is completely set with her routine in the days and nursery days especially but feeding and nap schedules with my son are out the window

We don't really have routine, just nappy change sleep sack and bed. That's all we've done n he sleeps through the night, I could not imagine having to do the hassle of bathing him every night especially during this weather and temperature my flat gets cold real quick. He does feed and nap roughly at the same time everyday tho, we use the huckleberry app which has basically created a personal guide based on babies eating n sleeping habits to help us keep track so he does basically the same thing every day been using it since about 10 weeks old n it has been a god send x

We have a bedtime routine and take the days as they come. Some days are lazier, some days are busier with play groups. Everyday is different for us and didn’t want to have a naughty baby on the busier days of routine was not stuck too. It works for us both this way x

I follow wake windows and feed every 3hrs ish so that helps create a routine I suppose due to the fact he does tend to wake at a similar time each day