What’s In A Routine?

What’s the big deal with a routine anyway?  Check out these top 5 tips for getting your baby on a routine from Annerley’s oh-so-fabulous guru, Conchita!

Top 5 Tips:

1.  Establishing A Routine:  Your baby is never too young and they truly thrive on routines!  You can start establishing routines as soon as you bring them home from the hospital.  They give rhythm and predictability to a baby’s day, so they’re very reassuring.  For example, you can move into a bedtime ritual (feed, bath, book, sleep) for example at a very early age to give you and your baby natural cues toward developing a sleep related routine.

2.  Don’t Be Afraid To Let Baby Be Content:  Remember, your baby does not have to be asleep when you put them down in their bed.  Babies can be content and awake – no problem!

3.  Feeding:  Do put your baby down between feeds!  Try not to get baby falling asleep in your arms as this can establish longer term habits.

4.  The Routine:  Rhythms will develop over 6-8 weeks which will then become routines which you can then tweak and fit in with you.  Everyone is different!

5.  Traveling:  When you travel, put your baby on the destination schedule as soon as you board the plane.  This can help with jet lag (the general rule on how long it takes to get over jet lag is 1 hour per day).  For a destination that has a 12-hour time difference, this means 12 days to be fully back on track.