End of my tether

[WeeSooty]

Please please help me! I'm after advice and honesty, if you think I'm crazy please tell me!

My first baby was born 5 and a half months ago. She was a long back to back labour eventually ending in forceps. She is a really happy wee baby and mostly content although a slight temper if not fed quick enough! I'm formula feeding, she takes 4 7oz bottles a day. Normally 8am, 12pm, 4pm and 9pm. Then she sleeps reasonably well from 9.30pm till about 7am.

I have until now had her sleeping with me in living room in evening, so from 7pm till her bottle at 9. Last week she slept perfectly at 7pm on the dot. I have decided to try to put her upstairs in my room from 7.

It's not happening. She isn't even sleepy at 7 this week. She is tired but totally fighting it! She's crying and hitting out. I don't understand.

All my friends babies sleep from 7 right through. In their own beds. What am I doing wrong?!

As an add to this, my husband has been away for the past 7 weeks. So I'm pretty much fed up of being a sole parent. He was back last night. Could it possibly be that she is just excited to see him and so not sleeping?

I'm sorry this is so long. I'm sitting in tears writing this.

[moojie]

Sorry you are feeling so upset. I think you need to break your plan up into more realistic chunks. So currently dd will go to bed at 9 so why not try bringing it forward 15 mins or so every 2 days.

Is there a reason she has her last feed at 9 and not 7 or 8? You may need to tweak your whole routine if you want her to sleep 7-7. Both my babies have had a routine like this but their feeds have been different to yours..7/11/3/7 then a dream feed at 10ish.

Hopefully it will all fall into place once you get the rest of the timings right.

[WeeSooty]

Thanks moojie.

Actually your feeding thing makes perfect sense! Mine are just that way as that's what we have fallen into and health visitor recommended it lol

I feel clueless mostly! And she was screaming the place down when I wrote that post! :(

Also she is teething which I don't think helps.

Thank you I really appreciate what you've said.

[moojie]

Teething is the hardest thing as you just don't know what to do for the best. If I'm doing a change in routine and I think he's teething I always give calpol then I can be reassured that pain in not the cause of the upset.

Just work gradually towards a new plan and you will get there. Enjoy having DH home and i'm sure that's a big upheaval for you all.

[WeeSooty]

Moojie I thought I would come back to update you, we are now using your 7.11,3,7 bottle routine and she goes up to bed by 7.30pm! Wooo! Giving me my evening and my sanity back! Thank you so so much!!!

[Icelollycraving]

That's great news!