When will baby become a bit more predictable?

[redandyellowandpinkandgreen]

If ever??

DS is 8 weeks now. He sleeps in the afternoon sometimes and I can never work out quite when or for how long. Today he has been asleep since about 2pm and I have been hovering about, waiting for him to wake up, whereas if I knew he would sleep for say two hours I could do something with that time. I wanted to express some milk but felt sure he would wake so haven't and am now annoyed I have missed a window!

He is pretty much in a routine through the night so that's one thing. I'm such a control freak I can't stand not being ordered (doesn't mix well with a newborn!)

Also, I need advice about putting him to bed. At the moment he stays up until I go to bed, usually sleeping on me as he won't settle in his moses basket which we have downstairs. Then I feed him to sleep but it's normally 11ish before he is in his crib. How do I start bringing this forward as I suspect he is tired but fights sleep a lot.

At 8 weeks his sleeping will be unpedictable!!!

As for putting him to bed, start trying to put him down when he is awake and sleepy, so he learns how to drop off on his own. This is so much easier said than done!!!
If he starts crying, rub his back and comfort him in some way to reasure him for a few seconds. But dont pick him up. Then move away, try to keep away for several minutes, if he is still crying, go back and pat back etc for a few seconds, then move away. Keep doing this again and again and again and again until he falls asleep! This could take up to or even more than an hour. Do this each time you put him down for a sleep. If you are strong and don't give in, he will learn to drop off on his own. Good luck x

Babies never really become as predictable as we'd like. I too am a bit of a control freak, so you, like me, are going to have to learn to relax and let go. Play it by ear more.
If he goes to sleep, grab the moment rather than hovering around waiting for him to wake up. If you get disturbed in the middle of something, so be it. But you might be lucky and get something useful done.

Babies do get into routines, more and more as they get older. They also go through one phase after another. Each phase is unique and each one lasts for different lengths of time. It is quite difficult to predict it all, but you get used to that. Don't worry.

With regards to sleep, would he settle better in his moses basket if it was upstairs in a quiet room?
Would he be better off in a cot now? At 8 weeks, he's probably quite big for a moses basket now.
I always BF my DCs to sleep at that age. They usually went down at about 9:00 after feeding for a couple of hours in the evening.
Can you feed him in a dark, quiet place and help him to get into the mood for sleep?

Hi there,
Hang on in there. By 12 weeks should be more predictable . Only 4 to go!!!

Up to you re the evening routine. Again, it's prob not worth trying to do too much until nearer 12 weeks, but then you really can tweak things if you like and it suits you.

I got DD (second child) to go to bed at 7.30 like her brother at about 12 weeks. Previous to this she'd been down with us, but I needed the evening back and also DS had been a nightmare between 3 and 6 months when he wouldn't go down until about 10 but was often cranky and labour intensive in the evening due to being tired.

So... I was quite strict and it took me about 4 days to get her to go down at this time, but then she did and it was BLISS . I even went out swimming sometimes as it was very predictable she'd sleep until 10 or 11 before having a BF.

Totally agree with RuthChan. Definately grab the moment when they go to sleep - don't wait around! I have 12 week old too (my third) and am a control freak but I've learned to chill and go with the flow. Routines change every few weeks. Try feeding in baby's nursery at bedtime then into bed (sleeping bags are great - rather than blankets). Definately try getting baby to settle itself to sleep during the day...mine fell asleep on 3rd go of cot mobile the other day unexpectedly so i popped a blanket on quick! Move baby into a cot now as the mattress will be much more comfortable than the Moses basket.

Thanks everyone. I tried to settle him upstairs for a nap today in the quiet and he was spark out but woke after about 5 minutes. He just seems to fight sleep all the time. Today he has not slept for longer than about 10 minutes at a time in naps on me. I even took him for a walk and he just dozed a bit but kept opening his eyes and opened them wide awake the second we got home. I guess it will come with time. Last night he was whinging in his crib at bedtime and I just rubbed his tummy a bit and he fell asleep.

I will perservere!