As soon as you announced your pregnancy, you probably started receiving unsolicited advice left, right and center. Everybody has some pearl of wisdom they just need to impart, even if they’ve never met you before. Sadly, that doesn’t stop when the baby’s born, in fact, it multiplies. Everybody knows exactly how you should be raising your child, what you’re doing wrong and what your baby really needs. Except they don’t. Like, at all. Don’t worry, you are the world’s leading expert in your baby and nobody else knows better than you.
One of the things new moms are often told is that it’s vitally important that they get their baby into a routine. If the old ladies on the street are to be believed, this is the absolute gold star award in parenting. Your baby needs to be in a routine, now. But, like with all things parenting, there is no one size fits all approach to getting things right.
Do I need to get my baby into a routine?
You need to keep your baby safe, fed and loved. Other than that, there’s no need about it. There are so many different parenting styles and options out there, and your job is to pick the one that works best for your family. You don’t need to do one thing just because your sister did it. And you certainly don’t need to do something just because everybody else is doing it.
As the parent, you have plenty of choices to make about how you raise your child. But that’s just it, they’re choices. There is no right answer, there is only the style that works best for you. For some moms, routine is a sanity saver that allows them to feel a little more in control of the situation than they otherwise would. For other moms, routine may not be the answer.
The pros of a routine
Parents who use routine will be able to tell you all of the benefits. With scheduled nap times, meal times and bedtimes, you’ll have a little more control over how you spend your day. Some parents believe babies thrive in routines and that knowing what comes next can help them to deal with transition. If you manage to successfully establish a bedtime routine, you might be one of the few parents who gets to enjoy evenings in the near future.
The pros of on demand
If routine doesn’t sound like it’s for you, you may be more of a go with the flow mom. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Going with the flow allows you a flexibility that simply doesn’t exist within the constraints of a routine. On demand breastfeeding puts your baby in charge of how much and how often she eats, and many believe this is important for teaching your baby to understand when she is hungry and full. If you find the thought of a routine exhausting, then on demand might be better suited to you. This allows to take things a day at a time, to see what works as and when and, most importantly, to follow your baby’s lead.
Are you a fan of routines or are you more of a go with the flow mama?
Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.