Cleanliness, tidiness and regularity: is it still sacred?

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Rust, cleanliness and regularity origin

If we are to believe Wikipedia, ‘the 3 R's’ are derived from the thinking of Sister Florence Nightingale. She lived from 1820 to 1910 and is regarded as the founder of modern nursing. In her book Notes on Nursing In 1859, Nightingale outlined six points for good health. Rest, cleanliness, and regularity are said to be derived from these. It sounds good and very simply summarises what is important for your health.

What does rest, cleanliness & regularity mean in practice?

It sounds logical, but what exactly is meant by this cleanliness, peace, and regularity? We have listed it:

• RustEnsure you get enough rest. Rest means not constantly having stimuli around you, not too much (in)effort, and sufficient sleep.
• CleanlinessFlorence Nightingale meant clean patients, clean rooms, and a clean ward by this. If we translate this to your own life today, it means good hygiene, such as brushing your teeth regularly, showering, and wearing clean clothes. In addition to personal hygiene, it is also important that the environment in which you live is clean: a clean house, clean air to breathe, and clean water and food.
• Regularitya fixed and predictable structure in your life. Examples include: getting up at the same time every day, three meals a day, a regular coffee or tea break, and going to bed on time. Regularity brings peace: you know what to expect every day. The body reacts very strongly to this. For example, you get ‘hungry’ at the time you are used to eating – and therefore not necessarily because you ‘need’ food.

Is peace and regularity still sacred?

Peace and regularity are still very relevant today. Not just for babies, but for people in general. It is still taught this way to young healthcare professionals, theoretically or in practice. The application of the concepts works a little differently now than when Florence Nightingale formulated them, as the world looks very different now. In our busy, hurried lives, resting is not always a given. This is precisely why peace and regularity are so important now.

Rust en regelmaat zijn essentieel voor baby's omdat ze hen helpen de wereld om hen heen te begrijpen en te organiseren. Baby's zijn nog volop in ontwikkeling en hebben structuur nodig om zich veilig en geborgen te voelen. Hier zijn de belangrijkste redenen waarom rust en regelmaat zo belangrijk zijn: * **Ontwikkeling van de biologische klok:** Een dagelijkse routine helpt de natuurlijke slaap-waakcyclus (circadiaanse ritme) van je baby te reguleren. Dit zorgt ervoor dat ze op de juiste momenten moe worden en in slaap vallen, wat essentieel is voor hun groeiproces en algemene welzijn. * **Veiligheid en voorspelbaarheid:** Baby's gedijen bij voorspelbaarheid. Weten wat er gaat komen (bijvoorbeeld na het badje komt het bedje) geeft hen een gevoel van veiligheid en controle. Dit vermindert angst en stress. * **Verbeterde slaap:** Een consistente slaaproutine met vaste bedtijden helpt baby's om sneller in slaap te vallen en langer en dieper te slapen. Goede slaap is cruciaal voor de fysieke en mentale ontwikkeling, het herstel van het lichaam en het leren. * **Stimulatie van de ontwikkeling:** Regelmatige momenten van spelen, voeding en interactie bieden stimulatie die nodig is voor de cognitieve, sociale en emotionele ontwikkeling. Een routine zorgt ervoor dat deze belangrijke momenten er zijn. * **Makkelijker omgaan met voeding en verzorging:** Wanneer voedingen en verzorgingsmomenten (zoals luiers verschonen) op gezette tijden plaatsvinden, helpt dit bij de spijsvertering en het voorkomen van overprikkeling. * **Minder huilen en onrust:** Baby's die een consistente routine volgen, zijn vaak rustiger en huilen minder, omdat hun behoeften voorspelbaar worden ingevuld en ze minder overprikkeling ervaren. * **Ondersteuning voor ouders:** Een routine kan ook voor ouders veel rust en structuur bieden. Het helpt bij het plannen van de dag en geeft een gevoel van controle, wat stress kan verminderen. Het is belangrijk te onthouden dat "regelmaat" niet betekent dat alles tot op de minuut precies moet gebeuren. Flexibiliteit is ook belangrijk, omdat baby's zich ontwikkelen en er soms onverwachte dagen zijn. Maar een algemene, voorspelbare structuur rondom slapen, voeden en spelen is een zeer waardevol fundament voor de gezonde ontwikkeling van een baby.

Rest and routine are especially important for newborn babies, as they do not yet have a life rhythm. In the womb, conditions were very constant: there was constant nourishment, sufficient oxygen, and few external stimuli. In that calm cocoon, your baby gently sways back and forth, without anything happening. Your baby has no idea of the difference between day and night and simply naps from time to time.

Once born, life suddenly looks very different. Your baby needs to adapt to the rhythm of your life and your family's. That takes some getting used to. A baby needs plenty of rest and routine to be able to adapt to this new outside world. Every day, a newborn baby experiences something new that they have never heard, seen, smelled, or felt before. Therefore, it's also good if there are things that are the same every day. This predictability unconsciously gives your baby reassurance.

Routine and regularity schedule for babies

Every baby is different, so the perfect routine of rest and regularity for babies simply doesn’t exist. It’s mainly about figuring out what works for your little one. If you have multiple children, you’ll know that what works for one child might not suit another at all. These tips will help you create rest, rhythm, and regularity for your baby:

• Maintain a consistent bedtime routine. Always do everything in the same order when you put your baby to bed. For example, a clean nappy first, then feeding, then a cuddle with some lullaby music on to help them get sleepy. The exact order is actually less important than the routine. As long as you do exactly the same thing every day, your baby will know what to expect.
• Follow a set pattern when your baby wakes up. Besides a fixed bedtime routine for your little one, it's also good to have a fixed wake-up routine.
• Follow the same pattern as you are somewhere else. If you're away from home, you'll automatically slip out of your established routine. Try to stick to the same pattern as much as possible, even when you're on holiday or visiting. Tell family and friends about the habits your baby is used to, so they can also consider your peace and regularity schedule.
• Tell your little one what's going to happen. The older your little one gets, the better they will understand what's coming. By telling them each day what's going to happen, you can help your little one prepare mentally.
• Reduce stimuli And understand that your child's behaviour can change when they have more stimuli to process. If you go out for a day to a new place, there's a good chance your child will have difficulty finding calm that evening.

Our tips for more peace and regularity

As a mother of four children, I know better than anyone how important rest and regularity are. That's why Fedde&Kees products are developed in such a way that they make it easier to follow a fixed routine, thereby contributing to rest and regularity.

The Fedde&Kees method works with zips, which allow you to put your baby to bed in the same way every day. Tuck-ins are super simple: anyone can do it and everyone does it in precisely the same way! Tip: give your baby a week to get used to our products first. After that, they will know exactly what to expect and will understand when it's time to sleep.

View the newborn set

Lots of love,

Frederieke