Is Getting Your Baby Into A Routine The Best Way?
By Rosie
@rosie230 (1674)
April 13, 2010 12:39pm CST
When your pregnant or when you have just given birth your midwife, or Health Advisor gives you advice on how important it is to get your baby into a routine from the start, to assure that your baby understands different situations. I am a mother to 2 children aged 9 and 1 year, with my first baby I was so totally different in the way that I took care of him than was and still am with my youngest. With my first baby, I did not stick to any kind of routine, and for that maybe was the reason why he never settled at night properly and why he still to this day does not eat proper meals. Maybe I am wrong and this is not the reason, but last year I gave birth to my youngest, and this time not because of anything to do with my other child.. I did things a lot differently. Every time my baby had a nap, I made sure that he was in his cot, and now he associates sleep with going to his cot, and I made sure that he eats a wide variety of food, and he seems to be the complete opposite to his brother, because at the age of 1 year, it is very much the case that he eats a lot more than his brother. So my question to all you parents out there, do you agree that routine is important for babies or do you think that maybe it is not all that important? Personally for me, I believe that routine is the best way to go, and I have a very content little boy, who does sleep through the night, and eats all that
1 person likes this
5 responses
@unstopabble (453)
• Philippines
16 Apr 10
yup routine is important to teach while your kids are young. routines are like habits,that they will continue to do even if they are mature persons already. one good routine is always taking a bath on time. paying before going to sleep. brushing teeth after eating.goodluck
@karen1969 (1788)
•
18 May 10
I think a routine is a good thing to aim for. I know what you mean, as I think I spoilt my first child as she had bottles until she was 3 1/2 years old!! She was feeding every hour for the first 3 months too, so I was tired! With my other children (I have 4), I had to be stricter with them, because I had other children to look after too, so I got them into a better routine, which I think is good, but we all learn from our mistakes.
@OpinionatedLady (5977)
• United States
14 Apr 10
I think that having a basic routine is good but that over scheduling and keeping too tight to the schedule can actually do more harm. Life is a routine but there are bumps and wrong turns to it and if too tight of a routine is kept anyone of any age can be thrown off coarse by even a minor mishap. As I said this is from my own experiences from working in infant rooms (day cares) since my school years through the raising of my own three kids ( one more to come). Like everything else moderation is the key. I watch my sister in law who not only keeps a very tight schedule but over schedules everything. Her 4 yr. old has an ulcer, the three yr. old has a melt down anytime something isn't perfect and the baby, well he is too little but is also very over weight because she insists he must eat on schedule (4 months old and 25 lbs). it is too much and obviously unhealthy for them.
@maximax8 (27045)
•
13 Apr 10
A clear routine can be settling for a baby. It might be feed then diaper change, nap, feed then diaper, nap and so on. In the evening it could be bath time, story and then into his or her cot. A baby can be weaned at age 6 months old. Baby rice is an ideal first food. Children's personalities vary but routine can help a child get used to structure. I suggest a mother keeps the room dark at night but feed her baby. She should only talk to her baby in the day time not in the night. One day the baby will miss out a night feed and will gradually begin to sleep though the night. Toddlers can have challenging behavior and routine will help them.
