Daytime routines

I feel it depends how rigid you want to be with your routine. I’ve always worked off the idea that a baby will fit into whatever I’m doing etc. so for my first and for my second I’ve never really followed a strict routine which does make leaving the house a bit easier but I totally get how you end up getting stuck in xx

I don’t have a rigid routine or to be honest any routine with my little one. He sleeps in the car but usually only has half hour naps which works well as that’s the drive pretty much anywhere from here, he will also sleep in his carrier so getting sleep isn’t an issue he will at some point sleep out and about. I figure at some point I have to go back to work, he will go to nursery so if he can be flexible with everything it will make all our lives easier. Do you need to play each time? Can you have bottle and go out? Experiencing everything is just as good for them as playing!

I have no rigid nap routine where we have to be home for a nap, my lo has to nap on the go most days as I’ve got so much to fit in. We have his big brother to get to/from school, food shopping, getting out for a buggy run, baby classes and meeting friends out for lunch too sometimes. Weaning wise it’ll either be at home at 11:30ish or in a cafe when I’m eating. For us a set routine and being home to nap etc just won’t work unfortunately, I was also relaxed routine wise with my first too but he just didn’t sleep 🤣🤣 xx

@Laura is it not stressful with how messy they get if you are out and about? Xx

We have no routine at all, our LO would just eat and nap everywhere. He still goes to bed around the same time on the evening and sleeps quite well so I don’t think it is impacting him in a bad way to be out and about most of the days. I Personally did not want to implement a routine to keep some flexibility and get our baby used to being in different places with different people. It might be easier than you think to maybe nap in the pram, car seat, baby carrier etc? Also I find it easy to feed outside! Maybe you can start little by little, go for a walk when baby sleeps in the pram, then feed on a bench etc? And then go out for longer stretches once you feel more confortable?

Lauren. I don't want to be rigid. Noting in my life screams routine 😂 @Becky don't need to play but generally once I have fed him I put him on his play mat. Maybe I'm over thinking this! 😂 Today was the first day I didn't leave the house in over a week. And it was hard work! But then apart from going for a walk I don't really know what to do. I don't have enough disposable income for shopping. And the weekly shop is on the weekend when my husband comes home from work (he works away Mon-Fri). Definitely overthinking it. Xx

@Sophie I’m sort of used to it from my eldest (plus all the cleaning up the floor out 🤣🙈) but not got to the too messy stage yet with current lo as only just starting BLW with veg and fruit and he’s only playing woth it so far with the odd lick or suck 🤣 I’ve also bought the bibado bib to help keep him clean xx

@Sophie that’s ace how much your lo loves his food 🥰 lol the water here goes straight over the tray and floor 🤣 I only give him about 20mls a time now 🤣 xx

@Sophie yeah maybe just plan to go out. Do you have children’s centres around you? I have found ours great as it’s an excuse to get out the house and free. If not I find excuses to go out. Totally get the lack of money side of things! Try heading out for little ones nap and see how that works. I think it’s easy to get caught up in your own head about these things x

@Sophie look for free groups to join in your area! Our library has story time every week, we go to a couple breastfeeding groups, and a new mons group. Depending on the week, we have 2-4 days of activities. They're usually only 1-2 hours long too, so I can usually work naps around them. Are there any mom Facebook groups for your area? That would be a great place to find activities, or see if anyone would be interested in doing a play group or something

It does all depends how strick a routine you want. I try to keep my baby in routine too he might be an hour or two ahead or behind all depends but he does good keeping himself on routine. Not sure how old your little one is but mine is 4 months. If I want to leave I get everything ready during his nap and once he's up I feed him durp and change him then leave he can't nap on hour way to where ever we are going or he naps when I take a walk. He's usually up from like 6-8 and he's down from 7-9 at night he only naps for like 40 mins to an hour or two and he's usually up for an hour and a half to two. I follow his cues

I usually go out as soon as he’s woken from a nap as he’s the happiest then. But I’ll nap him in the carrier if we’re out and he’s due one. He very rarely pram naps which I find difficult. But where I live everything is within a 10 minute walk including all our classes so if he’s asleep when a class starts I just go once he’s woken. If you’re strict with his daily routine then you could try plan classes just after a nap if the timings work

Routines are good but you can’t be ruled by them. We have a rough routine until 6 and then it’s strict (if at home) bath feed bed. But if we’re at family for the evening, he skips the bath and falls asleep on the way home and we work it out at the time. My classes at at nap time, he usually falls asleep just before, has a cat nap, and then sleeps a long chunk after. He falls asleep half way through one class each week without fail