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naps.... & sleeping through the night....

10 replies

leosmummy · 06/07/2005 16:52

my ds slept through the night on sunday... down at 9ish dream feed at 11 and he didn't wake till 6.50am!!!
i am lucky he is only 11 wks so very pleased. then yesterdays similar kinda thing but up at 5am. today he woke at 4.30am gave him dummy put in bed with me as swaddle blanket in wash slept to 6.30am.
my question is what sort or routine should i use with his naps... let him sleep as and when or put him down at specific times??

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purpleturtle · 06/07/2005 17:05

I found that at that age they set their own routines, so I just went with it. No doubt there are others who take a different approach - they'll be along soon.

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starlover · 06/07/2005 17:07

it's completely up to you really. like purpleturtle i just went with what DS wanted to do. but there are some people who impose qutie strict regimes (gina ford anyone?) on their kids and have secific nap times and feed times.

if he's happy how he is now then i'd leave him.

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leosmummy · 06/07/2005 17:19

good.. i didn't want to ruin anything if you know what i mean..
he is asleep now. should i wake him ready for a routine or just follow the routine when he wakes and put him to be properly?

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starlover · 06/07/2005 17:21

i'd leave him to it. my ds is asleep now as well

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leosmummy · 06/07/2005 17:26

and you'll leave her till she wakes herself and then get her ready 4 bed as usual?

thanks

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starlover · 06/07/2005 18:33

yep! sleeps through as well

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Nik72 · 06/07/2005 18:38

I let Dd (4 months) nap when she wants but do put her in the cot with drawn curtains as she sleeps for longer and is far less grumpy. I read GF and introduced a pretty consistent evening routine & dream feed and she sleeps through. Am v. happy mummy now!

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jambot · 07/07/2005 12:18

Are you breast or bottle feeding? My dd has been on a routine based around her 4 hourly bottle feeds. Also, I don't start the day later than 7. Found at 11 weeks that she would get tired after about one and a half hours awake. Soon as I saw signs that she was tired, I would take her straight through to her bed. At that age she was sleeping about four to four and a half hours per day. Used to leave her in her pram or let her fall asleep in her little chair for her early morning nap (8-30ish) but found she never slept very well or for very long. Then started putting her in her bed every time she was sleepy and she now associates that with naps. I never let her sleep later than 5pm. Her bathtime is between 5:45 and 6:15 (depending on her mood) and she's in bed no later than 7. She has been sleeping through from 13 weeks and for the last two weeks she has been sleeping 7 to 7. (She's 17 weeks now).
I personally feel that even if it takes a bit of practice, if you can get her into a bit of a nap routine, but not letting her sleep for too long or too late in the day, then it can only help her to sleep better at night. I don't think any baby will fit into an exact routine each and every day, but if you try it you'll probably find they quite like it and at least you know more or less where you are every day and at what time things will be happening. NB. My dd is bottle fed by the way, and I know this does seem to make a difference as to from when they sleep through.

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Kelly1978 · 07/07/2005 12:45

My twins are 15 weeks, one sleeps thru, the other has a feed at 3am then straight back to sleep. They are put down at 7.30pm, dream feed at 10pm then up at 7am. During the day I mostly let them sleep as they want - according to what they need. I try not to let them sleep too much after 4-5ish, and so try to encourage them to sleep in the afternoon. But def no specific times.

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leosmummy · 07/07/2005 12:47

my ds is bottle feed. he is waking but doesn't seem hungrey so i just pop his dummy in and send him back to sleep. up at 6.30 and he seems to want to sleep again at 8ish which if it stays like that then is a good chance to get ready myself. when she first started sleeping through what time was you putting her to bed? I think 7ish seems too early for my bubba.. but maybe thats me thinking that rather than what's best for him.
I've been staying at my sisters since he was a week old so he has had no routine but due to go home in a weeks time. (my flat had v bad damp and i was worried abt babies health)
he sleeps better if he is in his bed. v hard not to put him in bed with me when he wakes v early because he'll go back to sleep cuddling me which i know is a v bad habbit that i'm starting..