7 week old - bedtime

[hoover1234]

Hi all FTM here with my DD who is 7 weeks old. Everything's been going fine but now I'm not sure whether to try and establish some sort of a bedtime routine as at the moment she only settles in the crib when we go to bed so she has been staying with us until we go to bed which can be quite late (although she's not necessarily awake)
I've been reading a lot of people have their newborns in a vague sort of routine at bedtime by 6.30/7 which seems near on impossible for me. Where am I going wrong?

Our 10wk old stays downstairs with us until we go to bed around 10. I really think a bedtime routine this early is pointless unless you really want one (I do understand that desire for some evening time!). The baby is meant to sleep in the same room as you until 6m anyway.

I remember stressing about a routine with my dd but this time round I'm being much more relaxed, they'll normally fall into a pattern themselves either by zonking out at a certain time or getting overtired every night, my ds is not quite there yet.

Thank you for your reply it makes me feel much more relaxed about it all! I'll continue enjoying evening cuddles

Yup just let them sleep as much as possible and don't get too worried about it right now. DS used to nap on his sleepyhead in the lounge with us and then go to bed properly with us between 10 and 11. As he got older he'd usually sleep from about 8 and we'd wake him to take him up/give him his final feed. Then at 6m we'd take him up to bed around 8 and follow later.

Routines work for some parents and babies but we just followed his patterns and I think we had a more relaxed time as a result.

Just go with the flow or you'll drive yourself mad. The older they get, the sooner they need to go to bed. So you may get a proper bedtime at around 6 months. The baby's supposed to stay in the same room as you in till then anyway.