Click on me and I’ll zoom you on over to my story.
So you’ve clawed your way through the first few months of parenting. Congratulations! You deserve a big pat on the back and a large glass of wine. Except you don’t feel like you do.
You think it should be getting easier but it’s not. Baby sleeps less in the day and wakes up more at night and you think maybe it’s time you checked into the crazy house as you aren’t sure what the hell is going on. Why isn’t it working?
That’s about where I was at when Monkey was 4 months old. And it went on like that for almost another 2 months before I made some changes. I’ve written our full story as a guest post for You and Baby so head on over and check it out.
It’s a good read. I promise. And it may even help you!
Pssssst if you click on the cute baby pic (yes that’s my monkey) he’ll shoot you right on over there.
mummy flying solo 
This is going to be so handy…It’s very important that I have a sleep routine and my biggest worry about the impending arrival is it will keep us up all night. I may have to print out the advice ready.
haha oh you’ll be up all night 😉
Don’t worry. Even thought it sounds like it sucks you won’t care so much as you’ll be totally mesmerised. 🙂
Routine, every time. Gorgeous baby pic, btw. Personality oozing from it.x
Awwww thanks 🙂 He is quite a charismatic little soul but I’m a bit biased I think! Interesting…routine all 7 times hey? Then my next bub whenever that may be better comply! lol
My mum knew best. ‘Get them into a routine and you can still have a life.’
It didn’t always work but it was what we aimed for.
Nowadays, I have a routine and the ‘kids’ have a life. I’m in bed before the older ones as they creep about picnicing in the kitchen and generally defying every routine ever established. But, at least I get to sleep!x
I totally agree with your mum. The routine freed me up more than it restricted me (which is what people seem to think a routine does). Like you say, it doesn’t always work but it works the majority of the time and that’s enough. haha sounds like your kids are being healthy teens lol At least you are getting some sleep! x
Routines are great – it’s a shame others don’t agree with routines
(others – defn. childless friends)
LOL oh yes the childless friends KNOW everything!
I really do believe that routine is important. I mean I’m all for being natural but I can’t just show up to a doctors office whenever I feel like because baby wanted to nap or eat at an unpredictable time.
I get a lot of criticism about putting my twins “on a schedule” because they are “two different babies” with “two different sets of needs.” And that’s all gravy. It’s not like I treat them as clones. Just because I offer them both the same food and nap time doesn’t immediately make me the Dolly the sheep lab scientist.
LOL Exactly Heather! Routine helps all those things like Drs appts etc Do you really get criticism for putting the twins into a schedule? Wow that’s crazy talk.
Routine was so important for me because it gave me the feeling of a sense of control, even if it didn’t always work. In the chaos of parenting a newborn, a sense of control – or at least a routine to try to lean on – is so critical!
I totally agree! I really felt it gave me more free time too as I knew when all the scheduled things were happening. After that it was all free time!
Destroyer needed routine too. In my warped memory, it was easy to get her into one, but I’m sure it didn’t happen immediately. I am having a little more trouble with Buddy…..stubborn guy!
lol yeah damn newborns just don’t comply do they!
I have this hazy memory of my son taking looong naps from 6 p.m. to midnight during his first month or two. Then when he woke up, it was party time! Those days were so sweet, but so exhausting!
OMG totally!!! How full on is that newborn stage when they haven’t worked out day and night. It’s crazy times.
I think moms and babies thrive on routine. It gave me something to count on in the early days when it was all so new and scary at times. I tried to be the all natural, attachment parenting mama too, but it didn’t reallly work for me….I am way too Type A. 😉
lol ME TOO! And my kid is even worse. Man he gets particular about things. It’s really funny!!!
Love your post- even if routine is not your thing.. as long as you are listening to your baby… you are doing great!
La-
Thank you 🙂 And yes that’s right. That was the point of my post in the end – listen to what the baby needs. If you are paying attention you will see that they are telling you!!
I cannot wait to have a routine. I truly want to have one, you say its possible????? 🙂
Absolutely! You have to stick with it and be really anal about it for the first few days but they fall into it pretty quickly. I can’t remember how old your little one is but I think it would be tricky to start (or trickier at least) before they are 3mths old. Others may tell you different and they may be right It’s just outside my realm of experience! lol It was the most liberating thing I did as a new mum.
He’s 9 weeks old so it’s something I could look into. Were you bottle or breast feeding? Should that really matter though? Routine sounds amazing!
It shouldn’t matter. I was mostly breastfeeding but doing some comp bottles and it worked well for me but my monkey was almost 6mths old at the time. He would have been ready at 3 mths though. Next kid I’ll be trying sooooo much earlier.