Can you have a strict routine and breastfeed ?

[iiTTCii]

Just curious really for when I have my next. I tried breastfeeding but To cut a very long story short, I couldn't.
Since my LO was a couple of weeks old, we have followed a routine book and it has worked really well for us and I would want to do the same thing with my next. A lot of my friends who breastfeed though, feed on demand and have never really managed to get into any kind of routine. This routine book works on the basis that you are breastfeeding anyway, so is it possible to have a strict routine and bf?

 

[Night Flower]

I dont think you can set a routine while breastfeeding in the early months. But when you feed by demand, the baby does pretty much set their own routine, according to your babys bodys' need but just be open minded that their body's needs change daily sometimes.

 

[misspriss]

We breastfed on demand, but it was kind of routine too. He ate almost every 3 hours on the dot. But he was a NICU baby, and they feed on schedule...

 

[Snufflepop]

I think initially you might have to accept that there is not much of a routine. It took until DD was 3 months old for any kind of pattern in her day to emerge. Now at 4 months we are sorted with naps/feeds/bedtime routines.

I have been completely baby led and let my baby get herself into a routine though, waiting to see if she naturally fell into a routine that suited her, I had almost given up on it ever happening and then it just clicked. I guess you could try enforcing a routine and seeing what happens but I would say probably not for at least the first 6 weeks when the worst of the cluster feeding madness is over!

 

[Pielette]

I let my youngest demand feed until 3 months of age, when I noticed that he was settling into his own pattern. Bedtime was 7pm and wake up time was 7am regardless, because that's his brother's routine. So a pattern started to emerge and I tweaked it slightly. He was in a pretty firm routine by 4 months. I am a big believer in routine so was happy to get it sorted.

I think for the first couple of months you have to let them feed as and when because they're building your supply.

 

[minties]

My babies both fell into a 'schedule' at 3 months old, which worked well for us all.

 

[Pearls18]

I actually did have a feeding schedule with my eldest, it would depend on what time of day he would wake up but I could predict the rest of the day and that worked well for us. With my second I fed on demand much more as he was a snacky feeder, this frustrated me in the beginning (not so much for the lack of routine but more the worry of the unpredictable , him getting enough etc) but actually life was much easier going with the flow, we had to follow DS1's routine anyway so it helped having a baby that just slotted in. Absolutely nothing wrong with a routine, we have one now at 7 months but you may find you don't worry about HAVING to have one so much with your second, they kind of have to fit in with each other and tbh I found BF easier for that (I'm mostly FF now but EBF for the first 6 months).

 

[BigAl]

What is the routine book BTW?

I agree with others, routine developed naturally around 3-4m. I wouldn't do anything other than feeding on demand before a couple of months, as it would probably hurt your supply.

 

[wishuwerehere]

I have demand fed both my babies and neither has ever fallen onto a routine...that may be partly me though, i quite spontaneous and totally suck at having routine myself so our days vary a lot. I can never get my head around how you get into a routine but i guess everyon is different

 

[patch2006uk]

I have demand fed both my babies and neither has ever fallen onto a routine...that may be partly me though, i quite spontaneous and totally suck at having routine myself so our days vary a lot. I can never get my head around how you get into a routine but i guess everyon is different

I'm glad it wasn't just me reading this and thinking that! I've never done routines. We get out of the house a lot, so perhaps that doesn't help, but really as long as everyone gets enough to eat and enough food to keep growing, it doesn't bother me when it happens! (although we do aim for a 7o'clock bedtime) part of the reason I don't think formula feeding would suit me at all is the fact it forces you into more of a routine. I love the spontaneity of breastfeeding and not having to worrry about when, where or how much!

 

[irish_cob]

Patch - I demand ff my oldest. Neither of mine have ever been in any sort of routine! And bedtime is about 9pm round here, cos I don't get back home with them from the childminders til 5.15pm then I have to cook, we have to play, we have to eat, we have to watch cartoons and feed the cats and who knows what else. Then a few times a week they get a bath. All that takes a while so they go to bed later. Oldest is pretty good now and usually goes to bed somewhere between 8 and 9pm. Youngest is still bf to sleep and very hit and miss depending on if she's having a growth spurt or not, if she's having a sleepy phase or a wakeful phase and she generally goes to bed anywhere between 8.30 and 10.30pm. I wouldn't do anything different if I ff. Different strokes for different folks lol!

 

[Pearls18]

While I am a little more go with the flow this time the strictest thing I am with is bedtime, bedtime has been 7 for both boys from 4 months, even though DS wouldn't get back from nursery till 6 if hubby was away (tends to be earlier if he can pick him up) I still had him in bed by 7 and the same will be true with my second when I return next month, they eat there so all they need is milk, bath (if having one) and bed, I do my tea afterwards. Yes it would be nice to see them a little more but they would be exhausted if they stayed up later, they both need their 12 hours even more so if they have been at nursery and have got it again the next day, plus tbh I value my evenings to wind down or be with hubby. Thankfully I only work 3 days a week so it's not everyday that I don't see them much but while I am pretty flexible with all else when needed, bed time is pretty important to us. And we have had that in place long before either boy was sleeping well, it was just very important to me.

 

[irish_cob]

Mine don't get evening meal at childminders, get a small snack about 4pm- grapes and a cookie or similar.

I wish we had an earlier bedtime, my OH and I get no wind down time and no time to do anything else but neither of mine would go to bed at 7, the baby still likes to feed for about 90 mins on an evening before going to sleep x

 

[Pearls18]

Oh that must be hard, I'm sure they will get there they're still very young.

 

[irish_cob]

Oh yeah and they still get up at 6.30 every day! The toddler manages on this much sleep (she's never had 12 hours, she doesn't like sleep lol) and the baby naps at the childminders.

I'd love an earlier bedtime, it's just never worked with either of mine. At 4 months my baby was still going to bed at 10.30pm after cluster feeding all night from about 6pm. I wish I could have got them into an earlier bedtime but they're both natural night owls it seems!

 

[patch2006uk]

Patch - I demand ff my oldest. Neither of mine have ever been in any sort of routine! And bedtime is about 9pm round here, cos I don't get back home with them from the childminders til 5.15pm then I have to cook, we have to play, we have to eat, we have to watch cartoons and feed the cats and who knows what else. Then a few times a week they get a bath. All that takes a while so they go to bed later. Oldest is pretty good now and usually goes to bed somewhere between 8 and 9pm. Youngest is still bf to sleep and very hit and miss depending on if she's having a growth spurt or not, if she's having a sleepy phase or a wakeful phase and she generally goes to bed anywhere between 8.30 and 10.30pm. I wouldn't do anything different if I ff. Different strokes for different folks lol!

Good to know it's possible I've just never known a formula fed baby that wasn't in a routine for feeds-a certain amount of ounces after a certain number of hours. Wouldn't suit me at all to have to clock watch!