Routines With a Newborn: How We Survived (and Sometimes Thrived) in the Fog

Newborn life is… well, it’s a fog. Groundhog Day every day. You wake up, feed, soothe, nap, repeat—and somehow, you’re still trying to remember your own name. But here’s the thing that saved us: a routine. And before you roll your eyes thinking “ugh, routines,” hear me out. This isn’t about scheduling your newborn like a CEO. It’s about knowing what’s next, just enough to ease the anxiety without feeling like a prison sentence.

For us, the routine was a lifeline. I had difficulties breastfeeding, so I was pumping a lot. We figured out a system where I’d pump while my husband bottle-fed, and then I’d soothe and try some breastfeeding to sleep. In the middle of the night, if there were frequent wake-ups, I wouldn’t bother pumping and would just focus on soothing—because sometimes survival requires flexibility.

Mornings were sacred. I stayed in bed while my husband got our little guy ready. He’d take a morning nap in my arms or next to me while I watched Netflix guilt-free. Once he woke up, we moved to the living room for the official start of our day. There, we hit the rhythm of three to four naps—99% of them contact naps. Breaking that habit was hard, but honestly? I miss them.

Bedtime was around 6:30 PM while my husband was home on leave for six weeks. That allowed us a little time to eat dinner, talk, and exist as semi-adults again. Bathtime usually happened most nights—but not always with soap, because newborns are basically little slippery potatoes. Due to a torticollis issue, we used the Otteroo for stretching his neck muscles in the water. Medical advice only—don’t leave your baby alone in this device, no matter what the marketing says. And yes, we got judgment for using it, but it worked for us.

After bath came bedtime feed, swaddle, and soothe. I practiced breastfeeding and latching, mastering all the “transfer from arms to crib” hacks. Our baby slept in his crib from night one. Later in the evening, we’d do another feeding until he regained his birth weight. After the pediatrician gave the green light, we let him decide when to wake. Until around 10 weeks, he’d wake before midnight—then suddenly, longer stretches of sleep became a thing.

The key takeaway? Routines help both baby and parents. But they don’t need to be strict. A routine can be as simple as: wake up → change diaper → play → feed → soothe → nap. It removes the guesswork and gives you a framework to navigate the fog.

Every baby is different, so experiment and see what works best for your little one—and for your sanity. Because let’s be honest, a routine isn’t about perfection. It’s about creating a rhythm that helps everyone feel a little more human, even when life is basically Groundhog Day.