Schedule question for SAHM's

Are you able to get DC on a schedule? Aside from bedtime, I really haven't put Victoria on a schedule (naps, feeding). When I discussed this with my pediatrician at her last visit, he said being SAHM, she would create her own schedule. But she wakes up at different times during the night which then dictates her first feeding for the day.
There are also days where she'll take a nap in the AM and days when she won't. She may take 2 afternoon naps one day, maybe 1 or none at all. She's almost 5 months and I think I'd like to start getting her on a guided track.

Has this worked for any SAHM's?

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

yes, your DR is correct. DD fell into her own routine on her own. I would watch her drowsy signals and she was in that "1 hour window" from Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

DS is just now becoming somewhat predictable, and some days it's all out of whack (he's 6 mths today).

He now wakes up for breakfast around 8am (sometimes I'll get to sleep till 9am) then he's ready for a nap between 10-11am and CAN nap for 2 hrs (sometimes less, sometimes more). Most days it seems he takes 1 GREAT nap, and 1 so-so nap, sometimes 2 so-so naps and then bedtime is around 7pm. He then sleeps till around 4am for a feeding (again, some nights are way off....last night he was up every 3-4 hrs because he ate carrots and peas with his cereal for dinner and did not poop before going to sleep).

I found writing down what time they eat, go down, wake up REALLY helped (it worked better with DD since it was only her...not so good with DS since DD is always on the go).

And I'll gladly admit that my whole world revolves around their sleeping schedules. My kids do NOT nap well outside their bedrooms, so I go with it. I'd rather have happy kids than get out of the house. If need be, DH stops at the store near his job or one of us goes out after they go to sleep. Or we do it as a family on DH days off.

Hope that helps!

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

Logan creates his own schedule. He is 5 1/2 months.

Babies do wake up during the night I read, some will soothe themselves back to sleep and those that can't will cry. Are you feeding her or rocking her back to sleep?

Logan created his schedule where he almost eats every day around the same hour (or at least in that hour frame)

He also usually takes 2 naps, sometimes he takes one.

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

Julia was never on a schedule and we never had any problems, she would usually fall asleep the same time everyday, but I wasn't the type to sit or come home for naps, she would sleep where ever we were. I EBF her so she would eat when she wanted to, that helped out a lot too.

We also co-sleep so she never went to bed the same time every night. She was always a great sleeper too.

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

we're on a semi-good schedule for eating ... not so much for sleeping, although I don't really track it that well. I should.

He wakes up around 8:30, eats by 9, goes down before 10:30. He eats again around 12:30. The naps the rest of the day vary I think.

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

We are definitely on a schedule--I would go nuts otherwise.

I followed Abby's (she's 7 months now) cues--particularly around napping--and around 3-4 months, I could see a definite pattern. Also, she hasn't woken up in the middle of the night since 3-4 months. Starting solids also gave us more of a routine to work around--breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For me, in the beginning, it was really important to be home during her naptimes--I think that really reinforced the whole schedule. Sometimes, I couldn't get much accomplished outside the house as a result, but so what? Only now, do I occasionally take her out during naptime--but I find that "ruins" the schedule for the rest of the day.

Good luck!

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

DD is 11 weeks and our schedule looks something like this:

Wake up btn. 6 and 7amand BF.
Nap most days 9:30 or so anywhere from 1-2 hours.
She eats randomly throughout the day in small amounts-"cluster feeder".
Another nap late afternoon 4pm or so for an hour.
Bathtime around 7pm every other day.
After her last nursing session at 8pm, she gets a 3 oz. formula "top off" and we put her down sleepy and she eventually falls asleep until morning.
Then we start over!

HTH.

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

Posted by btrflygrl

yes, your DR is correct. DD fell into her own routine on her own. I would watch her drowsy signals and she was in that "1 hour window" from Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

DS is just now becoming somewhat predictable, and some days it's all out of whack (he's 6 mths today).

And I'll gladly admit that my whole world revolves around their sleeping schedules. My kids do NOT nap well outside their bedrooms, so I go with it. I'd rather have happy kids than get out of the house. If need be, DH stops at the store near his job or one of us goes out after they go to sleep. Or we do it as a family on DH days off.

Hope that helps!

Re: Schedule question for SAHM's

Thanks everyone! I do write down her feedings, haven't been writing down her naps. I think I'll start doing that to see if I recognize a pattern.

I usually don't pay attention to being home or not for naps, but I wonder if that might help her.... I guess it can't hurt to give it a try and see how we do.