Evening/bedtime routine and feeding

[Lauralee14]

Hi all,

My first baby girl is 12 weeks old this Thursday. Firstly, she is still feeding every 3 hours during the day (will go longer if out and about as loves being in buggy or car) what's everyone's experience with getting babies going longer between feeds - when did this happen for you?

Secondly, we still have baby in Moses basket in lounge with us in the evening and some evenings she doesn't sleep much until after 8/9pm feed, my husband waits up and dream feeds at 11pm. When did you all move baby upstairs in own room for evening and get them into a bedtime routine and how? Was thinking of just trying bath, massage, bottle at the same time every night in the hope she will be tired after and go down? Also don't feel ready to move her into own room for the whole night, want to have her in next to me cot until 6 months - is it ok to move her from big cot at dream feed?

Sorry for all the questions.

Any advice much appreciated.

Laura x

He didn't really start going longer between feeds til he was on solids at 6 months. Now even at 8 months he still has 5 bottles in 24 hours.

We started a consistent bedtime routine at about 3 months but it didn't have any discernible effect til about 5 months. We live in a flat all on one level so not really the same but baby was in our room for bedtime from about 10 weeks, he wouldn't sleep with us in the living room at all, got too distracted. Then in own room at 6 months.

Sounds like your doing really well! 3 hourly feeds were pretty standard for us for about 6 months until a bit of food added. We did 7, 10ish, 1ish, 4/5 then 630ish. Then put to bed after a bath (always with number 1, if I could be bothered with number 2!). Then a dream feed at 10ish or if they woke. The main thing I found was being good at making sure I got in all the day feeds and started the day regularly at the same time (wouldn't need to be 7 - that was mostly cos that was when toddler woke us all up). If they're fed up during the day and have been awake long enough, most will learn to sleep at night (well, my 2 did) :S. we often would have them sleep between 7 and 10 in one room, then relocate after the 10 feed (mostly cos of room limitations). Anyway, keep going! Before you know it they'll be much more independent and the sleep deprivation will be much improved. :)

Thanks very much, yeah I feel if I was in a flat I would feel more comfortable with her being upstairs. Good to hear your advice on feeding - thank you x

Ah thank you! So good to hear 3 hours ish is normal! She goes longer at night which is great, generally 11pm, then wakes at 4am (can sometimes get her to go off for a bit longer) then up at 7 ish. Do you think I should get her up at the same time every day even if feeding time differs eg not due until 8am? Xx

The sids guidelines is every sleep should be in a room with another person until 6 months. We did put her down in her cot in our room before bed as she had out grown the Moses basket and pram but i am not sure why we did not just put her in a travel cot.

My DD is 6 months and has a routine which she gradually settled herself into. It is not at a set time but we start it an hour after her last nap of the day.

If you don't need to get her up at the same time e.g. For school run then just left her sleep. Some days DD gets up at 6 sometimes it can be as late as 8.

We started bedtime routine at about 10 weeks. Bath, massage and bottle about 6.30 then put to bed in cosleeper cot in our bedroom with monitor on. We would then dream feed at 10.30 ish. Still woke for a feed around 4ish for a few weeks but I just kept pushing that feed later and later until it was dropped and he started sleeping through.

Also agree with the 3 hourly feeds in the day, does seem to help with night times!

My DS is 12 weeks on Friday and has been in a bedtime routine since about 2/3 weeks. We do bath, massage, big feed (9oz bottle - usual bottle is 6oz) and bed by about 8pm and that's him done till the morning...can be anywhere from 6.30-8.30! We put him in his cot in our room with the monitor on. We also have a breathing monitor under the mattress. He still feeds pretty much every 3 hours on the dot but occasionally will go 4 or even 5 hours between feeds depending how tired he is!