When did you start a proper bedtime routine & what does it entail?

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

DD is 9 weeks old and has no routine whatsoever.
I generally don't mind this and have just been feeding on demand (she's EBF) and she'll sleep on me or in the pram / car as and when.

But I'm now starting to think we should be getting her into some sort of routine, especially at night time, hoping that she'll sleep better (and not on me?!). It would also be nice for me and DH to have our evenings back (not wanting to sound selfish!).

Would it be too early to start a bedtime routine?
When did you? And what did / does it entail?

[Chickz]

I started at about 3 months.
600 quiet play time, no tv
630 bath
645 dress, lotion, then bottle - with dimmed light, singing
655 story
700 bed

[cantmakecarrotcake]

I think we vaguely started around 6 weeks, just introducing a daily bath.

We ended up with:

6:15 milk
6:30 bath
7ish: story
7:15: cuddles and bed (often with lullaby CD)

[GorgeousPie]

11 weeks. Start at about 6 - Boob, bath, baby massage, booby top up, into a swaddle, cuddle song and bed by 7 :-)

[splendide]

My DS is 6 weeks and putting him down in his crib at a set time (as opposed to when he's in a boob induced sleep at some random point when he's finished cluster feeding) seems like a crazy dream. Hope I can get there soon!

[elQuintoConyo]

Ds is 3, he doesn't have one

[TheGirlAtTheJingleBellRockShow]

We started at around 11 weeks I think.
Our routine starts around 6 - bath, baby massage, feed and rocking in the dark with white noise, then into cot when she's asleep. Normally get her down about 7. She has a really long feed at bedtime!
Maybe one day I'll be able to put her down awake and she'll self settle. But right now I enjoy the cuddles while DH cooks my dinner!

[fatpony]

We just started this week (8 weeks today). Baby was going to sleep at ten when we did so our aim this week was to move bedtime back to 9pm to start. So that means upstairs at 8.30pm, when he has been bathed and into a clean sleep suit. Often he is in a ratty mood by this point as is hungry/tired. DH gives him formula at 8.30pm and checks nappy/swaddles halfway through. We put him in his bednest once the bottle is finished and he has been burped. With a white noise app running in the background. He will lie there staring at the mobile, basically doped out from the bottle. Nods off after about 20 mins.

Next week we'll aim to have him in bed at 8.30pm hence upstairs at 8pm and grad move it backgrounds, no doubt will go totally wrong over Xmas as we'll be in a noisy house full of people!

This is useful
www.sleepbabies.co.uk/html/resources/bedtime-routine.html