Getting a baby into a routine

[Mazzatron]

How do you 'get' a baby into a routine?

My baby is 11 weeks. Ive been trying to introduce a bedtime routine of bath bottle bed this week, for around 7:30 - 8pm.

Some nights it's worked quite well but the last few not at all. I rock him to sleep and it's taken 2 hours the last 2 nights.

Ive been feeding on demand every 3 - 4 hours and don't understand how to start a feeding schedule either. Without him screaming the house down when hungry?

I dont remember this with my son I think he settled easily into a rough feed and nap routine but can't remember what age. I rocked him to sleep until 11 months.

They are very different babies,
my current baby has been extremely colicky and has CMPA and silent reflux but it seems to be well managed now.

I'm desperate for some routine (or at least a bit more predictability) but am I starting this whole thing too soon? Tonight I did the bedtime routine and rocked him to sleep in 15 mins, he slept for 20 and now he's awake and in party mode again... at least he's not screaming. Yet!

Our method was bath - massage - bottle - bed. We weren't strict on timings I.e. She didn't have a set bedtime, we just went by how long she had been awake.

It's not for everyone but we sort of went along the lines of 'cry it out' in that once we had put her down if she cried, we would wait 5 mins before going in, then 10... 15 etc. When we went in, we would stroke her back or her head to calm her. We never picked her up. We had a camera set up in her room as well. It feels like it takes forever, but they do quickly learn that not every whimper gets a response. That sounds awful, but it paid off for us as now she's so good that we know if she cries then she's definitely telling us there's something wrong. Nowadays shes falling asleep mid massage! It's hard work and pulls on your heart strings a lot but it definitely was the best thing we did.

Avoid rocking to sleep as that might cause him to wake more frequently. Imagine he falls asleep in your arms, wakes and realises he's somewhere different. He'll fully wake and be crying for you.

That's just what worked for us. Hope you find a routine which works for you