For those with 4 or more....

How do you get #4 into a routine when your so busy with the other children? school drop offs, swimming lessons, gymnastics, food shopping, coffee dates...when is there time in the day to put my son to bed for his sleeps????...im finding he is having his sleeps in the car when we are out and about. (not sleeps as such...more cat naps)..then when we get home, hes rather cranky, i try to put him to sleep...but 30 mins later i give up (as does he.....). THursday and friday this week he slept for 40 mins each day in his cot....i cant stop going out and living life...what can i do to get H into some sorta routine....?? Im also finding i simply do not have time to pat and rock him to sleep...i just dont . 30 mins is my max time....so what do i do from then on.... i brought out the carrier yesterday coz i just could not stand listening to him crying, and i knew he would eventually sleep in the carrier....am i creating a bad habit ???

Maybe??? Lol, I'm a firm believer in whatever works, it is so hard to balance everyone all the time. Mine quite often nap in the car on the way to and from places. I do try to be home by 1pm if I go out so I can put them down for a nap, but it's not always possible. I don't see the harm in it, if it works and you get to keep your sanity, what does it matter!!! You're doing great!!!

MBear - DD2 was a catnapper and I found it so hard to get her into a routine. She was hard to settle to sleep, I couldn't transfer her from the car to bed and she didn't sleep whilst we were out. I ended up having to use a sling just so that I could get dinner cooked and hang some washing out and for those times that I just couldn't settle her. However, I always tried to put her down in her cot first and used the sling as a last resort. Eventually she got into a routine and I don't believe the sling interfered with this at all. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Hugs darl. You are doing an awesome job, and I often think how you are coping especially with school drop off

mbear - sounds like your doing an amazing job!!! I wouldn't stress too much about it now while he's so small...also...as you say - you're always busy doing those things it's best he probably just learns to sleep where he can get it!! No point getting him trained in his cot and then not ever being home to put him in it iykwim???

I'll be interested to hear how you go...although I'm due next April I'll only have ds1 in 4yok so won't be as full on as having 1 in school!! I think we'll just be hermits - LOL!

OOOHHH its hard, but poor bubs just has to fit in... Luckily no 4 for me has been a very placid bub so goes with the flow...you just have to do whatever works I reckon!!! They will grow out of anything eventually.. (I used a pouch a lot, cause I knew she would sleep in there if she got the chance)
We are expecting no5 March next year, this time I am getting a capsule??? how did I manage without one before now??? DD at school ,DS starting school, DD starting kindy, little DD 18 months old by then so we willl never be out of the car,so baby will be doing a lot of sleeping in the capsule..
Good luck don't worry tooo much.

Personally I think that even though you can't be expected to drop everything and make your life fit in around your baby, I think your baby is just as entitled to have the world revolve around them for at least one day of the week where they can just be at home, relaxed even if they don't generally sleep for long, and not be dragged from pillar to post. I never expected my 4th baby to just 'fit in' and get used to sleeping on the go all the time. They have just as much need (a right even) to have a day without going anywhere just as much as the older kids need all their after school activities and you need a coffee date kwim? Once they are predictable with their sleeping to an extent, I always planned my day around that. I know it's a lot easier for me out here where there is no pressure to have kids doing activities 5 days a week and I'm not stuck in a car for 40mins a day taking kids to school, I could do it to an extent, but I don't because I know how ratty and overtired bubs always gets from being out all the time so I avoided it because it makes life easier for everyone that way. if it were me I would be looking at making a few changes to be a little more accomodating for him - like with coffee dates, make some of them at night time after dinner once he's in bed and DH can look after him or even have them at home where one person picks up the coffees and cake on the way to your place and visa versa.

If you do have so much on socially it will be near impossible to get him into a routine anyway as it will nearly always be broken because you have to be somewhere, unless you make some changes to fit everybody in. Maybe change the girls' activities to afternoon ones so you have the morning at home to give him time to sleep etc.

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I think your baby is just as entitled to have the world revolve around them for at least one day of the week where they can just be at home, relaxed even if they don't generally sleep for long, and not be dragged from pillar to post.

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..i love this sherie....its sooo true. Tues r our day at home....2day is so far so good.

Thanku - i was hoping u would post....;)

I agree with Sherie about having some time for baby at home. I always tried to make it home for lunch and sleep time most days. This way at least bub gets used to having that quiet time regularly. Most days our house shuts down between 1pm and 2.30pm for rest time. It can't happen every day though.

I love Sherie's advice...(as usual!)
ps MBear I dont know how you do it, i think of you often when I am struggling with my 2... and think 'how does she manage'

Phew! I was so worried that you might take what I said the wrong way and I hovered over the post reply button for ages before sending it :hug: I'm glad to hear that today has gone pretty good for you :)

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Most days our house shuts down between 1pm and 2.30pm for rest time.

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..our used to too...until DD#1 started school - school finishes at 240pm, which means i have to leave the house at 215pm - which means get ready to leave the house at 2pm !! LUcky DH is home most days and i can leave DD#3 in bed. He wont let me leave H yet - to new and little for him.

I rang up today and cancelled gymnastics. Im too stressed whilst there...and figure 1 term out of it for DD#1 wont kill her....i dunno if she will even realise.

Thanks girls.....

Mbear - You really don't get much time on a school day to do too much, 2.40pm is an early finish. I put off starting DD1 in dancing for the same reason!!! hugs

puffff.........its really a difficult job but i am happy to hear that things are settling down i have a big family to with grand parents ad really gets difficult to handle all the things together .......