MSE Parent Club

Snaggles

Awww CG, I haven't noticed your avatar picture before. :A

I'd say you have an AWFUL lot to be proud of there....I want one!!

izoomzoom

tsstss7 wrote: »

Hi Izoom...thanks for replying...this sounds very similar (in principle) to my morning plan except I can't see my dh taking time to run me a bathe in the mornings or make packed lunches - he is grumpy guts at that time of day! (Although he does make me a coffee). he also leaves at 7.30am.

Okay, then sort that stuff out the night before (or kick his butt :rotfl: )

tsstss7 wrote: »

On an extreme day ds2 is loaded into snowsiut still in night time attire:rolleyes:

Has been done on occassion too

[Deleted User]

Speaking of routines, especially the person who said they did it from week 1, i have a question. With Jack we struggled with a routine and finally managed it when he was about 3-4 months old day and night. But how with a newborn do you get a routine going when their sleep and eating patterns are so erractic and their behaviour is so nocturnal? I'm curious as although I am a fan of routine too, i try to be a tad flexible especially when we are out and about.

Btw, although Jack is in a routine and he goes to bed very well, stays asleep predominently all night (except the odd hiccup), he still wakes quite early to most babies and we've never been able crack that one and even though I've googled it, I always find info about getting to sleep, staying asleep but not waking too early.

daphne_descends

Snaggles wrote: »

Are you still not getting much sleep fac? Poor you - I had the same thing with DS (well, he STILL doesn't sleep), and it really drains you.

It's really good that Elliot's Dad tales him for a little while each day. My hubby is really good with helping out with housework etc, but not so good with taking the kids off my hands so I can get just a few minutes peace. But I can't complain, he's pretty good really.

I think this is a really supportive thread really. I know when I have had problems, within a few minutes someone has answered with sympathetic advice. And I've often thought 'Wow, you're an inspiration' about people on here, but never 'god, what a show off'.

I like hearing about peoples routines, little landmarks etc. I love babies!

IT really varies Snaggles, we've had some great nights (one waking) and some terrible ones (last night being a prime example, 3/4/5 am :eek: ) - the good nights are just frequent enough to keep me from going insane, I think. But co-sleeping has been a lifesaver as I often wake up, latch him on, and drift back off - heavenly when that happens.

I do appreciate the time OH takes Elliot, but like your DH he prefers to help out in the house, he cooks every night now, and does the dishes most night too, it's lovely of him to do so much (I of course expect no less than 50% etc etc but feel he does more) but sometimes, yeah, I feel a bit sort of 'trapped' under the baby when standing and cooking seems a far more attractive way to spend 30 minutes.

I am amazed by people who can have such solid routines, but am in no way critical - parenting is a huge and diverse topic and people often have very strong opinions and feel very defensive about the way they do things - but our children are as individual as we are so there will never be a one-size-fits-all method of 'doing it right'. I'm just grateful to be able to read and share with other parents online as I don't have much contact with other mothers day-to-day. I don't post in this thread much though because everyone seems to know each other - but that's okay, there are plenty of parenting forums out there too

[Deleted User]

"I don't post in this thread much though because everyone seems to know each other - but that's okay, there are plenty of parenting forums out there too "

I found that strange when I read that, because I immediately recognised your username and feel your part of the "MSE parent group". Some post more than others, but please don't think you are on the outside as you don't post more regularly.

The other day I was feeling like a useless mum as we use dummies, Jack still has a bottle and wakes too early but hey, i'm doing the best I can to get through and as you just said one size doesn't fit all!

I'm also a worrier and always feel like everyone else is managing and coping better than me, which is why I come here for support and advice as I feel understood and no one really knows me.

purplepatch

tsstss7 wrote: »

On an extreme day ds2 is loaded into snowsiut still in night time attire:rolleyes:

Oh dear, Izzy does the school run in her PJs every day virtually :o

That's what big coats and cosy toes are for isn't it?!?

Better start getting her up earlier when the weather improves I spose :rotfl:

Can't say we have a really strict routine in our house, but I do try to be consistent with timing of tea, last bottle* and bed at 7 to 7.30pm. Bathing is done every other night, just find it too much to do it every night and like someone else said, I do find it dries their skin so badly as both are prone to eczema. That's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it

* Yep, 15 months and she still has bottles. She loves her bedtime bottle and it's not doing her any harm (she has beeeeeautiful front teeth) and I've absolutely no intention of trying to wean her off it until she is good and ready. So there to all those do-gooder HVs out there :rotfl:

SusanCarter

Snaggles wrote: »

Awww CG, I haven't noticed your avatar picture before. :A

I'd say you have an AWFUL lot to be proud of there....I want one!!

Me too!

I've had a routine from very early on but I certainly wasn't trying to compete. In fact I didn't really like to tell people at first because some people don't think you can early on or don't agree with it. Even if I had wanted to compete I didn't think there was anyone else to compete with and anyway the aim is to do the best for your baby not to "win".

We didn't bath every night for the first couple of weeks but once we were in a routine it was easier so since then Alice has a bath every night except Sunday (cos there's not time after church) when she has a flannel wash. OH does it which gives me a break before the bedtime feed and means he gets to spend time with her after he gets home from work before she goes to bed. We even gave her a bath in the middle of a field in a washing up bowl when she was three months old. (We were on holiday camping.) Alice really loves her baths and splashes and plays and has liked them from an early age but if she hadn't liked them we probably wouldn't have done them so often.

On the subject of getting a newborn into a routine, this is how we did it:
For feeding we always fed Alice if she showed signs of hunger BUT we also offered her feeds after a certain amount of time even if she hadn't shown any obvious signs of hunger. In the day we would ofer after 3-3 1/2 hours and at night after about 4 1/2 hours the idea being that she fed more in the day so that she wouldn't need as much at night. At night we always put her back to bed in the dark after feeds (after all the burping, toiletting etc.) whereas in the day we kept her in the light and just put her down to sleep if she seemed sleepy. Even very early on we almost always had to wake her at night for feeds after 4 1/2 to 5 hours so I don't know whther that was affected by what we did in the day or whether she was just naturally like that. After about ten days we started beginning each day at 7 am regardless of what happened before then and I offered Alice food and naps at regular times. (I think it was at this point I started putting her in the dark for naps as well as night sleep so the distinction was "dark=sleep" rather than "dark=night sleep".) If she was hungry say ten minutes before a feed I would just give her the whole feed early but if she was hungry well before the feed (like more than half an hour) I would give her say ten minutes as a "snack" to keep her going. I woke her up from naps so she didn't sleep for so long in the day that she would be awake all night. If I put her for a nap and she didn't settle, I would generally try feeding a bit more, nappy/toilet and if all else failed the sling. I didn't really go out much early on except for church and going for a walk with Alice in the pram for her afternoon nap each day but it didn't really bother me as I'd been so ill during pregnancy that it was more than I had been used to and I was more bothered about getting into a routine than going out. Hope that makes sense, that's all I can think of at the moment of how we did it.

purplepatch

:rotfl:How come so many of us are actually on here around bedtime today anyway :rotfl:

My eldest is at grandma's overnight, I bunged Izzy down early tonight as she was pooped having had no nap today and DH is out on the p*ss with clients.

So a nice night off for mummy tonight!

Off to watch Corrie in a bit :T

[Deleted User]

I'm around as its Wednesday and still waiting for DH and Jack to arrive home at any moment! Wednesday is grandparent day for Jack and my day off, although probably my last one, I hope we are not still here next week!

I've thanked people but its not come up properly and now the option has dissappeared. Wierd, but anyway the thought was there.

PP I reckon when its time for Jack to go to playschool, this one will still be in her PJ's too. My ex neighbour said to me with her two and school, the baby was either dressed but not breakfasted or in Pj's but not fed. Isn't that what early morning milk is for, to tie you over for a hour or so? Oh and every Wednesday Jack is out the door with DH on his way to work and always leaves in PJ's and a dressing gown. He gets breakfast and dressed upon arrival

SeptemberBaby_2

I enjoy reading all the routines . I remember someone posting the best piece of advice I have ever received - put baby to bed awake! I could *hug* the person that said that :j :beer: (snaggles or becles I think?!).

Its our routine to bathe her every night. Thats DH's job and I think they both enjoy their time together. Nightime starts at 6pm with a lullaby CD, bath, bottle and in bed by 6.50pm.

I am yet to master the daytime napping! How does that work then? :rotfl:Like CG, I never use the crib for anything else but nightime sleep. We have the moses basket downstairs for naps but she's too big for it really . What does everyone else use for naps? Thinking about bringing the crib downstairs when she moves into her own room and cotbed at 6 months? I change her after each bottle and then put her down but she only naps for half our max. How do I get the this 2 hours business?!