The daily routine is the system to which the body’s biological rhythms adapt. If the daily routine is set up correctly, the child’s body quickly gets used to it and adapts well to changing environmental conditions. Sufficient and correctly distributed sleep during the day, timely nutrition, active wakefulness are the main conditions for good mental and physical development baby.
The daily routine of a newborn consists of alternating in time basic physiological needs: nutrition, sleep, wakefulness, walks, hygiene and hardening procedures.
In the first weeks, a newborn child has just begun to adapt to new living conditions, his biological rhythms are not formed, his nervous system is imperfect, sleep and wakefulness occur randomly.
Mom's task at this stage– organize the baby’s routine in such a way that he sleeps before feeding and stays awake after it.
Newborn's daily routine: feeding
It is clear that the basis of a newborn baby’s daily routine is feeding. Currently, specialists in breastfeeding and pediatricians are confident that the baby should be fed as many times as he needs. This is the so-called free feeding, or feeding on demand. Free breastfeeding promotes the establishment of lactation and close psycho-emotional contact between mother and child, which is important for the proper neuropsychic development of the baby. The baby is put to the breast as often as he requires and allowed to suckle for as long as he wishes. A healthy newborn baby can be put to the breast 10–12 times a day or more, including at night. By the end of the first month, almost all infants begin to withstand a 2-3 hour break between feedings.
A completely different approach will be if the baby has been eating since birth.
In such cases, it is important to follow the feeding schedule. This is due to the fact that formula milk differs in composition from breast milk and it takes longer to digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It should take 3–3.5 hours for the food to be digested. It is recommended to feed 6–7 times a day with a break of 3–3.5 hours and a night break of 6 hours. The first feeding occurs at approximately 6 o'clock in the morning, and the last - at 24 hours.
Newborn's daily routine: sleep
Another of the main regime moments is sleep. As a rule, newborn babies, if they are well-fed, healthy and nothing bothers them, sleep from feeding to feeding. Prolonged sleep is very important for the development of a child: it contributes to the maturation of the brain and proper development his nervous system. However, some babies sleep little from birth. Apparently, this is how their body works and this is their norm, which means there is no need to do anything to make them sleep more.
A child in the first month of life usually sleeps 18–20 hours. after each feeding is approximately 1.5 hours. Before putting your child to bed, you need to create conditions so that he feels comfortable while sleeping. To do this, before each bedtime, approximately 15–20 minutes after feeding, you need to wash the baby and change his diaper. Before going to bed, you need to ventilate the room where the baby will sleep.
During the day, many are outdoors. If it is not possible to go for a walk with your child, you can use a glass balcony or an open window in the room for daytime naps.
To wake up or not to wake up?
If it’s time for the next feeding and the baby is still sleeping, there is no need to wake him up. There is nothing wrong with him eating later. But very long sleep, lethargy of the child, lack of formation of intervals of wakefulness - all these signs should alert parents. These problems are a reason to contact a pediatrician or neurologist.
Baby mode: awake
The periods of wakefulness after each feeding at the beginning of the month are 15–20 minutes, after the first month they can reach 1 hour. These short periods can be used for the development of the baby.
Before feeding, it is useful to place the baby on his stomach: this is a good workout for the back and neck muscles. If after waking up the baby requires food immediately, then after feeding you can put the baby on your stomach, but not earlier than 30 minutes later.
From 2–3 weeks of age, every mother can give her baby a light massage, the main techniques of which are stroking the arms, legs, belly and back.
Massage is carried out 25–30 minutes before feeding or no earlier than 40 minutes after it (to avoid regurgitation after feeding). A complex of massages, and later physical exercise A local pediatrician or visiting nurse will help you select and show them.
Baby's daily routine: walks
It is advisable to take a walk with your newborn baby at least 2 times a day. You can walk with your child in the warm season in the first days after discharge from the hospital. At sub-zero air temperatures (but not lower than –5 °C), you can walk with your child on the 10th–12th day of life, and from –5 to –10 °C – from the second half of the first month. The duration of the first walk is 15–20 minutes in summer and 5–7 minutes in winter. This time must be increased gradually, adding 5–10 minutes every day, so that within a week the duration of the walk can be increased to 1 hour. After this, in winter the duration of the walk can be increased to 1.5–2 hours at a temperature not lower than –15°C, and in summer the time spent outside is not limited.
During the day, after each feeding (weather permitting), the baby can be taken to the balcony to sleep. It is better if the balcony is glazed. Something from the upper floors (cigarette butt, dust, dirt) may fall onto an open balcony or loggia, or a bird may fly in. Also, a glazed balcony will protect the baby in bad weather from strong wind and rain.
Newborn's daily routine: hygiene procedures
The hygienic regime of a newborn child includes: daily morning toilet, washing and changing diapers, hardening procedures.
Morning routines
Every morning, as a rule, before the first or second (at 6:00 or 9:00) the child’s morning toilet is performed. You can create your own schedule for these daily procedures - the main thing is that the basic rules of caring for a newborn are followed and that mother and baby are comfortable. Morning washing and bathing the child are needed not only to keep the body clean, it is also the simplest hardening procedure. If done regularly, they greatly increase the body's resistance to infections. Every day in the morning the baby needs to be washed, washed, eyes washed, nose and ears cleaned.
Washing a newborn and changing a diaper
It is necessary to wash the baby and change the diaper after each bowel movement (with breastfeeding, there may be stool after each feeding), if there is no stool, at least once every 2-3 hours. Usually they change the diaper before each bedtime, before and after bedtime, before going for a walk. After sleep, the baby is usually put to the breast. If you do not change the diaper, the baby will experience discomfort and may not breastfeed well (interrupt and cry). Staying in a dirty diaper for a long time can also cause diaper rash and diaper rash.
Bathing
Bathing a child better evening before the penultimate feeding, about 20-21 hours, but parents themselves can choose any other time convenient for them. Often evening baths calm the child and improve night sleep. Small children do not like to swim on an empty or, conversely, too full stomach. In the first case, the baby will scream from hunger, in the second, he will experience unpleasant sensations of water pressure on a full tummy. The optimal time for bathing is between feedings, but not earlier than 30-40 minutes after eating.
It is advisable to bathe your child daily. The duration of bathing in the first 2 weeks of life should be no more than 7–10 minutes, as the baby must get used to the water. After this, you can bathe the child longer - up to 20-30 minutes, if at the same time he feels comfortable, does not cry or is capricious. When the baby is already accustomed to water and the bathing procedure (after the 3rd week of life), you can start bathing him in a large bathtub and teach him to swim, if not medical contraindications(increased intracranial pressure or neuro-reflex excitability). Is it possible to start swimming with your baby and how to do it correctly, a pediatrician will tell you.
After bathing, the umbilical wound must be treated until it is completely healed. This usually occurs between the 10th and 17th days of life.
Hardening Hardening procedures in the first month of a child’s life include air baths. You can do them several times a day when changing diapers or changing clothes. First, local air baths are carried out (the baby lies with his arms and legs open), and later - general ones (when the baby is completely naked). The duration of the first air baths is a few seconds, followed by up to 2–5 minutes. The air temperature in the room should not be lower than 22°C.
Disorders of the daily routine in infants
What to do if, despite all the parents’ efforts to formulate a daily routine for the baby, nothing works: the baby asks for the breast every half hour, sleeps during the day and is awake at night, screams during walks, etc.? In this case, there is no need to panic - just try to figure out what is the reason for the baby’s anxiety.
In order for the child to be actively awake and then sleep, he must be full. Irregularities in the feeding regime may be associated with a violation of feeding technique (incorrect grip of the nipple, uncomfortable feeding position for the child). In these cases, the baby does not receive enough milk for him and therefore he is restless and asks for the breast more often. A mother can learn how to properly attach a baby to the breast in the maternity hospital, as well as with the help of a local pediatrician or nurse home visits newborn baby at home.
It happens that the baby is correctly applied to the breast and he begins to suck well, but suddenly in the middle of feeding he starts screaming and “throws” the breast. This may be due to swallowing large amounts of air during feeding. Heaviness and a feeling of fullness in the abdomen bother the baby, so he becomes capricious and irritable. To help the baby, hold him upright for 5-7 minutes to remove excess air from the stomach, then offer the breast again.
For a baby, good sleep is no less important than food. After sleep, the child should wake up rested, happy, eat well and be actively awake. Sleep disturbances such as difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings and short sleep can occur when the baby’s temperature is abnormal (the baby is cold or, conversely, hot), intestinal colic, as well as be symptoms of neurological diseases (increased intracranial pressure, perinatal encephalopathy, etc.).
There is another problem that parents may encounter: the child sleeps all day and is awake at night. This is due to the underdeveloped function of the pineal gland (the part of the brain that is responsible for the correct establishment of biorhythms). In this case, you need to be patient and gradually teach the child to distinguish between daytime and nighttime. During the day you can be active with your baby: talk, play, play soft music, do gymnastics and massage. All this is done in daylight of the room. At night, before the child goes to bed, there is no need to play any games with him; there should be a calm environment in the house, dimmed light. As a rule, by 1.5 months, children stop confusing day with night.
Do not hesitate to tell your pediatrician and neurologist about all the problems associated with your baby (during the mandatory examination at the children's clinic at 1 month), and they will help you choose the most suitable and correct daily routine for your baby.
In native mode
Until recently, all mothers were recommended to establish a strict routine, scheduled minute by minute, and force the child to follow it. Now most pediatricians and psychologists believe that it is necessary to adhere to a free daily routine. The child himself establishes the optimal routine for himself, based on his needs.
In order to form a newborn’s routine, you just need to follow his desires. The child himself knows when he wants to eat or sleep. In the first weeks of a baby's life, parents will have to spend a lot of time trying to understand what exactly the baby needs right now. If you are sensitive to your baby's needs, you will soon notice that he has his own routine, perhaps not the same as other children.
The birth of a child changes the usual way of life of its parents. So that it does not consist of endless care for the baby, it is necessary to organize the newborn’s daily routine as soon as possible. It consists of feeding, bathing and going to bed at a certain time.
Sample daily routine for a newborn
Each child is individual, but according to average standards, you can create the following approximate daily routine for a newborn:
- 5-6 am - first feeding. If the baby is fed formula milk, by this time he wakes up his mother with a loud cry. When breastfeeding, you can feed your baby without even fully waking up. If your baby has a dry diaper after eating, you can continue to sleep.
- 9 o'clock in the morning - second feeding and awakening. After eating, it is necessary to change the child’s diaper and carry out hygiene procedures.
- 10-11 am - first walk.
- 12 noon - third feeding. Before it, you can give your baby a massage and gymnastics. After eating, the child falls asleep.
- 15:00 - fourth feeding, after which you can go for a second walk.
- 18:00 is the fifth feeding, before which the baby can be bought. After eating and water procedures, sleep should be sound.
- 22:00 - sixth feeding and bedtime.
Such a daily routine for a newborn is possible only in theory, but in practice it is difficult to strictly adhere to it minute by minute. Therefore, the regimen is planned individually, depending on the natural rhythm of the baby’s life, with your own adjustments being made.
Some children already sleep almost all night from birth and the mother has to wake up the baby to feed. But most often the baby wakes up on its own 2-3 times for night feedings. They are very important because they help support lactation.
In many ways, the daily routine of a newborn depends on the presence of reasons for his concern. So, with severe colic, a baby may cry loudly for several hours without sleep. In this case, it is almost impossible to adjust the daily routine of a newborn. Mom will have to be patient and just wait out this difficult period.
To establish day mode day of the newborn, it is important to meet all the needs of the baby. So, a fed baby sleeps soundly, and if he cannot fall asleep, then something is bothering him. Many mothers complain that the newborn sleeps little and asks for the breast very often. The reason for this behavior may be not only a lack of milk, but also any discomfort, as the baby tries to get rid of it by sucking.
Before feeding your baby again, you need to check if his diaper is empty and if his clothes are getting in the way somewhere. He often calms down after changing clothes. If you can’t regulate your newborn’s daily routine, and he very often asks for the breast, you need to consult a pediatrician.
Why does a newborn need a daily routine?
Of course, you cannot ignore the baby’s wishes. He is still getting used to the world around him and it is unacceptable to deprive him of sleep or food when the baby needs it. But even without a regimen, caring for a baby becomes much more complicated, so a compromise must be found.
In the first month of life, the baby mainly only eats and sleeps. In between these actions, the mother should take care of his walks in the fresh air and hygiene procedures. When the baby knows what awaits him, it is easier for him to prepare for these actions and he quickly gets used to the daily rhythm.
The established daily routine of a newborn makes the life of parents easier. Thanks to him, mom will know when she has hours to rest.
How to establish a daily routine for a newborn baby?
Parents must understand that such an important process as a newborn’s daily routine takes some time to develop. It is impossible to describe the life of a baby minute by minute, since all children are individual. There are babies who ask to eat no earlier than after 4 hours, and others - after 2 hours. It’s the same with periods of sleep - some children sleep for a long time, others sleep less and wake up early in the morning.
Therefore, in order to create an individual daily routine for a newborn, you need to take the baby’s routine and adjust it. Over the course of a week, certain actions shift by 10-15 minutes in the required direction. After this, the result is consolidated.
In this way, a daily rhythm of life is established, which consists of the daily repetition of a certain sequence of actions, the timing of which is regulated by the desires and needs of the baby, as well as his mother. It doesn’t matter if the baby falls asleep a little earlier or later, the main thing is to maintain the rhythm.
To assess the existing daily routine of a newborn and make adjustments to it, you can record how the baby’s day goes: what time does he wake up, eat, when there is time for a walk, etc. It is very important to understand the approximate daily routine of a newborn.
Newborn feeding regimen
In the first month of life, the baby sleeps most of the day. In between naps, he eats, so sleep patterns directly depend on how much and when the child eats. More recently, pediatricians recommended breastfeeding according to a schedule - every 3 hours.
Today there is no systematic feeding regimen; the baby must be given food on demand. That is, the baby eats when he wants it. With this regimen, the child eats approximately 6-8 times during the day and 2 times at night. The amount of breast milk a newborn eats also depends on his need. For the first month of life, the serving size varies from 50 to 90 ml, a total of about 800 ml per day.
The baby asks to breastfeed every 1.5-3 hours. You should not leave a baby without breast milk for more than 3 hours: this will negatively affect the amount of milk produced, as well as the baby’s weight gain in the first month of life.
Children who are on artificial feeding, are asked to eat less often than their breastfeeding peers. This is due to the fact that the milk mixture is more nutritious and rich, which is why it takes longer to digest. Typically, her babies eat about every 3 hours.
Feeding on demand helps to establish lactation in the first month of a child’s life. Long periods of eating at night can reduce milk production.
Feeding a newborn lasts from 15 minutes to 1.5 hours. The process cannot be interrupted; the child must refuse the bottle or breast himself.
The most common mistake is overfeeding the baby, which contributes to the development of colic, regurgitation and constipation. Over time, the mother begins to understand when the baby wants to eat and when it requires attention.
A bottle-fed baby can be given water instead of food, which he often demands. When feeding with breast milk, there is no need to supplement the baby until he is 6 months old.
Newborn sleep pattern
During the first two weeks of life, the child sleeps up to 20 hours a day, with no more than 3-4 hours at a time. Of the remaining waking hours, the baby eats half of the time. From the third week, the total daily sleep time is reduced to a maximum of 17 hours. The baby should sleep on a good, hard mattress without a pillow.
In the room where the baby sleeps, you need to maintain hygiene: ventilate it often, wash the floors, regulate the temperature. Optimal indoor humidity is 50-70%, temperature is 18-22 degrees.
The baby's sleep completely depends on the feeding schedule: in the first month of life there is practically no active wakefulness. Only by the end of 4 weeks does the child begin to examine the objects around him and listen to sounds, especially the mother’s voice.
Adjusting the baby's sleep and wake time will help the mother rest more and recover after childbirth.
It is important that short periods of wakefulness, which will gradually increase, occur during the daytime. If a child starts to be active at night and sleeps during the day, then this regime is very difficult to change.
Babies can become overstimulated very quickly, so it is important to monitor your child's behavior. The degree of overexcitation depends on the baby’s temperament and this phenomenon is expressed through screaming. So, if a baby screams for 30 minutes of motion sickness and cannot fall asleep, most likely he is overexcited. Colic can also manifest itself in this way. You need to stop rocking him and put him in his crib, dimming the lights. The baby will calm down on his own after a while. This technique will not work for colic.
Newborn bathing routine
You can bathe your newborn immediately after arriving from the hospital. Until the navel heals, this must be done in a baby bath filled with boiled water with the addition of herbal infusions (chamomile, string, celandine). The water temperature should be equal to body temperature - 36-37 degrees. The first bath lasts about 5 minutes; the new bath must be rinsed with boiling water. After completing the water procedures, the navel is treated.
From 3-4 weeks of a baby’s life, you can start bathing him in a large bath using a special circle. By this time, the duration of bathing increases to 15-20 minutes. It is best to carry out water procedures before the last feeding, so that the baby then goes to bed.
If possible, you can bathe your child every day, as small children love this process very much. Also, thanks to water procedures, normal heat exchange is established, cleansing skin, the baby calms down and relaxes.
During water procedures, you need to carefully clean the baby’s ears and nose of dirt, and after bathing, lubricate areas on the body prone to diaper rash with baby cream, oil or powder. If you bathe your child daily in evening time, this will be a signal to him that he will soon fall asleep.
Walking with a newborn
A newborn's daily routine must include walks, even if the baby is sleeping. Walking in the fresh air improves the baby's health and improves his appetite. The first trips outside should last no more than 15 minutes, gradually increasing to 2 hours at normal air temperatures. You should not walk for a long time with your newborn when the air temperature is above 30 degrees in the summer and below 3 degrees in the winter.
If a child was born in the summer, you can walk with him from the 6th day of life. For winter babies, the first walk is recommended no earlier than 14 days after birth.
Babies love to sleep in the fresh air. The main thing is to dress your baby according to the weather so that he is not too hot or, conversely, too cold. It is optimal to go for a walk with your child twice a day.
- fresh air is very beneficial for a child;
- respiratory functions improve;
- outside the baby is fast asleep;
- appetite and metabolism improves;
- Under the influence of summer sun rays, vitamin D is produced, which is a preventive measure against the development of rickets.
If it is raining outside or there is simply no opportunity for a walk, the baby can be left to sleep in a cradle on the balcony. In this case, you should open the window and take care of the baby’s safety.
Love for your baby begins differently for every woman: some dote on their child long before its birth, while others need to see their reflection in the baby’s eyes. There is always love, but with mutual understanding everything is a little more complicated.
One fine and bright day you acquired a high status associated with responsibility, constant worries and no less regular joys - you became a mother. Worries about pregnancy and childbirth are a thing of the past, the discharge and introduction of the baby to the closest relatives has flown by in a flash, and the day has come when you are left alone with the child. It is on this day that young mothers come to the realization that they have no idea how to continue to live, how to weave together their dreams, desires and hopes with the needs of their child.
Mommy, let's get used to each other.
I want to assure you that this process will not require as much effort from you as your imagination imagines, but without diligence, attention to the baby and sensitivity, you will not be able to do your family life harmonious. So where should you start? Start simple - watch your baby.
Step one - observation and analysis of what you see
Most newborns sleep a lot, eat a lot, and go to the toilet frequently in the first month of their life. Wakefulness takes a very short period of time - only 3 - 4 hours a day. Why does this happen?
The fact is that a born baby is not ready for a full perception and analysis of the world around him - his nervous system and sensory organs are still immature and do not function at full capacity. The most developed are the senses of smell, taste and hearing. The baby hears sounds from outside while still in the womb. What does he hear most often? That's right - your mother's voice is your voice, so talk to your child more often, even when he is sleeping. This technique not only stimulates the development of the parts of the brain responsible for hearing, but will also help you in the future soothe your baby with a lullaby or a quiet whisper.
Dear mothers, your baby picks up all your mood swings. Worry and nervousness are strictly prohibited!
Smell... People do not fully use the capabilities of their organ of smell, but a newborn does not know about this. The smell of mother and breast milk Small child feels good even at a distance of several meters.
During the first month of your baby’s life, try not to leave him for long periods of time and avoid using personal hygiene products with strong odors.
By inhaling the mother's aroma, the baby will feel safe, which means he will be less likely to worry.
The child learns to distinguish taste sensations while still being one with his mother. But the most intense and pleasant treat for him will forever remain breast milk. It is feeding that calms the little capricious one better than any motion sickness.
Hee! This is my antidepressant.
Step two - draw the first conclusions
So that your life together with your child flows like a calm river, and does not look like a stormy and unknown mountain stream, organize the correct daily routine in the first month of life.
1 month is the most important in forming the correct daily rhythm. The word “correct” does not mean at all what you think. Correct does not mean generally accepted. The correct one is a regime, the observance of which will bring comfort and relative peace to your enlarged family.
Down with the relics of the past. The child's regimen must be individual.
Stress in a mother can lead to health problems in the newborn.
The fact is that During the first month, the baby must be fed at least 10-12 times a day. Yes, this is common, but it will not always be so. Most often, the child himself begins to ask for the breast approximately every 2 - 2.5 hours, so there is no need to take any serious measures to accustom him to a certain routine. If the baby requires the breast more often, think about it - what’s wrong with the feeding process? Perhaps the baby is malnourished? Here are the main reasons for frequent breastfeeding:
- The baby does not latch onto the breast correctly, resulting in ineffective sucking.
- The baby, having “eaten” the foremilk, becomes lazy and does not want to make efforts to “extract” the hindmilk, which is more nutritious.
- Insufficient milk supply from mother.
- Stressful state.
- The onset of any disease.
The first three problems can be easily resolved by consulting a breastfeeding specialist. He will teach you how to properly attach to the breast, tell you how to teach your baby to eat properly, and advise what to do to enhance lactation.
To protect your child from stress, in the first few months, try to set a clear schedule for visits to your home by friends and relatives, watch movies and listen to music in a quieter mode, walk in parks and squares - away from noisy highways.
If the above techniques do not work, consult your doctor. Perhaps only he will be able to see what is hidden from your eyes.
A mother's job is the most difficult and most necessary in the world.
There is another controversial issue - night feedings. Dear mothers, I ask you to feed your babies at least 2 times at night. It is optimal that both of these feedings fall between 00.00 at night and 4.00. It is at this time that your body programs the volume of milk that will be “issued” to your baby during the day. There are no night feedings - get ready for the baby's hungry sobs.
A 2-month-old baby feeds less frequently - every 3 hours, but night feedings remain the same amount.
- a common phenomenon. If your child has received a disappointing diagnosis, you should start treatment immediately! In the early stages, the problem is easily solvable and does not require drastic measures.
He will tell you what parameters to pay attention to when choosing a pillow for a baby.
Step three - sleep and wakefulness
A healthy and well-fed baby sleeps about 20 hours a day in the first month of life. This feature of children not only helps them not to be overloaded with a huge amount of new information, but also allows the young mother to get used to her role and relax after childbirth.
Often the baby falls asleep at the end of feeding. If you see that the baby is full (in terms of the intensity of sucking and the duration of the act of feeding), put him in the crib and go about your business.
Don’t try to have time to do all the household chores while the baby is sleeping; it’s better to rest or sleep yourself. After all, night feedings disrupt your sleep rhythm, and daytime rest will make it easier to tolerate such a disruption to your routine.
To make your child's sleep stronger and more beneficial, walk outdoors more often. In summer, it is best to take walks in the morning and evening - at this time it is not so noisy and hot outside. In winter, also walk daily, but reduce the duration of walks to 20-30 minutes. And if you have a balcony that is not combined with the main rooms, dress your baby according to the weather and take him there. Open the window and place the stroller nearby, but so that rain, snow or wind does not hit the baby. Sleeping on a balcony with an open window is no worse than sleeping on a walk, and mom will have some free time.
Daily walks will benefit not only the baby, but will also help the mother stay in shape.
The baby is awake during the period of time when his bottom is washed, bathed and fed. These periods of time are very small and do not require any special organization, especially in the first month of your baby’s life. In the second month, babies stay awake for 10-15 minutes longer, this is where rattles, a mobile over the crib, and a “magpie-crow” come in handy.
For every mom, these pure pink buns are the tastiest!
A newborn still does not know such a concept as “night”. But mom and dad also need rest! And here another question arises: how to teach your baby to sleep longer at night and ask for the breast less often? In the evening, such a fun and important event as swimming awaits you. And here are a few tricks to remember:
- Do not feed your baby before bathing. If the baby is full, he will want to take a nap in the bathroom, and at night he will disturb you. So We bathe on an empty stomach - an hour after the last feeding.
- Before bathing, let your baby enjoy the air baths for 10 minutes. At this time, you can give him a light massage.
- Bathing water should not be hot. Normal temperature water in the bathroom – 37-39 0 C. At the end of bathing, pour water over the child, the temperature of which is not higher than 35-36 0 C.
- Dry your newborn well and carefully, put him in clean sleep clothes and start feeding.
Warm water, a storm of emotions and a soft towel will do the trick.
This sequence of actions will tire the child well and make his sleep sounder. If you adhere to the algorithm described above, after a few weeks the baby’s body will begin to tune in to sleep already at the stage of air baths and massage.
- this is the key to successful intellectual development your children. Such games develop musical and creative abilities, nourish the emotional sphere, and relieve kids from boredom.
Step four - forming a regime
By taking a closer look at your baby and following these recommendations, you will be able to organize the regime day not only for the baby, but also for myself and my husband. Here's what it will roughly look like:
Simple and tasteful.
8.00 - Wake up and first feeding.
8.20-8.30 - Diaper change and baby's sleep. Mom has time for herself and household chores, or she can go for her first walk
10.30-11.00 - Second feeding, diaper change.
11.00-13.00 - Walk outside or sleep on the balcony (if it’s very cold).
13.00-13.30 - return home.
13.30-13.50 - Third feeding, diaper change.
14.00-16.30 - The baby sleeps at home or on the balcony. Mom also rests or goes about her business.
16.30-17.00 - Fourth feeding, diaper change.
17.00-19.00 – Sleep on the balcony or take a second walk outside.
After a delicious lunch, you need to sleep.
19.00-19.30 - Return home.
19.30-20.00 - Fifth feeding and diaper change.
20.00-21.00 - The child sleeps on the balcony or at home. Parents prepare everything necessary for bathing the baby.
21.00-22.00 - Air baths, massage, bathing, dousing. You rub the child well, dry him thoroughly, examine him for diaper rash, and dress him.
22.10-22.30 - Sixth feeding.
22.30-0.30 - Baby's first night's sleep, mom goes about her business or rests.
0.30-1.00 - Seventh feeding (first night feeding), diaper change as needed.
1.00-4.00 - both mother and baby sleep.
4.00-4.20 – Eighth feeding (second night feeding) and diaper change (as needed).
4.30-8.00 - Sleep.
It's great when nothing gets in the way.
This regimen was based on a break between feedings of 2.5 hours. This diagram is not mandatory, but it tells the mother how to properly organize her day and her child.
Some will say that there is little time left for everyday affairs, but do not forget that now the woman’s role as a mother, and not a housewife, comes first. The older the baby gets, the more time and attention he will require. So the first or second months of his life were given to his mother so that she could enter a new rhythm and learn to combine previously incompatible things.
The health and comfort of the child depend, among other things, on the daily routine. Routine is important for children of any age, but special meaning it occurs in babies in the first months of life. Let's talk about how to create the right daily routine for children, what is important to consider and what problems may arise.
Is a daily routine really necessary?
A properly designed daily routine is useful not only for the child in the first months, but also for his parents. However, when developing it, it is important to take into account the natural regime. This is the only way to avoid causing harm to the baby’s nervous system, to develop useful skills in him, to strengthen his immunity, and to help him adapt to society. A child who lives according to a certain routine becomes calmer and more disciplined. This happens because he knows the time at which mom and dad will give him food, play with him and put him to bed. Based on the baby's routine, parents have the opportunity to think through their day in advance. However, remember that if there is a serious violation of the established daily routine, for example, when the baby is fed or put to bed outside of school hours, he becomes irritable and capricious. Below we will present several fundamental principles, the observance of which will help parents structure their day correctly.
- on an individual approach. When developing a regimen, you should take into account the individual characteristics and habits of the child. Parents must understand that the routine depends on the rhythm of the physiological processes of the body. If they want their baby to grow healthy and develop well, then when developing a daily routine it is important to take into account biological rhythms;
- reasonable compromise. It is important that the daily routine is convenient for all family members and corresponds to the natural needs of the child and the interests of each parent. It is worth remembering that the regime is not the law;
- sequences. The actions of all family members must be consistent and coordinated. At the age of several months, the child does not know how to behave correctly. And he will not develop these skills for a long time. If parents constantly change their requirements and want something new from their child, then it will be difficult for him to master this skill. Therefore, all family members should be unanimous in their approaches;
- flexibility. Every day, even the most correct one, sometimes needs to be adjusted. The child develops and moves into a new stage of his life. His needs also change. Parents must constantly monitor his well-being, mood and make timely changes to his daily routine.
What daily routine is acceptable for a newborn?
The first months of life, a newborn only sleeps and eats. Sleep helps regulate your baby's rhythms. Remember that if your child has difficulty falling asleep, this cannot but affect his daily routine. Parents should teach their baby to go to bed at the same time. This skill can be developed in children older than 2 months. And starting from 3-4 months, parents can put the baby in the crib and leave the room. The child must learn to fall asleep on his own.Many young mothers often ask doctors about how to feed infant in the first months. Most pediatricians recommend putting the baby to the breast on demand, i.e. there should not be a clear feeding regimen before the age of one year. As the baby gets older and is introduced to complementary foods, the intervals between feedings become longer.
How to properly develop a daily routine for a newborn baby
Accustoming a baby under one year to a certain routine is not easy. It is important to take into account individual characteristics here. In the first months, the mother should watch him. This will help identify the daily routine that the child himself adheres to. If the parents, after monitoring him, were unable to clearly determine his routine, they need to think about what might be preventing the baby from eating and sleeping at approximately the same time. If it is difficult to do this on your own, you can seek help from a pediatrician. When creating the correct daily routine for a child up to one year old, you should use the following recommendations.- Develop the habit of going to bed at the same time every day. This is easy to do: put him to sleep in the fresh air. In the summer, a child can sleep on the balcony, in a stroller on the street or open window, and in cold weather - in a well-ventilated room. It is better to ventilate the room 10 minutes before the child goes to bed. It takes 3-4 minutes to rock the baby. To help him fall asleep, you can sing him a lullaby.
- Take more walks in the fresh air. With a child older than 8–10 months, it is recommended to walk not only when he is sleeping, but also when he is awake.
- Watch the light in the room. In the daytime it should be natural and bright. In the evening hours the room should be quiet, the lights should be dim. The child must distinguish between day and night. This way he will begin to understand when to be active and when to rest.
- Breastfeed your baby more often. This helps to develop the correct daily routine and strengthen nervous system. Remember: the longer you breastfeed your baby, the better for his health.
- Engage in active games with your baby. You can already visit a child under the age of one year, introduce him to the world around him, give him a massage, etc.
- Try to maintain a daily routine as a family. This will make it easier for your child to get used to his routine. To do this, all family members should go to bed at the same time, which should also be convenient for him. Remember that the established regime must be followed every day: the baby must eat, sleep, and communicate with you at the same time.
- They don’t let him sleep when he wants. Remember that a baby under 6 months should nap approximately every 2 hours during the day. Otherwise, he will quickly become overtired and begin to be capricious;
- do not take into account natural biorhythms. At first, a baby who is being taught a daily routine will not understand what they want from him. Many mothers at this stage give up and stop “tormenting” the child;
- Accustomed to a routine during travel and long journeys. At first, you should focus on introducing the baby to the daily routine, and only then perform other tasks with him.
Why is the daily routine often disrupted?
Remember that no matter how correctly the routine was drawn up, the child will adjust it to suit himself and, even if he seems to be completely accustomed to the routine, violations are still possible. This usually happens when the baby is sick or actively growing. It also happens that he confuses day and night, and it is very difficult to correct this. For what other reasons can the daily routine be disrupted?- If a child learns a new skill. This could be crawling, rolling over, walking, getting up, learning new words. It is during these periods that the baby needs to eat and sleep more. Sometimes he may wake up at night. This is fine.
- He refuses breastfeeding completely. This phenomenon is typical for babies aged about a year, even from 9 months.
- He's teething. At this time, sleep becomes restless.
- The child does not want to sleep much or moves little during periods of wakefulness.
- He lacks impressions during the daytime. To do this, he should be given new opportunities: the periods of interaction with the outside world can be increased.
- He suffered a long flight, a trip, and the time zone changed.
What to do if your child confuses day and night
This can happen to every baby under one year old, for example, because he did not sleep well during the day, did not get enough sleep, he is tormented by colic, or is disturbed by loud sounds from the street. What should a mother do in this situation?- Wake up your child earlier than expected during nap time.
- Disturb sleep at odd times, but do not overdo it.
- Create a favorable atmosphere in the room for sleep. To do this, you should ventilate the room more often, remove all unnecessary sounds, and perform the required ritual before going to bed.
Daily routine for a baby under 1 year old
Below is an approximate daily routine for a baby under 1 year old. It may not be suitable for all children. However, by adhering to its basics, parents can easily create a daily routine and make adjustments to it together with the pediatrician. You should not be upset if your baby changes the regime to suit himself or if you have to remove a few from it. important points. There is nothing wrong. The most important thing is to take the main points from the standard plan. If the regime has gone wrong and it was not your fault, then it is recommended to return to the previous rhythm of life as quickly as possible.The routine should include not only sleep, feeding, walking, but also time for games and communication. It is necessary to leave time for the baby to be alone with himself. Of course, the last requirement is very conditional, since children of this age should not be left alone, even for a short period of time.
Approximate daily routine for children under 1 month
- 07:00 – getting up, hygiene procedures, feeding.
- 07:00 – 09:00 – time of wakefulness.
- 09:00 – second feeding.
- 09:00 – 10:00 – time for daytime sleep.
- 10:00 – 11:00 – active wakefulness.
- 11:00 – feeding.
- 11:30 – 12:30 – time for the second morning nap. It usually goes away while walking.
- 13:00 – feeding.
- 13:00 – 14:00 – time for active wakefulness, mother can play with the baby.
- 14:00 – 15:00 – time for daytime sleep. At this time, mom or dad is walking with their baby on the street, he is sleeping in the stroller.
- 15:00 – feeding.
- 15:00 – 17:00 – time for wakefulness, games, communication.
- 17:00 – feeding.
- 17:00 – 18:00 – baby’s evening sleep.
- 18:00 – 19:00 – time for quiet wakefulness.
- 19:00 – feeding.
- 19:00 – 20:30 – time for communication.
- 20:30 – swimming.
Babies aged 2 to 3 months sleep less, and periods of daytime wakefulness become longer. At this time the first one may disappear nap. The baby also becomes more active and adheres to a new nightly sleep schedule - now it is 10-12 hours with breaks for feeding. Parents adjust their daily routine and adapt to the child. If the developed regimen is suitable for all family members, it can be followed until the baby reaches 3 months of age.
- 07:00 – carrying out hygiene procedures, feeding.
- 09:00 – feeding.
- 09:00 – 10:00 – massage and special gymnastics.
- 10:00 – 11:00 – time for fun and games with the child. They are usually carried out in the baby's crib.
- 11:00 – feeding.
- 11:30 – 12:30 – second sleep. Usually the baby sleeps in the stroller while walking outside.
- 13:00 – feeding.
- 13:00 – 14:00 – communication, gymnastics to develop skills.
- 14:00 – 15:00 – time for the baby’s nap. He usually sleeps in the stroller while walking outside.
- 15:00 – feeding.
- 15:00 – 17:00 – communication with mom and loved ones.
- 17:00 – time for feeding.
- 17:00 – 18:00 – evening sleep.
- 18:00 – 19:00 – mother reading fairy tales and poems. You can also listen to calm music with your child.
- 19:00 – feeding.
- 19:00 – 20:30 – games, active wakefulness.
- 20:30 – swimming.
- 21:00 – feeding, going to bed at night.
Doctors call such a child almost an adult. Parents must definitely adjust their daily routine. Initially, you need to reduce the number of feedings. The baby is now fed every 3-4 hours. It all depends on the baby's needs. Also, a baby older than 4 months does not need to sleep in the evening. Remember that evening sleep can provoke problems with nighttime sleep. Parents should come up with a ritual that will make it easier for their child to fall asleep. This could be a bath, a quiet game before bed, a lullaby, or just attention from parents.
- 07:00 – getting up, hygiene procedures and feeding.
- 07:30 – 09:00 – time to stay awake.
- 09:00 – feeding.
- 09:00 – 10:00 – massage and special gymnastics.
- 10:00 – 11:30 – entertainment, games in the crib.
- 11:30 – 12:30 – time for the baby’s morning sleep. Usually the child sleeps in a stroller outside.
- 13:00 – feeding.
- 13:00 – 14:00 – time for playing with educational toys.
- 14:00 – 15:00 – afternoon nap.
- 15:00 – 17:00 – communication with family.
- 17:00 – time for feeding.
- 17:00 – 19:00 – reading fairy tales, poems, listening to calm music with mom.
- 19:00 – 20:30 – games, if weather permits, outside.
- 20:30 – time for bathing the child.
- 21:00 – feeding, getting ready for bed.
At this time, periods of feeding and wakefulness change: the baby can sleep all night. Also at this age, the child is able to get up very early and stay awake almost all day. According to doctors, 16 hours of sleep a day is enough at this age. A sample schedule might look like this:
- 08:00 – 08:30 – getting up, hygiene procedures, feeding.
- 10:00 – morning sleep.
- 11:00 – 13:00 – feeding, walks outside, games.
- 13:00 – sleep.
- 14:00 – feeding and games.
- 17:00 – afternoon nap.
- 17:30 –1 8:30 – time for games with the child.
- 18:30 – swimming.
- 19:00 – 19:30 – feeding.
- 20:00 – preparation for night sleep.
During this period, many children begin to wake up at night. This is due to the large number of daytime experiences. At such moments, parents must calm their baby, and then he will fall asleep again. If parents put their baby to bed 30 minutes earlier than expected, they may be able to prevent night awakenings. By 6 months of age, babies should sleep 16 hours a day. Three daily naps can last from 1.5 to 2 hours. During teething, babies may also wake up during the night. A 6 month old baby's daily routine should be something like this:
- 07:00 – the baby gets up, the mother does hygiene procedures for him, feeds him.
- 08:30 – the child eats and gets ready for bed.
- 10:00 – wakes up and walks for about 90 minutes.
- 12:30 – mother feeds the baby, plays with him, gets him ready for bed.
- 15:00 – after waking up, the mother feeds the baby again and plays educational games with him.
- 20:15 – baby has dinner, bathes, gets ready for bed.
Between 7 and 9 months, babies should sleep 15 hours a day. Children of this age often wake up at night. At this time, parents should talk quietly with the child, and then he will fall asleep again. At this age, the following regimen is recommended for children:
- 07:00 – the child wakes up, the mother carries out hygiene procedures, feeds him.
- 07:30 – the whole family sits down at the table and has breakfast.
- 08:30 – morning sleep.
- 10:15 – mother feeds the baby and walks with him.
- 11:30 – all family members get ready for dinner.
- 12:45 – 14:30 – the child gets ready for bed, the mother feeds him, then a walk.
- 17:15 – preparation for dinner with the whole family.
- 18:00 – feeding.
- 18:30 – the child is bathed.
- 20:00 – preparation for night sleep. Mom should feed him at night around 02:30, 03:00, 04:30, 05:00.
At this time, the baby is very reluctant to let go of his mother. Doctors recommend organizing your baby's sleep so that he sees her when he gets up and falls asleep.
- 07:00 – the child gets up, the mother carries out hygiene procedures, feeds him, then a morning nap is possible.
- 09:30 – mother feeds the baby.
- 10:30 – the baby plays with his mother; if the weather is good, you can do this outdoors.
- 14:00 – afternoon feeding.
- 14:15 – the baby is prepared for his second nap.
- 16:30 – time for the child to be awake: he plays, communicates with his family.
- 18:00 – mother feeds the baby.
- 18:15 – again time to stay awake, play, communicate with family.
- 19:00 – the baby is bathed and prepared for bed.
- 19:30 – time for sleep.
- 22:00 – mother feeds the baby.
- Night sleep.
A baby aged 10 months to 1 year should sleep about 13 hours a day. He should also sleep 2 times at night, once in the morning.
- 07:00 – the child gets up, hygiene procedures are carried out, the mother feeds him.
- 08:00 – the whole family gets ready for breakfast and plays active games.
- 09:00 – 10:00 – feeding, getting ready for bed.
- 11:00 – feeding.
- 12:00 – the whole family gets ready for dinner, plays with the baby.
- 13:40 – the child rests after lunch, the mother feeds him, then games.
- 15:30 – mother feeds the baby and walks with him in the fresh air.
- 17:40 – all family members prepare for dinner.
- 19:00 – the baby gets ready for bed, communicates with other family members.
- 20:00 – the child is bathed and given a fermented milk drink.
- 21:00 - the baby is prepared for the night's sleep.
During this period, the baby already gets used to adhering to a certain daily routine. If violated, he becomes restless, cannot rest properly, and will be capricious. The routine for ages 11 months to one year looks something like this:
- 07:00 – the baby gets up, the mother carries out hygiene procedures, feeds him.
- 08:30 – the family prepares for breakfast, plays and reads fairy tales with the baby.
- 10:00 – the child gets ready for bed and rests.
- 11:30 – Mom feeds him, plays and walks with him.
- 12:30 – lunch, games, reading books.
- 14:00 – the child prepares for an afternoon nap.
- 15:00 – the baby wakes up, after feeding, the mother plays with him.
- 17:30 – dinner, games, communication with family.
- 18:30 – the baby rests and bathes.
- 21:00 – preparation for night sleep.
We are now 3 months old. No exact regime was ever established. At night, however, almost from birth, my daughter wakes up at 3 and 6 (not exactly, of course, approximately), to go to the toilet, eat and then sleep. We usually go to bed at 22-24. Now the time has begun to change a little, sometimes 4.00 and 8.00, and a week ago, for two days in a row, I slept all night until 7 am. And it’s so funny, she doesn’t even wake up completely at night, she’s half asleep, changing sliders, mother’s chest and continues to dream. But this is at night. And during the day... During the day, anything could happen. In the first month I used to hang on my chest for hours. She eats one, squeezes it all dry, so that mom starts squealing in pain and switches to another. While the other one is eating, something is getting into the first one. She will eat the other one dry again and again torment the first one. And so on up to 6 switchings. But of course this is not every day. I wrote it down somewhere, but from memory it seems like the 8th day of life, the 15th, then like another two weeks later there was a couple. It feels like these days the baby is moving to some new stage. I didn't interfere, I helped. And the next day, after such hanging on the breast, there was already enough milk, apparently my body understood that the baby was not enough, and began to produce more. My mother lamented: (I spent the first two weeks after the maternity hospital with her) the child does not have enough food! Your milk is empty! You don’t eat anything, you only drink tea, the milk is not full-fat! Let me mix up the mixture and finish feeding it! I stubbornly said that I had enough of everything and continued to drink hot water, stimulating the flow, and feed her. As a result, we are exclusively on GW. In the first month we scored 1,100 and in the second 1,200. For the third 800. Now we eat less often, stay awake longer, kick our legs and arms while playing with hanging rattles, try to crawl, love massage, gymnastics, swimming and walks. It still happens that she eats for a long time, and even after completely eating one breast, she may ask for the second (naturally, to make it clear that she is not full, and not literally ask), but I am not worried about the regime, she will eventually settle down. And how can we establish an exact regime if today we go to the doctor at 12, and tomorrow mom has to go to work at 14, and the day after tomorrow is my brother’s birthday at 15, and yesterday it was like this good weather and we walked for 4 hours in the park and took pictures with dad. The main thing is that the child is calm. Even if she is hungry, she can calmly endure it, especially on the street, she likes to walk so much, both in a stroller and in a sling, that even being thoroughly hungry she calmly tolerates it. In a word, if we try to extract a moral from everything written above, I tried to say that the regime is not the main thing, that the days are different, and children even more so, that our little ones often tell us themselves the best option. Maybe the baby who doesn’t sleep when he’s supposed to really didn’t get something, and that’s why he woke up so soon? And as for “like clockwork from 1 to 3”, maybe he just likes the way a sleepy mother looks?))))
