bedtime routine

[mermaid]

When do you think is the best time to start a routine with bedtime bath/stories etc? I read somewhere that 6-8 weeks is when babies differentiate between day/night.

I try to talk to baby lots during the day when he's awake and keep lights bright etc. At night though he comes up to bed with OH around 1-2am just because it gives me some sleep! We do keep voices and lights low though during the night.

 

[Sarah&Braydon]

well id start a rough routine like a certain time for bath and bed time milk etc and try to keep him to it and add in other bits wen u think he is ready

 

[swan1]

I started Charlies bedtime routine the day we came home from hospital, it was probably about 3/4 weeks before he realised what it was all about.

 

[Jaidy]

Zac's routine consists of...

Bath 6pm, feed 6.30/7pm then he usually settles down but not always. Then OH gives him his last feed at 11. We always keep the lights dim for the last feed so he knows its bedtime and if we see to him in the night we only put a nightlight on and keep our voices low.

 

[Lyndsey]

We have let Logan dictate our routine until just recently, we have now fell into an informal routine. We have bath time at 8 feed at 9 then sleep - but he also wakes at 11-12 for another feed. I was told not to get too hung up about a routine but I would say that he seems to be coming to bed late. Have you tried putting him down sooner? Logan is awake every 2 hours in the night and we found if we both went t bed at 9 we ended up getting more sleep over all!

Sad I know but so worth it!

 

[Miracle babe]

I put Rowan in a routine at 2 weeks and bless him he cottoned on pretty fast. We have bath at 6-6.30pm followed by bottle then bed. We dont speak at all during night feeds (usually there is only one at around 3pm) and avoid eye contact (sounds horrible I know but we make up for it in the day and half the time his eyes are shut anyway lol), we have a dimmer switch on low on the landing but other thanthat there is little light at all.

 

[snowbunny]

My little boy is 7 weeks tomorrow and i put him in bed time routine at 5 weeks.

so far, so good!

Bath between 7and 8pm, feed and bed.

He is now sleeping till bout 1/2am and wakes again at 5/6. Its lovely to have the evening with OH so i don't mind that he wakes so early in the morning!

Great name Finley, my little man is Finlay!

Sarah x

 

[Gemma & Jake]

Hi Jake started sleeping through the night from about 8 weeks old but we havn't started a routine yet. I think we must just be lucky as he now goes down in between 10 and 12 and sleeps through until about 8 or 9 in the morning. I would say it is too early to be getting in to a proper routine yet anyway although keeping things darker and quieter is a good idea. We will probably start a routine with bath, story and bed in the next few weeks but it can be difficult if you are out for the evening or something or if you need to bath them in the morning instead for some reason. All babies wake a lot in the first month or so.

 

[Rubys mummy]

Zac's routine consists of...

Bath 6pm, feed 6.30/7pm then he usually settles down but not always. Then OH gives him his last feed at 11. We always keep the lights dim for the last feed so he knows its bedtime and if we see to him in the night we only put a nightlight on and keep our voices low.

Ditto..she sleeps through after 11pm feed till around 3-4am and we keep that feed in dark and quiet, she normally settles until 7am.

We followed this from week one of coming home from hozzie, and she went into her own nursery after 6.30pm feed, and stays there until morning without a peep (usually) We have a video monitor which we can see her on, we have it in living room with us until bedtime, then we have it by bed incase she stirs. Neither of us could sleep with her in moses basket in bedroom-every tiny noise she made woke us up!!

 

[Dee1985]

Harley dont have set times or any thing. but every night since he was born he always gets straight out of the bath to his room then to bed. dont come down stairs after a bath. so they no bath means bed. its the same with Dior too

 

[skatty]

I really tried to get Leorah into a bath, breast and bed routine and it just didn't work! She'd get very upset and I would spend all day dreading the night. I decided to use my instincts instead and let her settle into a routine of her own and it worked a treat. Just weeks ago her bedtime would be around 10/11pm and now she has bought it forward to 8pm (its been getting earlier and earlier). She always has her last two feeds of breastmilk from a bottle and I had a couple of evenings worrying because as I put her to the breast she'd scream but then take the bottle. I finally realised she was telling us she was ready for bed! She now has a bottle then gets her sleeping bag on and has a quiet play with Dad and then gets another bottle.

I found that having a regular wake up time really helped Leorah distinguish between day and night I think babies are much more clever than we think and know what they need and your LO wíll naturally start to get into a rythmn and go to bed earlier. Some babies thrive on a set routine and others like Leorah just like little rituals but feedings and naps vary from day to day and this suits us both to a T. BTW my DH and Leorah used to also go to bed at 1/2amish in the beginning but itvdidn't last forever

 

[Mrs P]

Keira has a bath at 6.30pm then has her milk at 7pm in her bedroom with the lights dim. We try not to have a lot of noise during this time and dont make a fuss when she goes in her cot, just a kiss

She has had this routine since she was born and sleeps well, we wake her at 11pm for a feed then she wakes at around 4.30am for a feed.

Its great coz me and DH have plenty of US time if you know what i mean ! And its nice to relax in front of the TV with a bottle of wine and its not too late in the evening to get stuff done.

Amy

 

[mermaid]

Everybody is so different, I guess it's just a case of what suits you as a couple. My OH won't sleep early and likes to stay up so will probably try the bed routine in a few more weeks?

 

Lennon is 10 weeks old tomorrow and in no routine yet, I don't even think he's ready for one. His sleeping and feeds all over the place. I feel bad because all of you seem to have your LO's in a routine and I haven't. Where do I start?

 

[Princess_Puddles]

Lennon is 10 weeks old tomorrow and in no routine yet, I don't even think he's ready for one. His sleeping and feeds all over the place. I feel bad because all of you seem to have your LO's in a routine and I haven't. Where do I start?

Harrison isnt really in any proper routine, i let him get himself into one! The only things we stick to are when he wakes in the morning he has bottle & then straight back to sleep for an hour & next bottle is with rusk. Somedays he will have a bath in the morning and others at night, as long as your both happy with the way it is then thats all that matters

 

[mummykay]

Jamie doesnt have a routine as such, i know when he wants feeding, changin etc but its not a military proceedure!
im just enjoyin him bein a baby!!