Routines, routines, routines??

I know its early to be thinking of this but ive read up on it and it seems very confusing. When did your baby go into a sleep, eat etc routine? I know in the beginning they say feed on demand but when does this end? Or should I say when should u stop it and start a routine??

With my first baby I fed on demand and I was up 5 times a night because she made it a habit after a while.

With my 2nd baby he was in routine from hospital (in hospital they feed at 5:00, 13:00, 17:00 etc etc) and I must say it still works for me. At least I sleep more hehehe a nd Corne sleeps 4 hours non stop sometimes more.

This was only an experiment it might be different for someone else

TT, They get into their own little routine, they will let you know when they are hungry or tired...

I think that each child is so different... all my boys slep through from very young but Dylan's routine was very different from Jason & Grant's and I am sure that given the chance Jason & Grant would of had very different routine's too.

I think that you need to kind of play it by ear, see how the first few weeks go and then assess the situation

Great ill do that, thanks very much ladies.

I had the twins in a basic routine from the first day, at least as far as bath and bedtimes as well as daytime feedings are concerned. At night I let them lead me as far as possible. They are very good sleepers and I ascribe it certainly at least to a degree to their routines. I think the Babysense book is very good in that respect!

My babies came out of ICU in a feeding routine of every 3 hours initially - but I was using EBM & bottle feeding. I think it is very different if you are planning on breastfeeding. In the beginning I would only bath them every 3 days. AFter 3 months we got into much more of a routine and they started sleeping longer stretches at night and feeding every 4 hourly and only waking once at night. I would say don't put yourself under too much pressure in the beginning - especially if breastfeeding. As the ladies say - all babies are different. Some are good sleepers and others not, some colicky others without problems. But I am a firm believer in good routine - it saved my life with the twins!

sorry - just thought I would add - apart from routine - I think it is important to establish good habits from the beginning. ie if you always rock your baby to sleep it will always want to be rocked to sleep and won't go down any other way. People were always amazed at me that I just put them back down after their feed and they would go straight back to sleep - but this was what they did in the NICU - and anyway - there was no time for rocking - there was always baby no 2 waiting to be fed!

I was one of those mommies that let my daughter decide her own routine. She had a bottle when she was hungry and slept when she was tired. She has since then pretty much put herself into a routine that suits both her and I. And its the same every day. I think also because she went to day care so early on - she just fell into a routine easily and quickly.

I am one of the few very lucky mom's that doesnt battle at all with my child. I rocked her to sleep at lot as a baby, but she is quite able to fall asleep on her own now.

As the cliche goes - every baby is different - you will find what works beat for you... it takes awile to get used to your own child... but once you two figure each other out - it will fall into place.