Bedtime routine for 5 month old

[Ange01]

Hi everyone
I am trying to establish a bedtime routine for my 5 month old son. Up until recently I have been bathing at 7pm, get dressed, story, breast feed, cuddle/rock to sleep before transferring to cot by 7.45/8pm. My ultimate goal is to put ds in bed awake but am just taking baby steps at the moment as I recently tired putting him down awake and it didn't work at all.
I was recommended by the childrens centre to feed first then bath and bed but this has not been very successful. The baby gets very excited when daddy comes home and is not interested in feeding. They said its important not to have feeding as the last thing I do so am looking to try something new.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!

My sleep consultant hv said not to feed last thing but only >6mo otherwise feed before bed was still recommended. I know a month doesn't seem very long but they change so fast! I moved feed before bath at 8 months because we had managed to get her going down awake by 6months and then when she starte crawling well at 7mo she was so knackered she would fall asleep on the breast - after four weeks of trying to avoid this with super-early nights I decided instead to do feed before bath. If you want to try though could you not feed him somewhere quiet away from daddy?

Fwiw at 5 months our routine was bath at 6.15, leg massage, into sleepsuit, breastfeed, cuddle and story, then little song, then hold until asleep then into cot. At 5.5 months we started putting in cot awake - used the consultant but in retrospect we knew it was the right time because we had stopped rocking and she normally only cried a few mins before dropping off on our laps. Started usually dropping the song after that too (dh not keen!). Also now give her a toothbrush to chew while getting dry after bath - should probably have starte this earlier so you could try adding that...

Sounds like you have a decent routine though! I'd say just stick with it and gradually ease back on the rocking. It will only take a few nights to get used to falling asleep in the cot with you there next to him then you can do gradual withdrawal to get out of the room!

Thanks for that fififrog
I think I will continue feeding after bath until 6 months but maybe put him in his grow bag after the feed just to break to feed-sleep association slightly.
Good idea about the toothbrush. He hasn't got any yet but am sure the tiny teeth are not too far away!!!

Yeah DD only got first tooth at 9 months so I kind of ignored the issue despite dentist saying "start asap to get her used to it". Partly because she also said brush teeth after feedin and I couldn't see how that would work until I moved the last feed. Now it provides some compensation for forcing her out of the bath - I think she likes the toothpaste!

Good idea re grobag, can't actually remember when we did bag, but DD never managed to fall asleep feeding anyway - then she wouldn't have had time to scream ;-)

I forgot to say that lot took about 30-40 mins, and we cut bits out (massage, story) if v tired or grumpy!

Best of luck