Establishing routine before birth?

xiwang

Is there any use in trying to establish a routine before baby is actually here, as for example always getting up at the same time in the morning?

I just entered my third trimester and toy with the idea of natural sleep and waking patterns while I can. My work currently allows for it. Am I right in thinking that me getting good sleep while I can is more important than trying to make my bump get used to getting up early?

eviltwin

xiwang wrote: »

Is there any use in trying to establish a routine before baby is actually here, as for example always getting up at the same time in the morning?

I just entered my third trimester and toy with the idea of natural sleep and waking patterns while I can. My work currently allows for it. Am I right in thinking that me getting good sleep while I can is more important than trying to make my bump get used to getting up early?

I wouldn't bother tbh, you will just have to fit your routine around your baby and that could be anything really. You won't know until he or she arrives.

At the moment the best thing is to take care of your own health and wellbeing for yourself as well as your baby, get as much sleep as you need when you can, try and enjoy the last few months and relax as much as possible.

Moonbeam

I wouldn't bother but I did find by about 6 weeks the babies had settled in to my sleeping pattern while pregnant.
I don't really like the idea of forcing a routine for new babies I prefer them to set it and find they pretty much stick to it for a few weeks.

liliq

I'd tend to agree with what's already been said.
I found the start of the third trimester was the time throughout my whole pregnancy that I slept best, so I'd sleep while you can. (I hated being told that when I was pregnant...)
As for the routine, it will come with time after baby arrives, and as Moonbeam says, they kinda stick to it themselves for a few weeks once they've set it themselves.
Good luck

Neyite

Some babies are very resistant to any imposed routine bar their own. I know mine is. We go with his one now as its less stressful for all involved.

Best give yourself as much rest as you can in the final months of pregnancy - you'll appreiciate being well rested for the adventure of labour.

January

For the first week or two your baby will be mixed up with night and day anyway. You may notice that when you move around baby is quieter, because you are rocking baby to sleep with your movement in the womb. When you are quiet, baby will be more active.

Certainly all three of my girls waited until I was settled in for the evening before they started their acrobatics!

Ginny

I agree with what everyone has said, theres no real point, they'l be all over the place for the first two weeks or so anyways. Sleep as much as you can now, you'll need the rest and relaxation. Our 8 week old is sleeping fine, but the first 2 weeks were absolute hell. I think I was getting 1 hour bursts of sleep at the most.

xiwang

Thanks everybody, that pretty much sums up what I thought, but it is always good to have actual mums confirm things.

I noticed the last few days I had better sleep than in the last half year or so, twice so far I didn't even wake up when OH came to bed, which has had me awake instantly for the last four years! The last two days I tried natural sleep cycles, e.g. no alarm clock, and I feel great when I get up. Definitely worth doing while I can

NextSteps

First baby, is it?

xiwang

NextSteps wrote: »

First baby, is it?

Yes, might explain why I have time to think about things like that