Schedule Questions XP from Feb13

SidraJedi

(DD is 6 mo on the 14th)

So, we just quit daily coffee again  and I am attempting to establish a real schedule for me and DD. I have a love/hate relationship with schedules so I have usually kept a loose weekly schedule and datebook. But since both of DDs cousins are in the terrible 2s (and I am accepting the full reality of my new normal ) I am beginning to understand the merits of a schedule and of beginning that schedule now so that she better understands the concept of expectation when the time comes (as well I get more done, of course).

So, for those of you who have pretty good schedule adherence; how do you do it? Wake baby up in the am at the same time? keep LO up until the appointed nap time? Wake LO up when nap time is "over"? I've heard "never wake a sleeping baby" so I don't but I do try to make her wait for the right nap time if she is showing me sleepy cues early. Sometimes it works. We are usually both up for the day at 8am but sometimes she will wake me up at 7. I never wake her up in the am on purpose. As far as bedtime goes we haven't established a real routine yet but her nighttime diaper always goes on at around 8pm and she shows a difference in nighttime diaper vs daytime diaper so that is kind of a bedtime cue? And it seems like some days she needs more slep than others but we are both still adjusting to this caffeine free lifestyle so maybe it will even out?

MrsG071809

This probably isn't what you want to hear, but I am a big believer in following babies cues, and not trying to set them to a schedule.  A routine is one thing (like the bedtime routine - doing the same thing each night so they know it's bedtime), but trying to make a baby sleep when they aren't tired, or keeping them up when they are is not a good idea IMO.  You are either fighting with them to get them down when they're wide awake, or fighting with them because they are overtired.  I found that DD does have patterns to when she gets hungry, tired, etc, but there are just some times when she needs more sleep and some days when she needs less.  Same with eating.  If it were me, I would focus more on establishing routines to help her set expectations, but not necessarily set a schedule for her.

SidraJedi

Not at all hard to hear. I am kind of surprised though. I thought I was in the minority without a schedule. I thought I was being lazy. Classic example of me being an overachiever and hard on myself too. I tip my hat once again to my fellow bumpies for saving me (and DD) from myself!

shellmh

We've been on somewhat of a schedule for the past 3-4 weeks now and it works pretty well most days.

However, similar to what @MrsG071809 said, it is a schedule made based on DS's cues. He wakes up roughly the same time every day, and shows signs of being tired again 2 hours later (usually around 10), so I put him down for a nap. He'll sleep for 1-2 hours. He seems to get tired again around 1, so it's time for another nap. The length of this nap is always different. On average, 2 hours, but sometimes less, sometimes as long as 4 hours. We start his bedtime routine around 7, but some nights he won't fall asleep then, so I'll go get him and feed him and we try again.