Critique my "routine" please

SomersIsles

A couple posts popped up which got me thinking and instead of hijacking other threads anymore I figured I'd start a new one. This is what happened on Sunday... And I'm just wondering what everyone thinks.

6:00am - wake up to nurse, hang out with DH for about 45 min then nap for about 1.5 hours
8:30am - wake up to nurse, awake for an hour (tummy time with me and bath), then nap for nearly 3 hours
1:00pm - wake up to nurse, awake for only 20 minutes or so because we put him in the car seat while we got lunch and that always makes him fall asleep, napped for 2 hours
4:00pm - wake up to nurse, awake for about 1.5 hours (play mat, tummy time, chill in swing) then napped for an hour in his swing.
6:45pm - wake up to nurse, awake for only 20 min, napped for 2 hours while we went grocery shopping
9:15pm - wake up to nurse... Swaddled and attempted to put him down for bed, didn't fall asleep until 10:30ish.


1) At 9:15 pm when it's time to nurse I go into a very dim room and try to reduce as much stimulation... But it seems like he's ready for his next "nurse then wake time" cycle... How can I get him to realize it's actually bedtime?

2) Everytime he wakes up from his naps he's very fussy/crying which, to me, is a sign he's hungry so I've always fed him Everytime he wakes.

I'm reading about people's bedtime routines and it seems like a lot will do stuff like baths, stories, lotion massage... THEN nurse ... THEN bed. If my son wakes up from a nap (like he did at 9:15pm)... I can't possibly do these things first because he's crying for food. How are so many people able to do these things and then feed last?? What am I missing?

Should I not be feeding him each time he wakes up?

amandoza23

In the beginning DD had to nurse right after she woke up but the past couple weeks (she's almost 8 weeks now) she's been able to wake up and play/stay awake for a little while before she needs to eat. She has also stopped needing to nurse to sleep as well. The first 5-6 weeks it was only a eat-play-eat-sleep cycle for us

mfarmer0811

I'm wondering this too. Our "routine" has been close to yours, especially yesterday. I'm also wondering how I can get DS to go longer than 3 hours between nighttime feedings.

SomersIsles

I'm wondering if others wake up their baby from their last nap a bit early so they're not immediately hungry? That way you can go through a routine of bath/lotion/book/THEN nurse/THEN fall asleep...

rockopera

We almost always wake up and eat first. The hangry screams are a dead giveaway. Sometimes, he'll wake up gently, and look around for awhile. Usually because he was sleeping on someone and got put down. But that is not often enough to count on for anything.

We don't do a bedtime routine just yet. On bath nights, we do everything after being fed.

SassyFlats

Sounds a lot like our routine, except we'd bathe at the 6:15 wake up. Then she naps until 9:30, and we nurse and maybe rock her, then in bed for good around 10:30 or 11.

I always nurse when she wakes, but offer again at bedtime

luvmybundle

I feel awful now because I don't even have a routine with dd. I can't tell you what time she wakes eats or sleeps because it all varies too much. Is that bad? Should I try to start a routine now or will she start waking/sleeping on a consistent schedule in her own time?

SassyFlats

luvmybundle said:

I feel awful now because I don't even have a routine with dd. I can't tell you what time she wakes eats or sleeps because it all varies too much. Is that bad? Should I try to start a routine now or will she start waking/sleeping on a consistent schedule in her own time?

she'll start doing it on her own, most likely. My dd has her own routine and I follow her lead. It's getting more predictable as she gets older.

epowens10

My LO was in the same routine for a while then I started making him wait before nursing (10 minutes and then increasing each day). He was mad at first but now he is usually awake a good 45 minutes before he wants to eat during the day. At night I feed him as soon as he wakes and he falls right back to sleep. We also don't have a bedtime routine yet. LO hates his tub but loves to take a shower with one of us, so his baths are usually in the morning. 

SomersIsles

luvmybundle said:

I feel awful now because I don't even have a routine with dd. I can't tell you what time she wakes eats or sleeps because it all varies too much. Is that bad? Should I try to start a routine now or will she start waking/sleeping on a consistent schedule in her own time?

What I posted is not actually a set routine. Each day the times and durations are different. It was just what happened yesterday

dancer7889

We don't have a routine except before bed, and that even starts at different times because some days I get home from school late.

But before bed, we nurse, then DH bathes/lotion then cuddles with her on the couch for 30 min or so (quiet time but she's usually awake), then nurse again so she's good and full before going to sleep.

SmittyPants

Honestly, I think at this age trying to set a routine or a schedule is just an exercise in frustration. I would be more inclined to just go with the flow until about 4 months or so. At that point, most babies are ready for a set bedtime and nap times. Prior to that, it's kind of a daily crap shoot. Enjoy the portability and potted plant stage while it lasts. 

dannie2011

Don't stress yourself, follow cues and relax.

Lucas wakes up I feed him he stays awake for 1-2 hours the goes back to sleep. That is the only routine he set. All naps are in his swing, when out it's his car seat. He goes to bed when I go to bed I nurse to sleep then in bed he goes.

 He wakes to eat and then back to bed oh and I do talk to him this crap of no talking is nuts. I have 6 kids in the house and in no way is it quiet around here. Now if he was a high needs baby like Alexis it wouldn't matter how quiet it was just breathing was too loud for her.

So really follow baby