Schedules

Deanna - posted on 04/09/2009

I agree that Babywise is a great book. A lot of people say that it is harsh and unnatural to schedule young babies, but all children thrive on routine. He stresses in the book that it is not the clock that decides when it is time to eat, sleep or play. The parent makes these decisions based on their assessment of the situation, This includes feedback from their children. It is also important to make sure that your baby is taking in full meals throughout the day and not just constantly snacking, as this is unhealthy habit. Parents should listen to their children and meet their needs, but they should also be the leaders of the family.

Liz - posted on 04/08/2009

We started solids a couple of weeks ago and that is really the only thing I schedule. I let her breast feed on demand still, but I feed her lunch at noon and dinner at 6:00. My daughter breast feeds a lot for comfort, which I am fine with so we bf a lot during the day. She naps when she wants to. I don't think babies have to have a strict schedule.

Laurie - posted on 04/08/2009

I know dozens of women who schedule their babies from day one. I sort of did with my daughter, but for the most part she set her own schedule. She never really had a nap schedule, though. She doesn't seem to require a lot of sleep :(. The book that was reccomended to me (the one that everybody I know uses) is called Baby Wise. I think there's more to that title, but I can't remember the whole thing. If you look it up on Amazon, you can get the title. Then see if your local library has it or something. Just look through it and see if you think it's for you. I didn't follow all of the philosophies presented in the book, but I did agree with their main point. Every single human being needs structure in their lives, and babies are no different. I can tell you this, from my experience, and from those that I know, my child (and theirs) has never cried because she was hungry. She and I both knew when it was time for her to eat. I found it nice, because if I was going out for the day, I knew to plan to have easy access to a car or a nursing room at a certain time. Instead of being in the middle of a store juggling a fussy baby who's hungry. It's funny now, because she will go a grab the Boppy and bring it to me when it is time for her to eat. From my experience, schedule babies seem to be less fussy babies, because that structure helps them to feel secure and know what is coming next in their day.
Sorry this was so long, hope it helps.

Katie - posted on 04/08/2009

Don't schedule breastfeeding. It is digested much faster then formula, therefore they need it more often. Eventually you will see him go longer (I felt like I was feeding my son 24 hours a day, then all of a sudden one day a couple of weeks ago he decided to go 3 hours and has kept it up since). Plus, if they need to eat then it means they are growing!



I do think that a loosely consistent daily routine is really good for them to feel safe and secure. Get up at about the same time, nap approximately the same time with the same routine (such as rocking in the morning, walking in the afternoon), and then food, bath, bed in the evenings (ever since I started putting my son down at 7pm every night I have a good three hours to myself before I go to bed and he wakes up less through the night).

Allison - posted on 04/08/2009

I don't think scheduling for babies is really that important. It's best if they can nurse on demand, when they need to. Keep in mind that babies needs for breastmilk change as they go through growth spurts or are becoming more mobile. I think it's more important to follow your baby's lead and do what works best for them. That said, however, you need to find out how to make that work for you as well. Have you tried nursing in a sling or mei tai? This gives you freedom to move around more and even nurse out of the house on the go. Check out http://www.wearyourbaby.com for ideas on types of carriers and carries that make nursing easy.