I have a six week old daughter and I am going back to work on the 30th of this month...has anyone had any success with putting their little one on a schedule?
My little darling slept through the nght last night...I know it may be a fluke but we'll keep our fingers crossed!!! Thank you for all of your advice and support!
I did NOT schedule my first child, but DID with #'s 2 & 3 and it made a WORLD of difference. I agree with Cheryl's advice about the timing etc. A great book to check out is "Parent Controlled Feeding" by Gary Ezzo. Fantastic advice and instruction on how to schedule and what the benefits are. I have another one onthe way and you better believe I am going to schedule this one, like fromt he moment it comes out :-)
I had both my babies on a schedule. Worked out VERY well for us. Helps promote great naps (since hunger doesn't interfere with the nap as the baby eats meals instead of snacking and the baby knows what to expect with a routine, so the babies were happy and content with it). Also very helpful when I was working because I could let my boss know when I needed to take a break to nurse my son and I worked it out to feed him right before and right after work. Though work was also flexible with times, but the schedule helped a lot. At 6 weeks old, I fed at like 6:00am, 9, 12, 3, 6, 9:00pm and then the night time was as needed if he'd wake to eat. Regardless, I'd wake him at 6am to eat, try to keep him awake to play until 7:30am when he'd nap, which he soon caught on to and when pretty much do the schedule himself. After the last feeding was bedtime. That's how the baby gets clues of night time too, straight to bed after the last feeding instead of stimulating play time and not being woken up to eat in the night, along with it being dark at night and bright during the day. My part was to just do my part in feeding him when due and putting him in his bed when due if that makes sense. So at 6 weeks, it was a 3 hour schedule, eating every 3 hours and napping the second half of that increment. We went to a 4 hour schedule when he showed he was ready by sleeping through the night regularly and my needing to wake him to eat at the 3 hour increments pretty routinely like a few days in a row or more often than not...then I knew he was ready for 4 hour increments with longer naps and longer time between eating. That's how they would drop numbers of naps as well. Email if you have any more questions for me. Hope this helps and best wishes with the adjustment of going back to work!
dont think of it as a schedule, but a routine. some days your baby will go to bed earlier or later, eat less or more. with a routine she knows after my bath I go to bed etc... I love the baby whisperer. The night we came home from the hospital our daughter stayed awake until 4 am. So the next day I said this will never happen again and decided to go with what felt right. I have done a lot of reading, and the principals of the baby whisperer just felt right.So we started the routine and at 1 month she was sleeping from 6pm to 330 am she would eat and then sleep until 730. At 2 1/2 months she started sleeping from 6pm to 730. And now at 8 months she is still sleeping from 6pm to 700am. Again its not a schedule i.e at 4pm no matter what you eat. But having a routine so your baby knows what to expect next, i.e. eat, bath, then bed.just remember, you are the parent. Your child doesnt know anything than what happened in the womb, which was eat and sleep whenever!!! So it is up to you to show your daughter how its done by following her cues. its very scary being a first time mom, worrying that everything will go wrong. Just take it one day at a time.just trust your instincts, they will never mislead you!! and remember, every baby is different. You know her and you know what is right for her.
I know you will be just fine. Congrats and good luck with work!!
M.
You might find "Becoming Babywise" a good book to check out.
The point of the book is that babies have to be in a routine from day one because parents and families have to work and be on a schedule to function and for the rest of their lives our children will have to follow some sort of routine or schedule and that they need us to set the standards to feel safe and secure. I bought it when I was pregnant and I found a lot of it useful as they actually give you step by step instructions on how to begin. It makes very logical sense and of course like anything you can use some or all of the advice to help you get through your back to work transition. Good Luck.
We put our twinkies on a schedule. 6 weeks may be a little tough but you can try it. Just stick to the times you decide to feed and stick with it. Same for naps. It's great cause they know the program and usually know when food is coming/nap and do both well but sometimes it can really limit you (the mom) but the kids come first. Good luck. And whomever watches your daughter go back, make sure to write down the program and have her follow it. Consistency is key.
Please remember that your baby's wants are your baby's needs at least for the first 9 months to a year.
6 weeks is WAY to young to be considering any kind of scheduling.
Babywise and Ezzo have been criticized by hundreds of professionals and Babywise has been associated with several cases of failure to thrive in infants. I know that you want what is best for your brand new baby girl so please beware!
These people have absolutely NO TRAINING in child development or pediatric medicine.
If you are breastfeeding, scheduling is a sure way to lose your supply.
Please beware the babytrainers and follow your child's lead.
I recommend reading Dr. Sears "Baby Book" or "Sleep Book"
I followed Babywise for both of my girls and I swear by it (you can get the book online or at bookstores). I fed them every 3 hours - feed, keep them awake and then sleep. When life is predictable it seems easier - at least for me. good luck
First of all congrasts on your bundle of joy. How very wonderful. Think routine rather than schedule...that way if you don't make the "schedule" it's a little more adaptable....and hopefully you'll feel less frazzled if your not on the "schedule", but rather sticking to routine. One thing I have now learned being a working mom with baby number two is to relax a little bit, and go with the flow, otherwise you will drive yourself cookoo. Also, honestly...you are a bit on their routine until about 4-6 months when an honest to goodness nap routine begins to emerge. Another thing I have learned is always, always give yourself about an hour more than you think you will need to get you and your baby ready in the morning...once you get thing down pat you probably won't need it, but it never seems to fail that if you don't give yourself that time the baby spits up on your clothes, has a blow out diaper, etc. etc. I look at the extra time I have most mornings as bonus play time with the kids, and them I am relaxed when I get to work instead of frazzled. It will all work out as it is supposed to.
