When to start a routine?

[youaremychocolatecake]

I'm a second time mum and baby number 1 was, well just a nightmare really. I won't go into it too much but he had reflux, colic, sleep issues and a general attitude problem I read all the books and tried to have him in a routine but we didn't actually fall into one until much later. Can't remember when exactly.

Anyway baby number 2 is a much more laid back little chap. He sleeps a lot! Generally has a last feed at around 11-12 when I go up to bed and take him with me. He then goes in his cot until 5/6 when he wakes for a feed which I do in my bed and he sleeps in there with me until 9ish on a weekend (obviously earlier on school days) he will have another feed change and generally fall asleep again on the school run until 11/12. Then he's napping on and off all day really. Bit more wakey in the evenings and lots of cluster feeding.

So far I have been letting him lead the way with both feeding and sleeping but I'm just wondering if there's an age where i should start trying to put him to bed a bit earlier (big brother has bath at 7, bed at 7.30, sleep at 8) or if this will just happen naturally?

I am also wondering if I should put him up in his cot earlier with a monitor on rather than keep him downstairs. Then maybe he would be more wakey in the day instead of sleeping pretty much til midday.

Or do I just leave him be as his main chunk of sleep is the same as mine?

I'm aware I sound like a first timer but it all seems a long time ago and I'm just wondering really what other peoples experiences are?

TIA

What I did that worked a treat with DS was treat him as if he was sleeping through. So it'd be bath at about 6:30 bottle at 7, in his cot for 7:30. I didn't keep him up with me I just got him relaxed for 7:30 for bed. Then for feeds in the night try not to talk to them or make eye contact so it's as relaxed as possible. Make sure the room is dark too!

I did this every night and after about 4 nights he was sleeping a lot longer. Within a week or so he was sleeping 12 hours!

You have to be strict and make sure it's every night and you never change the routine so as not to confuse DC.
Make sure they are in bed at the same time every night.

Then towards the end when he was on one feed a night I halved his feed and he slept through the next night

I hope things get sorted soon
How old is DC?

Thank you. He is 10 weeks,
Sorry should have said that