Bedtime routines that don't involve undressing...for baby, not me!

[redandwolf]

Any thoughts on bedtime routines?

I have been bathing my 5 month old LO, then giving him a massage, which he loves, but the problems start when I get him dressed and he throws a right old wobbler, undoing all our hard work at getting him nicely relaxed and he gets himself into a tizz, meaning its hard to wind him back down again. I've tried starting the bath earlier, just incase he is getting overtired by the time I ready to pop him in his pj's, but to no avail!

He goes to bed around 6pm (tried later bedtime, but he then goes into meltdown). Once he is asleep, he is awake every 30-45 minutes until at least midnight and then again every two hours until he wakes up at 6am. I am shattered! I know the sleep pattern is just a phase (muttering a quiet prayer that it is JUST a phase!), but I would like to help him to fall asleep peacefully and get a good nights sleep for the pair of us.

When is his final feed? I found that with my two I'd bathe them, get them dressed again, and have a final bottle - then bed. Whatever happened after that is a blur except for the occasional night when there was excessive wind (theirs not mine) or some ailment.

Is the massage possibly over-stimulating him and waking him up too much in the evening? Could you swap that for an early in the day thing, like when he first gets up, perhaps?

I know massage is relaxing but it is also stimulating and it could be the problem.

And you should try leaving him to settle himself back down - they get used to it very quickly, and do it frequently through the night.

Hope helpful.

Sorry - you may well be letting him settle himself - you didn't say

I totally agree with above also try getting him dressed and undressed regularly during the day so he get more used to it. Try giving him a massage during the day before a nap and replace the evening with having cuddles and reading him a book after he's dressed. X x

does he have an afternoon nap (about 2 hours before bedtime) as sounds like he might need one?

my dd gets worked up during bath and pjs but then calms again during feed - do you do feed after pjs?