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Earlier bedtime for 6 1/2 month old

2 replies

Ijustworemytrenchcoat · 03/03/2014 19:36

Hello

Can anybody help me with getting my baby into an earlier bedtime I haven't got a clue how to introduce it.

He currently sleeps 10 hours a night and has good naps in the day (either 2 or 3). He was going to bed quite reliably around 8.30 but has been ill with one chest infection and cold after another and it's totally knocked him out of his routine. When he was going to bed earlier he was waking at the same time so sleeping for longer overnight.

My problem is trying to squeeze 5 bottle feeds in, I end up having to 'squash' some in so it feels like he is having a bottle a meal then another bottle right on top of each other. Also, if he has a longish nap then I often end up giving him his last two bottles within 2 hours of each other as he is just so tired otherwise.

People keep telling me he will naturally 'drop' a bottle as he eats more. Dropping a bottle would make it easier. He often leaves a couple of ounces in a few of his bottles.

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dodi1978 · 03/03/2014 23:18

My DS is 7 month old, so a similar age.

There is no need for your baby to have 5 bottle feeds. As you say yourself, baby will naturally drop a bottle feed - mine did it once he was on 2 meals a day. Try to be guided by your baby.

What we did was not to downsize on the pre-weaning bottle sizes. What then happened is that the introduction breakfast moved the time when young man asked for his next bottle forward by about 1 1/2 hours. When we introduced dinner, his afternoon bottle happened slightly earlier.

So we went from

Pre-weaning bottles at 7 am / 10 am / 1.30 pm / 4.30 pm / 7 pm to
Post-weaning bottle at 7 am / breakfast 8.30/9 / bottle 12 / bottle 4pm / dinner 5.30 / 6 / bottle 7 pm or before bed.

Times just for guidance, but it was DS who led the process.

Hope this helps!

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Ijustworemytrenchcoat · 11/03/2014 19:00

Thank you, that's helpful. He is drinking less than before weaning but is still getting a good amount. Will see how he reacts to one less bottle, it will make it easier for him to be in bed earlier which is what he wants.