8 week old routine - HELP!!!

[winstonina]

I am a new mum and I'm struggling with getting my 8 week old to do anything that is deemed to be 'the norm'. First up, he sleeps during the day a lot! I have to admit at this point that we had a2 week stay in hospital where he slept on me the whole time dispite the midwifes telling me to put him on his cot. I know some may say I have made a rod for my own back but it was best for both us at the time. Since we have been home we have tried him in his Moses basket where he will sleep for a maximum of 20 mins before getting very restless and waking himself up. At night he now sleeps in between me and my partner where he will sleep peacefully for 4/5 hours before waking up for a feed. ( he is breastfed) in the day he falls asleep on me then I put him on the sofa next to me. I guess I just want to know what routine other people are in and also how to get him to sleep other than on me. I'm also considering giving him formula so he isn't just getting milk from me. I was expressing but when my partner was off work but now I just don't have the time. Sorry for the ramble, I just feel a bit overwhelmed by it all and I just want to do what's best!

[scandichick]

4/5 hour stretches sound brilliant, I'd have gnawed my own arm off to get that at eight weeks!

It's fine - you don't need a routine. It'll be grand. If you google the 4th trimester you'll get a lot of reassuring information that it's completely normal. From personal experience I would keep on working on getting him to sleep away from you (DD only slept on us for eight months...), but you can do it gently - what works now might be completely different in a few weeks.

Just getting milk from you is the very best thing for him - there's absolutely no need to give him formula! Feeding gets a lot quicker with time, so in a month or so you might have much more time to express if you want to get a break.

He's very young - things won't be like this forever! Just relax and enjoy it if you can.

[badg3r]

From my own experience (DS 8mo) your post sounds ENTIRELY normal. DS has slept for two whole hours in his cot... ever
In the day he sleeps in the sling or pram. At night he is between dh and me in bed.
Is what you are currently doing not working for you? Or do you just feel like you "should" be going about things differently. Also bear in mind that many people exaggerate when it comes to routines and sleeping success with babies. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes because of those old rose tinted glasses.
You sound like you're doing a fab job.

[LillyBugg]

All sounds normal. He absolutely should be sleeping a lot in the day. A LOT. I can't see any reason in your post to switch to formula, I agree that it all gets a lot easier the more one you give it so unless there is a specific reason I would stick to breastfeeding. My DS didn't sleep longer than 2 hours before he was about 4/5 months so sounds like you're doing great :) also I didn't bother with any kind of routine until 4 months when I introduced a bed time routine. I only had a reliable full day routine when he was on 3 meals a day at 7 months.

[winstonina]

Wow! It was my first time writing on any type of forum ( as you may have been able to tell as I posted twice!) I am very pleasantly surprised by the speedy and most helpful responses, thanks guys! It has been very reassuring. I guess I was just reading too any books and listening to too many 'experts' as to what I should be doing. I am well aware of the pros and cons of co
Sleeping but it is working for us at the moment so I'm going to stay with it. I just feel a little sorry for my poor hubby who not only doesn't get to feed our boy much (I think he would rather we used bottles) but he also can't get near me in bed as our boy is in the middle! But as has been said, it won't be forever!