Coming up with modified EASY routine for 7.5 month old

[Lucysfirstbaby]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping somebody here will be able to give an advice. I have a breastfed 7.5 month old (he was 5 weeks premature) who has never been on a routine as I was feeding him on demand and unfortunately he got used to falling asleep breastfeeding or being walked around on daddy. I've gotten the BW book a while ago and only just managed to read the relevant parts. I've observed my baby's routine for two days (it was all over the place) and then did two days of the outlined 4-hour routine. So far it worked fairly allright in a way that he slept longer naps (2x 45 mins and 30 mins catnap according to the schedule) whereas usually he doesn't go over 30 mins. I spent the rest of the S time trying to get him to sleep some more using the PU/PD but he was having none of it! Another positive was that he slept better at night - 2x 4 hours but then he wakes up and cries and doesn't stop until I breastfeed him. I suspect he really is hungry, not just wanting comfort. He used to wake up every 1-2 hrs. Since starting the routine 2 days ago he is sort of ok with self-settling and it doesn't take him very long, sometimes even without crying but can't get him back to sleep after he fully wakes up.

My problem is - he seems to be able follow the 4-hour routine in the book relatively closely, but I'm now doubting whether we need to modify it now in the beginning so that he doesn't get confused later. Both naps (9AM and 1PM) directly overlap with baby groups and a baby course we'll be starting in 3 days so it will completely throw off the routine sooner or later. I was thinking if it's possible to still have a good routine and work around the scheduled outings or if it's impossible. I've been racking my brain how to structure it.

I need to work in 9.30-11.30am outing  on wednesdays and 1.15-2.45pm twice a week so that he has naps before or after plus the cat nap later. We can get up at 7am or 8am, he'd be quite happy to sleep till 8.

Does anybody have any ideas? Thank you

[creations]

It's hard to know the ideal A time for your LO as all Los are individuals and also because yor LO was a bit early so might be more like a 6 month old.  I would guess around 3hrs A time, would you agree?

If so then possibly:
WU 6am
E
A 2hr if he will accept a nap on a shorter A time
S 8 - 9 short nap (1hr)
A 9.00 - 11.30 (2hr 30), your outing
S 11.30 nap on way home or when you get home 1.5
A 1pm - 4pm, your activity/outing
S 4 - 5pm 1hr
A 5-7.30 (2hr 30)
BT  7.30pm

It's just an idea. LO might accept the shorter A time based on the naps being shorter. It's a bit of an experiment really to see what works for you.  there were lots of baby groups I didn't go to because they didn't fit with my DS's routine well enough, some I went to late or left early to fit roughly with his routine so he didn't go too far off track or he got over tired and grouchy.
I used to only go to afternoon play groups in the first year until mine dropped to one nap when I changed to morning play groups and made sure we were home to the nap time.

hope that helps some

[Lucysfirstbaby]

Thank you very much, that looks like it might work better for us, that gives me a better idea of a schedule.

Yeah the 3hr routine might work a bit better, he gets hungry faster because he's been used to bf every 2hrs. I'm introducing solids now so he gets a bit of solids 3x a day but doesn't eat large amounts just yet.

We've been going to the groups till now because that's basically the only time I get out of the house to socialise so I really don't want to lose those and unfortunately there are no others in the area at different times

I'll try and modify the routine to roughly what you said and I'll see if my lo will be happy. Thank you again for your advice!

[creations]

You're welcome

Don't forget that the routines in the book are only guidance and all LOs will respond differently, and all families are different.  Whilst the routine for a 6 month old is usually  down to 2 long naps I know that some LOs can manage one longer and two shorter and just stay with 3 naps a while longer.  Mine did this to fit around some set things I couldn't change and it worked out okay, not perfect but reasonable.
Getting out is good for you both