nighttime routine - bath at 6 or 7pm?

[caspercat]

Hi all. Quick Q. Have 7wk old daughter. Had to switch from breastfeeding to bottles at 6 wks old due to snacky feeding, not getting full etc. Also colicky. Now baby much more contented. Nighttime gen goes - bath & bottle at 7pm. She now sleeps through till 2-3am. Has bottle. Sleeps again till 6ish. Bottle. Wakes again 9ish. i think this is bloody good. However mum & dad staying for a week. they think i should bath and feed at 6pm, keep baby awake till 10pm, feed and then she should sleep till 6/7ish. Prob is, dh works till 6.30, he likes to come home and do 7pm bath/feed. then we get a couple of hours together for dinner and cuddles! I think as dd gets older she will automatically drop 3am ish feed. If i bath her at 6pm, dh will miss his time with her. Any thoughts? sorry, not such a quick question after all!!

It's up to you really caspercat, but if the current routine suits you and your dh then personally I would leave it as it is. I wouldn't try to keep a baby that young awake, it's just not fair. Also, when your parents have gone and the lo's routine has been messed about with, you and dh are the ones that are going to have to deal with it.

IU would stick to your guns, if it suits you.

My dp didn't get home till 7pm so we always did a late bath. It worked for us cos otherwise he would only see our dd at the week-ends. Eventually he did the bath all on his own and I would get some quiet time to myself. Some things your parents tell you are useful others just let them drift away. Don't argue just nod and say mmm...

I personally would do bath at 6pm then feed and bed by 7pm. Then get dh to do dream feed at 10 or 10:30pm then you should get woken for a 3-4am feed then hopefully will sleep till 7am?

Totally up to you but don't get bullied

Why do parents think they know better than you do? I think they forget what it was like being a new parent. Your daughter is doing fantasticly well for 7 weeks, and you have almost the same routine as I use for my ds, I originally tried to keep him awake until 9/10pm but he got really grumpy and we started bed at 7pm. I also do a dream feed at 11pm. The times need to suit you and she will drop her middle of the night feed in a few weeks time. I am sure your mum and dad are trying to help, but don't feel the need to justify yourself or explain your reasons, I find most effective way of dealing with advice is to smile and nod and then totally ignore it and do it your own way!! I bet you weren't sleeping that well at 7 weeks!!

Ta for all your advice. Re the dream feed at 10pm. Told by a friend that doing this means you'll never know when they want to drop a feed by themselves. Have tried it but she never wants to take much milk no matter what i try. Then wakes up about 3 anyway!!

I think the routine you've got works really well - I would have dreamt of that a year ago when DS2 was the same age. I read that ideally babies under 3 months should not be awake for more than 2 hours at a go, so keeping her awake wouldn't help her or you. It's great that your DH can have the time with her and that she is in bed in good time for an adult evening.

Think you shouldn't listen your parents, just stick with your routine as it looks like it suits you!

My DD had same routine (bath at 7pm, in bed by 8pm), now she's 4months and has dropped 2-3am feed, still sometimes has a feed at 6am but most days sleeps until 8-9am.

Thanks again everyone. It really helps to get other peoples thoughts. Will stay as we are cos i think time with dh very important. And dd seems loads happier. Have a good weekend!