update on progress with bedtime routine

[Racheltol]

Well, we are having some success with starting a bed-time routine at about 7.30 - bath, feed, cries in arms, maybe more feed, sleeps! She is now sleeping between 10 and 11, a great improvement, but doesn't sleep for as long and wakes up more frequently - grrr! I'd also like to spend less than 3 hours getting her to bed! Am trying Pantley's tips and still hoping to avoid cc. Any stories of positive experiences with this approach would be warmly welcomed...

How old is your LO? It used to take ages (up to 3 hours) to get DS off to sleep, but a regular bedtime routine, making sure he napped and got plenty of fresh air during the day and (prob most important) him getting a bit older improved things no end. Now takes 30 mins on average to feed him and get him to sleep. Some nights it does take longer, especially if he's overtired or cross about something. Some nights it's shorter (these are rare!). He's still waking frequently, but that's another story...

Have you tried starting your routine a bit earlier? I try and bathe DS at about 6pm (earlier if he looks like he's getting tired) then when he's obviously tired we can go straight into the cuddle, feed sleep bit. If I wait too long, he gets overtired and cries for ages.

Just saw this reply! Thanks. She is nearly 11 weeks now and we are still seeing improvement in the time taken to go to sleep - now more like an hour and a half. Thinking about starting routine earlier. One question re that - do you do a 'dream feed' or does your LO wake up again for a feed before you go to bed?

Getting her to nap in the day is another story, although as I type she has gone down for a lunchtime nap, which is almost unheard of!

How old is your LO?