What age did you start a bedtime routine ?

[Firsttimemummy19]

My baby is only 12 weeks but I'm wondering what age I should start to introduce a bedtime routine? He's EBF btw

Did anyone decide to just go with the flow and have no routine at all?

[user1471426142]

Trying to introduce one now at 5 weeks. Am trying to do bath, massage, story, milk and bed. Out of 3 days, 2 have gone pretty well and she’s gone 8 until 6/7 with one feed in between. One day went horrifically with screaming frm 10 until 1 but she then slept until 6. She seems knackered by 6.30 so I think it’s working better than being downstairs with the lights on etc but this baby seems to get overstimulated very easily so a bedtime seems to suit her.

[Expressedways]

As soon as we came home as well. Probably just luck but DD is an excellent sleeper!

[Firsttimemummy19]

If the guidelines stipulate baby should sleep in the same room until 6 months, how do you get round that if you are putting them to bed earlier than you go to bed?

Most of you are starting routines very early but my baby is only 12 weeks and I feel it's too early for him yet. I was thinking around 6 months when he can go in his own room and I can use a monitor

[user1471426142]

Firsttimemummy19 To be honest I’m so knackered, I’m not far behind the children in terms of sleeping so the baby isn’t on her own for long- just about enough time to have dinner.

[Celebelly]

I put her down at 8, then I tend to piddle about downstairs for 20 mins or so while she falls asleep and then I come up with a cup of tea and watch Netflix Honestly though, a couple of times I've just let her sleep for an hour or two while I stay downstairs and check on her regularly. We have an Owlet and video monitor where I can see her breathing. I don't think it's particularly feasible to never leave them to sleep for an hour or two for six months. For her day naps I often get chores done in other rooms while she's sleeping, I don't just sit there and watch her sleep for two hours!

[Expressedways]

From about 4 months I left DD for a few hours with the baby monitor. She absolutely needed 12 hours of sleep in a dark, quiet room and like Celebelly I didn’t find it feasible to never leave her. I used to use naps for showering or getting household tasks done too. She’s now almost 2 so thankfully those days are behind us now!

[Tatapie]

6 weeks. Both of mine have slept well.

[PotolBabu]

From the moment they came home from hospital. And one of us stayed upstairs with them. I was so knackered anyway it made no difference. Within a month they knew day from night. And both are very very good sleepers and even now aged 7 and 2 we have the rough outlines of the same night routine.
So roughly (all roughly) after half an hour after a 6/6:30 feed we would take him up, dim the lights, do a massage with oil, bathe in warm water, back to a dim room, into fresh clothes and nappy, a feed and the same book every bloody night for a while (Goodnight Moon) and then down for the night. All feeds between 7:30 pm to 6:30 am in the dark or dim light and minimal chatting and interaction. Both kids breastfed for a year.

[feelingverylazytoday]

Right from the first day really.

[Rowgtfc72]

Right from getting home. Fortunately she slept through from two weeks. At six weeks she was in her own room, no guidelines then. Bath, change,milk, story, light out.
Worked well but she's 12 now and can only sleep in a completely dark quiet room after some wind down time. Late nights are a killer as are sleepovers.

[Aquilla]

Day one! Didnt follow the 'same room' advice, bottle fed, slept on tummies in own bedroom but did have a breathing monitor for peace of mind.