Establishing routines together

Penelope is just over 6 months and it’s a godsend for us to finally have a little more routine in our lives. I won’t lie and tell you I live and breathe a strict routine, I don’t think Penelope would really allow that, and to be honest I am a touch lenient on myself if I am enjoying a walk or a coffee for longer than planned. Routines are great, but also some flexibility within this routine has been even better for us.

Ben and I love being active and staying fit, so having a little side attachment 24/7 was a slight constraint to this previous lifestyle. Over time we have set our own routines together so we can still enjoy the things we used to do. Some mornings Ben is up early and off riding, other mornings it’s my turn and I duck out for an hour at the crack of dawn before Ben is off to work. I have to say as Mum, it’s not as easy for us breast feeders! I am up 45 minutes ahead of even getting near the pool or gym purely to pump a bottle for Ben to give to Penelope at 7am when she wakes. It’s harder work no doubt, the alarm sounds particularly hideous these days! However both of us think the effort is worth everything. A little bit of time for you, is a brilliant way to feel on top of the world, temporarily at least!!!

We’ve really benefitted from implementing a little more schedule into sleep times too. At 6 months Penelope sleeps about 3 hours during the day; 45 in the morn, 2 hours over lunch and a quick 15 min ‘get me through to bath time and dinner without losing myself’ at 5pm. The best part about this is I find Penelope is ever so more predictable and has learnt to expect sleeps roughly these times, I can plan around these times with ease and enjoy catching up with friends, walks or merely doing the weekly shop. Every child is undoubtedly different, but for us we found 3 hours during the day also meant she slept better at night and went to bed genuinely ready for sleep without being completely overdone and over tired…any parents worst nightmare!

I couldn’t wait to begin food with Penelope at 4 months, and neither could she! We are grateful to have a kid that loves her food and is adventurous in trying new things. But with food came a whole lot of new routines and of course triple the amount of organisation! The blender just about shut up shop after the first month of pulverising everything!!! I gave up being super mum and cooking different things each day, now I do a shop for 3 different meals, make triple of everything, pop them in freezer containers and get them out as we need. It’s heaven knowing the dinner is there ready, when you have an irritable and tired little person at 5pm after an afternoon out and about.

Posted in: Baby 17-20 weeks