It's all about routine!!

I'm a stickler for routine! I haven't always been that way with Xander but have been for at least the last three/four months. We have a routine because it works!

It works because it brings structure and calm to our lives. It works because we both know where we stand with a routine. It works because there's no second guessing. Xander has learnt what to expect from me and I've become to learn what to expect from Xander.

Our routine is not set in stone BUT it is written on our fridge! It isn't fixed rigidly but we pretty much stick to it (give or take the odd half hour).

7am: wake up
7.15am: breakfast bottle
7.45am: breakfast
8am: bath and dress
9am: nap (I get shower and dress)
10am (ish) We get out of the house and do something - baby group, walk, go to shops, visit family members, playdates (If we don't go out I organise an activity for us - toy play/ sensory play)
12pm: bottle
12.30: lunch
1pm: play/ activity
3pm: nap
4.30pm: Xander usual gives himself a bottle whilst I prepare dinner/ tidy up.
5pm: Xander has tea.
5.30pm: quiet play (hubby usually comes home around this time if working an early shift and plays with Xander whilst I cook, tidy etc)
6.30pm: PJ's on.
7pm: Xander has final milk bottle then gets put to bed.
7.30pm onwards: adult time: we eat, gym, hobbies etc
USUALLY: Xander has a full nights sleep!

I think I may have underestimated the power of a good routine. It's not until a little one goes without one for even a day and everything is disrupted.

Today I went into work for a KIT day and hubby (aka superdad) thought it would be a great idea seeing he was home caring after Xander anyway to get our new carpet fitted! Seriously deluded that this was a fantastic idea he would not accept from
me that this would not be an easy task to undertake. Dada knew best! So the carpet fitters came. Daddy and Xander were restricted to the garden and then our bedroom. I returned home at two to discover Xander had still not had a decent nap or lunch!

Feeding him at just gone two, then squeezing in a nap and his weekly baby sensory session meant just a couple of hours later he was eating again. The afternoon was a complete chaotic rush.

The result = yes, we have a lovely nice carpet fitted. BUT we also have a very grumpy 9 month old who is awake at 2.45 this morning. And YES it is ME up sorting him out!

I suppose I should be grateful... At least the top step (my usual sleep training perch) is more comfy than usual with the new carpet and thick underlay!

Xander's First Night In His Cot: Update

So last night Xander slept in his cot in his room for the first time:
Here's how our night went:
7pm: got Xander changed into his pj's, fed him, popped on his sleeping bag, carried him up to his room (awake but drowsy) and sat by his cot until he fell asleep which took all of two minutes! By this time it was approx 7.45pm
12am: Xander woke up crying. He was coughing a little (he's had a cold and can't quite shift the cough) I popped some vapour rub onto a muslin and tied it to his cot and also fed him 3oz of a bottle and he fell back asleep. All in all this took approx 5-10 mins.
2.45am: His coughing woke him up. I listened to him on the monitor for a little while. But he started getting ratty and so I went in. Discovered that he'd pooped. Changed his nappy, then gave him a feed and popped him back in his cot awake. He soothed himself back to sleep.
7.10am: He wakes up. First night done! Look at my cheeky boy so happy sleeping in his own bed:

It wasn't the perfect night, but on a positive note it wasn't any worse than it has been in previous evenings recently.

What helped?
• I was given some advice from my friend Steph (who is a 2nd time mummy who has a little boy just one week younger than Xander) regarding the routine. She suggested change for pjs, feed, then put on sleeping bag and then take to bed, read story/sing lullaby, then let baby fall asleep. It was a really manageable nighttime routine and hopefully he'll begin recognising the queues for bed within the next week.
• I realised he hasn't spent to much time in his room so yesterday afternoon we spent time up there. I showed him around and even laid him in his cot for a while.
• I got organised before I took him up . Prepared a changing station with nappies, wipes and fragrance bags. I also prepared a bottle of boiling water and some measured out formula milk to use as backup to breastfeeding milk.
I set up two plug in night-lights. One near his cot and one near the changing station. They're not very bright but I can at least see a little with them. This meant I didn't have to put in the main light and made a cosy atmosphere for Xander.
• I also checked and double checked the monitor in the afternoon. So I was reassured I'd be able to hear him ok in the night.

What hindered?
• I didn't consider that people may choose to have their fireworks night last night. Several houses nearby did and I think this may have resulted in Xander not having a deep sleep initially.
• Additional to the noise of the fireworks our neighbours also decided to be extremely noisy last night. I think they had a little gathering that went on until approx 2am. If the noise persists tonight I will have to go around and politely ask them to be quiet.
• Xander still has a cold/cough and this seems to get worse at night. I ended up rubbing vapour rub onto two muslins and weaving through the bars of his cot. This seemed to clear his airways a bit.
• Additional to the cough/ cold he's also showing early signs of teething.
• Me! I probably was a little impatient at times and over cautious. If I'd left him at 12am he probably would have drifted back to sleep himself. I need to trust the monitor and only intervene when he's distressed. (Thats if I want a full night through again!)



So we will try again tonight. All in all it wasn't a bad night. I actually feel like I got more sleep last night than any other recent night (which is something I desperately needed!) and hopefully Xander will begin to get use to his new environment very soon!! I will keep you posted on our progress!

Xander's First Night In His Cot (In His Nursery)

We had to do it, he was simply getting too big in his Moses basket. Throughout the night he was thrashing about and waking himself up. On top of that he was snoring loudly which was waking both myself and hubby up and us coming up to bed at different times meant we was unintentionally waking him.

In an ideal world i'd prefer to keep him in with us until he was six months but his cotbed is far too big for our room.

So tonight I started a new bedtime routine. 7pm changed into pj's, feed, put on his sleep bag, carried him upstairs, put him in his cot awake (but drowsy) and within two minutes he was sparko! Will report in the morning how his first night went! I have a feeling he'll have more sleep than me (I'm currently sleeping in the spare room on the same floor as his bedroom with the monitor switched on the loudest mode!) Sweet Dreams all!