8 week old bedtime routine??? Advice please

[Nini100]

Hi all
I have been trying since my baby was 2 weeks old a bedtime routine. It's the usual bath, boob, bed routine. It was goin ok
The past week my 8 week old is so fussy after her bath, crying, and fussing on boob or bottle. She gets herself into a right fit of tears it's horrible.
I'm not sure if the bath is causing too much excitement,....as she loves goin in but hates coming out.
Not sure if my feeds are correct through the day and if it's having a knock on affect for bedtime??
At the mo, the feeds are at the following times with naps between.
7am 10am 1pm 4pm after this she has a half hour cat nap then bathtime starts 5.30 then bed by 6.30/7pm after feed.
I really would love your suggestions and ideas on your routines for me to try out. I just want bedtime to be relaxing but at the mo it seems like a bit of a performance.
Thanks

Are you feeding on demand or are you setting the feeding times?

I wouldn't worry about it TBH. I think 8 weeks is a growth spurt point so she's probably just fussing because of that. As long as you're feeding her enough, and burping her well, she'll be fine.

I'm setting the feeding times andbshebdoes okay with them. Daytimes are bliss with her but I feel so bad at bath/bedtime, always such a performance over it all. I prob need to relax more too

I agree with AKMD about a growth spurt - but I'd also try feeding on demand as feeding to a schedule isn't really recommended when they're little. If it is a growth spurt she'll want feeding more often than 3 hourly anyway. Lots of BF babies cluster feed in the evenings which means they're basically on the breast ALL evening, in order to make sure they get enough!

In your shoes though, I'd have thrown the idea of a routine out of the window completely until DD was older - maybe 4 months. Either way, that seems like a very early bedtime for such a little baby.

I would start feeding on demand as there's a good chance that she isn't getting enough milk in the day if she's going through a growth spurt. Scheduled feeding won't allow for you to produce more milk at the times when your baby needs it.

Is there a chance that she is either sleeping too much in the day or not enough and getting overtired?

Also, you could try moving bedtime a little later when she shows signs of tiredness rather than using the clock as a guide as she might just not be tired enough to sleep at that time.

I didn't bother putting my twins in a bedtime routine until they were 16 weeks, they did not want to go to bed at 7pm so it resulted in running up and downstairs trying to resettle them all evening. They slept in their carrycots or were awake on us downstairs until 11pm bottle and then we put them to bed by which point they were tired. At 16 weeks we introduced play, bath, bottle and bed at 7 and they took to it straight away. I really think (and I should add I am a big routine fan) that when they are really little it just doesn't work and becomes stressful for you and the baby!

I didn't bother putting my twins in a bedtime routine until they were 16 weeks, they did not want to go to bed at 7pm so it resulted in running up and downstairs trying to resettle them all evening. They slept in their carrycots or were awake on us downstairs until 11pm bottle and then we put them to bed by which point they were tired. At 16 weeks we introduced play, bath, bottle and bed at 7 and they took to it straight away. I really think (and I should add I am a big routine fan) that when they are really little it just doesn't work and becomes stressful for you and the baby!

My DD was AWFUL in the evenings - we thought it was colic but if I'm honest I think she was over-tired and hungry most of the time. We started a routine from about 8 weeks - bath, milk, low lights, lullaby CD etc and sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. She often ended up back downstairs with us until she fell asleep. It will get better - I'd agree with the others on trying more milk but also there will always be one step forward and several steps back which feel like the end of the world but it WILL get better again. Promise!

Try cutting out the bath and just go straight to feeding her, she might be too tired for a bath. You can always bath her earlier in the day if you want to (or not, little babies don't need bathing very often). How long is she fussing/crying for, she might be better just feeding and cuddling you for the evening rather than trying to put her to bed at that time. I know lots of advice says that it's important to have a bedtime routine, but at this age I don't think it really matters or works for many babies.

Thanks for all the advice. I'm trying to follow the easy routine, but find the afternoons go a bit upside down with times etc.
Today I realised the fussing and wailing began from when she was taken out of the bath and being dressed. She wouldn't even take boob til she was calmed down half hour later.
I would cut out the bath but in relation to easy this would mean her waking up before eating and then bed again!?
I just hate the bath time becoming such an ordeal for us both.
Keep the suggestions coming

Try and just do a top and tail if you want an 'A' before sleepy time. Lots of babies kick off in the evening, this is a good website to explain it www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html
I think we found a little routine about 3 months.