LOVE Marie's quote about "Nap Nazi"- that is me! dd is 9 months now and I still won't upset her routine more than once a week and most weeks she sticks to her routine each day. We went on holiday with my parents earlier this year and I drove them mad with my insistence that Sophie got her naps at the proper time.
Yes, it can be restricting and some weeks you feel you are going mad because of lack of adult conversation, especially in the early days but trust me it really pays off when they get older if they learn good sleep habits right from the start. I have always got outside at least once a day, even if I just went to the shop to buy a newspaper and had a conversation consisiting of "hi", "thanks" and "bye" at least I felt I was part of the real world. Can you do that where you are? If you are really in the middle of nowhere can you drive to the shops or a park where you can have a walk each day with the pram? I have always fit these outings around naps, when she was going through her 45 minute nap phase I would often walk for 45 mins so I got some fresh air & exercise and she napped in her buggy, and then since she started having longer awake times and 1.5 hr naps I always make sure she is in bed for her naps (I can't walk for 1.5 hrs- knackered!) and go out when she is awake. If I need some adult conversation I'll take my mobile and catch up with a friend whilst we are out walking (although don't tell my dh about my phone bill!)
Seriously, I know some days you feel like you are going mad but it does get easier and if you build good sleeping habits now you will be a much happier mummy in a couple of months!
hth
kathryn x
