Through my teaching experiences, I learned that establishing routines with children is essential to provide them with a sense of safety. The question I often asked myself was, "When should I start?" When my babies were newborns, I didn’t have a routine established because it felt almost impossible. They woke up every hour or two to be fed, and there was also pumping and other tasks to manage.
One thing that really helped was creating a loose routine. For example, after the baby woke up from a nap, I would first change their diaper, then feed them, burp them, and give them a few minutes of tummy time during the day. Afterward, I would check the diaper again before putting them down for another nap.
At 4 months old, I established a routine that I maintained until my baby was 15 months old. A few weeks before my babies turned 6 months, I began introducing solids, starting with blended black beans, mashed sweet potatoes, and smashed butternut squash.
This is how my routine looked like:
Day Routine sequence
- Nap
- Change diaper
- Feed with milk
- Feed with food fruits/veggies -cut in triangles or blended to avoid choking
- Clean babies faces and hands
- Tummy time -Playtime in playpen
- Read book
- Check diaper
- Nap
Total waking time: 2 hrs- 3hrs
Keep both babies on the same schedule
Night Routine sequence
- Last Nap around 4-6
- Change diaper
- Feed with milk
- Feed with food (no fruits)
- Clean babies faces and hands
- Tummy time -Playtime in playpen
- Read a book
Around 7:30-8pm
- Bath time or only change diaper
- Put Pajamas and sleeping sack
- Put bib and Feed with milk
- Brush teeth
- Put babies in crib with pacifier
By the time my babies reached 13 months, they were already aware when something was missing from their routine. They would point to their sleeping sack or cry until they got their last feeding of milk.
It was also very important to keep my husband, family, or babysitter on the same page about the routine to ensure a smooth day.
This is just an example of how your routine could look. You can adjust it to fit your and your baby’s needs.
While it may be hard at the beginning to keep the same routine for both babies, I encourage you to stick with it. It will give you so much peace of mind, and you won’t have to remember which baby you fed or whether you’ve already changed their diaper.
I hope this routine helps provide a sense of organization and consistency. It really helped me reduce anxiety and uncertainty throughout the day.
Tummy time at 3 months old
Add comment
Comments