Well, Eden's the same age and dictates her own routine but it too varies a bit each day. I know she'll go down by 7pm for bed, be up between 2-4am for a bottle and then awake about 6am for a cuddle in bed with me. She'll then sleep with me for anywhere between 1-3 hours.

She'll always have an hours sleep in the morning about 10 or 11 but I can never garantee when she'll sleep in the afternoon if she does at all.

All in all I'm happy with the routine, I kind of think babies are self regulating, they and sleep and eat when they want and need too and at 4 months it's still quite young for them to be doing exactly the same thing at the same time every day.

It sounds like you are nearly there with Finlay, you've pretty much mapped out your day and as his body clock matures he'll start to sleep through more often and get himself in a more sturdy routine. If you feel strongly you want it now I've heard the Gina ford books are good and I have one called the baby whisperer which is quite good for routine and general baby stuff.

As you say, he sounds like a very contented chap.
Enjoy!

Donna and Eden. x

hey guys me again!
just after a bit of advice..really trying to get little Finlay into a routine but it seems a bit difficult..he is so unpredictable!lol

basically i try to get him in some sort of routine but he kinda messes it up with him wakin up at different times in the night..sometimes he ll sleep right through and then he ll be up at 3, 4 or 5am..and then sometimes every 2-4hours!lol

the routine i have is:
1. wakes up between 4-6am for a bottle
2. wakes up for the day 7-7.30am

then depending on what time he had his bottle, depends when i give him his baby porridge for breakfast..

so if he woke up and had a bottle at 4am, he d have another bottle between 8-8.30, then i would give him his porridge about 10am.

then he has a bottle between12-1 and 3-4.

Then between 5-5.30 he has a rusk.

6.30- bath and ready for bed
7-8pm bottle then bed

does that seem ok? I am trying to get the timing right just about everyday so he has breakfast and tea at the same time? Ideally, would want him to have his breakfast porridge between 8-9am but with the variation in his sleeping patterns its sometimes a bit difficult.

any suggestions? health visitor says its too early to be trying to stop him having a bottle during the night(hes 17wks tuesday). and its not like he is not getting enough to eat as he has 5bottles, a bowl of porridge and a rusk everyday (Must be needing it as he is bang on target for weight). Just wondering if it is important that everything is done at the same time everyday?

He is a very content baby(most of the time) just want to get him into a sturdy routine!

sorry for the long post all replies and advice appreciated
take care
haylez and 16wk 4day old Finlay xx

See the bottle between 3 and 4, I would try and time that as close to 4 as poss, let's call that teatime for Finlay, skip the rusk at 5 but give it with the bottle after bath, in the hope that he will not be looking for food in the middle of the night. He would prob wake up out of habit for a while and a cuddle or a drink of water might do the trick. I don't think this is too early for you to be expecting and getting a full nights sleep again. It's hard, especially when everyone has a different opinion to offer, but I reckon the main thing is to try and get night time through as it's easier to deal with a fluctuating routine during the day if you have both had rest.
Best of luck

Jen

i love being a mum and i don't mind the odd sleepless night just i feel like i m doing most of it on my own..my partner is a fantastic dad but he just does not seem to help out much and its basically all down to me for how content he is and the routine he is in...when he was first born, he was fab used to send me to bed for sleep and take him off my hands when i d had a bad day with him..now he does none of that! I know he works full time but i need a break too!Lol think it is just a man thing!Lol

tried to give him a rusk and bottle and he was just sick everywhere..so now have to space the feedings ( been like this since he was born) he is a funny feeder!Lol tried water and he was having none of that!Lol just spat it out and looked at me as if to say you crazy woman what on earth have you just given me!Lol

hes just a funny little buggar really..when he wants his food he wants it and you cannot hold him off!lol

take care xx

Well, Eden's the same age and dictates her own routine but it too varies a bit each day. I know she'll go down by 7pm for bed, be up between 2-4am for a bottle and then awake about 6am for a cuddle in bed with me. She'll then sleep with me for anywhere between 1-3 hours.

She'll always have an hours sleep in the morning about 10 or 11 but I can never garantee when she'll sleep in the afternoon if she does at all.

All in all I'm happy with the routine, I kind of think babies are self regulating, they and sleep and eat when they want and need too and at 4 months it's still quite young for them to be doing exactly the same thing at the same time every day.

It sounds like you are nearly there with Finlay, you've pretty much mapped out your day and as his body clock matures he'll start to sleep through more often and get himself in a more sturdy routine. If you feel strongly you want it now I've heard the Gina ford books are good and I have one called the baby whisperer which is quite good for routine and general baby stuff.

As you say, he sounds like a very contented chap.
Enjoy!

Donna and Eden. x

for the reply..not necessarily desperate for a routine as i think the way he is now is fine with me...its just everyone keeps telling me he should be in a routine by now making me panic and get upset because he aint.

going back to work next month and i think it would make it easier for whoever looks after him (going into a nursery)if he was in a routine. I keep telling people he is just a baby and he is like any of us...sometimes he will sleep longer and need more sleep sometimes he does not, sometimes he is hungry and sometimes he is not!lol

how is eden coming along? She on any food yet? I really wanted to wait until atleast 5 months till he had any food but he is just so hungry and i had to give in to him..either that or have a screamin baby every 2hours wanting milk!lol

take care
Haylez and Finlay xx

Hi Haylez

Don't listen to anyone else, as you said in your other post Finlay will do what Finlay wants to do! Eden's the same, knows her own mind at 4 months! If he's going to nursery there will be a routine there and he will have to fall in with that to some extent so I wouldn't worry about it because when you go back to work things will change, he'll adjust and he'll probably be doing something totally different to what he is now!

Eden's great, an absolute joy and really makes me laugh now she laughs out loud too. She's not on any food yet, I did try her a couple of weeks ago even though they say not too as she seemed really hungry and unsettled. She wasn't interested though so I've left it for a bit. I know a lot of people that have weaned early because their babies were ready...every baby is different.

We've had a tough time of it with Eden's Dad, he was very unsupportive and really didn't understand what parenthood would be like and struggled to adjust. The pressures on both of us which were really different - him- work and struggling to bond - me knackered and loving being a mummy caused huge problems between us, he'd left twice when I was pregnant, threatenened to do it again when she was 9 weeks old and after a huge row when she was 10 weeks I asked him to leave. he did, willingly and we were trying to work things out even though he wasn't living here. We were getting on well and out of the blue he text this week to say he never wanted to see me or Eden again....nice. I'm still reeling from it all really, I love him but nothing is unconditional and enoughs enough. Eden and I deserve better, he's bled me dry emotionally and I can't do it any more.

Feel a bit better now decision is made and Eden doesn't really know who he is as he's not really played an active role in her life at all. I'm just determined to make her life as happy and content as possible.

Feel very stupid as I like to think I'm an intelligent, professional woman!! But, I've made some very poor choices and decisions around my ex and whilst I don't regret anything (I have Eden afterall and she wouldn't be her if she wasn't his) it's time for me to put Eden and myself first.

Anyway, enough waffle, I'm a little shakey but have great support. I know we'll be just fine when the dust settles and I figure out finances and stuff.

Love to you both

Donna and Eden. x

sorry to hear about the ex and you..he sounds like a real b*******!lol like you say stuff him, its time for you and eden to come first and sort yourselves out! dont worry about that excuse for a man, from the sounds of it he does not worry about you! i m sure everything will settle down soon and like you say you ve got little eden and it sounds like she means the world to you!

Finlay does exactly the same as eden giggles out loud all the time, even when i dont do anything funny..like today i sneezed and he thought it was the funniest thing in the world..then he started to giggle when he sneezed!lol well finlay has 5 bottles of 7oz hungry baby milk, a bowl of baby porridge and a rusk every day!lol i have never seen a baby so hungry..he must be needing it as he is on target for his weight!lol

My OH, although a fantastic dad, kinda takes the mick a bit! he already has one son and it seems he favours him over finlay sometimes. just wish he would help out more..went out on fri for the first time in ages and i still ended up gettin up at 3am and 6am with him as he supposedly felt sick!WHATEVER he uses that excuse all the time...then i told him last night it was his turn and he got up but then came up with him at half 6, dumped him on the bed next to me and turned over to go to sleep..if i get up with him, i never do that, i keep him out the way so he can get some sleep..just so drained..tried to talk to him but he just does not listen...and surprise surprise will be gettin up again tonight as he has went out for a few pints, was due to return home at 6 and is still out. I am coping fine with finlay but it seems like i am doing it all on my own as OH just doesnt help out enough.

what annoys me is he promised me this weekend (as i had not seen him all week virtually) he would not go out on the drink and would spend all weekend with me and the kids as he has not done for a long time..but once again he dumped them both on me, i had to take the other one back to his mothers.

just dont see the point in even tryin to get through..brought it up countless times and still the same! Sorry just needed a rant..my problems seem so silly compared to yours!

pm any time for a chat, would love to keep in touch and see how eden is coming along

take care
Haylez and Finlay xx

But he must need it or wouldn't eat it. 9 month Charlie has the same size of dinner as 5 year old Jude, plus Charlie doesn't leave his veg so having a bigger meal.

You're right to rant about OH. His older sons mum prob wouldn't be pleased if she knew what was going on when her son was meant to be with his dad, I mean, we would be angry if we were her. And not letting you get a good sleep is SO selfish. He knew he was getting a pass tonight as drinking so should have ensured you got a good rest last night. Now I'm on a rant for you. And Donna too, they're so self centred!!!!! There's no point saying do this same treatment to him cos they pretend they're not as capable at baby care and we end up worrying and taking the baby from them. Pigs!!!

Happier days ahead, lol Jen xx

is he says i am much better at it than him..so flamin what does it really make a difference? he lets the other one get away with murder since finlay has been born always cheeky and has loads of attitude but i get told off saying i am being nasty when i tell him off for it!i cant win!!!!!

MEN..times like this i wish i was a lesbein!lol

xxx

Because you do it all the time that's why, which is hardly a valid reason for a dad not to be doing his bit. They're more than capable, they just pretend not to be. Like when they wash the dishes but leave food on so you'll do them next time.
Go on strike and do only whats neccesary for you and Finlay to get by.

Jen x

Nursery will really help establish a routine. The babies love it and they come on leaps and bounds and copy the other older children. Hopefully, the play will tire him into a sleep and you'll be refreshed for work.

Jen 32 + 2