Talk

Flip

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Should I change this routine

10 replies

Littleelffriend · 06/08/2016 18:59

My 3 month old sleeps all night, has done from 5 weeks. 10pm until 6 then back to bed until 8 or 9. She stays downstairs with us until 10 and the evening is a nightmare. She's grumpy cries etc. Doesn't nap during the day at all. Should I try to change this? I'm terrified because I know I'm so so lucky that she sleeps.

OP posts:

Report

Rachie1986 · 06/08/2016 19:03

I think it'll change as she grows a bit, we found our daughters routine gradually slipped earlier until she was sleeping from 7.30. I worried it would never change though! It wasn't until at least 6months.

Report

Lovelongweekends · 06/08/2016 19:05

If she doesn't nap during the day then the poor thing is probably beyond exhausted by10pm. She probably needs either a nap or an earlier bedtime.

Report

Littleelffriend · 06/08/2016 19:40

She just won't nap she's awake all day. I'm too scared to try earlier bed in case she stops sleeping well.

OP posts:

Report

newmummyagain · 06/08/2016 22:07

How is the feeding going? My third (currently 5 months) didn't nap. Didn't feed well for months (poor weight gain).

Now he's feeding well he's finally napping in the day, now he's fuller.

Is baby happy in the day? She's probably exhausted. No judgement here, some babies just won't nap no matter how hard you try! But worth figuring out why.

But with regards to the evening all mine have been up in the evenings and then bedtime naturally gets earlier as they're older.

Report

Littleelffriend · 07/08/2016 04:22

Thanks newmummy she eats all day. She's combination fed. I'll just carry on as we are just now and let her guide me.

OP posts:

Report

29redshoes · 07/08/2016 04:53

Agree with others that she must be very tired if she doesn't sleep all day until 10pm. Letting the baby guide you is generally a good idea in theory except sometimes babies don't really know what's good for them!

Of course babies do have different sleep requirements as they're all individuals but at that age you'd expect them to sleep on average around 15 hours in every 24.

If you can get her to take a few more naps during the day she probably will be far less grumpy in the evenings. Is there anything at all which works - car, pram, sling?

Report

Lovelongweekends · 07/08/2016 05:03

At that age they should be getting about 18hrs sleep a day and napping ever couple of hours. Your Dd is getting less sleep than me (and I have two small children!). I think you have to put aside your fear of her waking in the night, it's what babies do, at that age she should be having a feed in the night anyway. She's telling you she needs more sleep the only way she can.

Report

Littleelffriend · 07/08/2016 08:28

I know you guys are right. She used to nap in the pram but not anymore. I'll try a new early bed starting tomorrow.

OP posts:

Report

29redshoes · 07/08/2016 10:50

If it helps as a point of reference (but not suggesting you can/should do the same) my DD is also three months old and we start her bedtime routine about 7pm. This is bath, feed, swaddle, song, dummy, cuddle and in the crib. I sometimes have to stay with her for a bit but she's usually asleep by about 8pm.

She does wake for a feed every night, but usually only once (she's bottle fed).

During the day I try to make sure she naps every two hours. This isn't easy as she's a bit of a sleep fighter like your baby, but if she's refusing to nap I take her for a walk in the sling and that usually sends her to sleep.

Hope it goes well today!

Report

Littleelffriend · 07/08/2016 12:07

Thanks all. I do start bedtime routine about half 7 but dd takes about 2 or 3 hours to finish a bottle. When I put her in her crib she goes to sleep no problem.