When do you start to find a routine???

[Starlight84]

My son is 4 weeks today. Seems on only want to sleep on me!! Had couple of great nights last week where he slept in his bedside crib, feed later then back in the crib. But now he’s on me all the time on my chest in my bed! I swaddle him which he likes and has a Ewan the dream sheep. He likes looking/listening to that but after a few mins cries and then eventually I give in and pick him up! Mainly because I’m scared he will wake my other children (11&14yrs!! Huge gap 🙈) I’m a single mum as well so it’s not like I can share the duty with dad! I have forgot what I did with my other children!! I think it all kind of just fell into place! Thank you xx

I struggled with a routine until 3 months. Tried frequently but with a bit of colic, and the baby not seeming ready, I didn’t want to stress about it. I’m sure people have more luck than me, though. Once three months, the colic cleared and all of a sudden she loved the routine, started sleeping better each day, anticipating when to sleep etc. Then I got into a good sleep routine in terms of timings, and then once she’d got the hang of timings, worked on her sleeping in her own cot etc which I had struggled with before. I found the first 3 months full of cluster feeding, growth spurts, etc which messed with any routine I tried.

Thank you @Dori68. I think 4 weeks is too soon for me to be worrying about it really!! He slept well last night which was good in his bedside crib so will see how he goes tonight! Xx

@starlight84 that sounds good! Yes, I figured there’s plenty of things to worry about with a baby! Worth trying every so often and seeing how he responds though. Hope you have a good night tonight x

Trial and error until about 4 months, with "bedtime" gradually creeping back from about 10.30pm to 9pm then over the course of a week it shifted to 7.30pm as naps and feeds suddenly evened out.

Mine always slept in the crib between feeds as I wasn't confident enough to cosleep but maybe just check on the safety guidance for it so both of you (and your older two!) get as much sleep as possible.

Hey @modge! Yes I think that’s what I will hope that it will gradually get earlier and earlier!! I’m not keen on the whole co sleeping idea so it does worry me when he does come on my chest but I’m hoping it will get better and easier as we go along!! Xx

I'm sure that it will, I'm just always motivated to post on threads like this to counter all the "we had a bath and bed routine from 6 weeks" as I used to read those and despair.

As long as you're both getting safe and restful sleep, I don't think you have anything to worry about. You're obviously doing a wonderful job as a sole parent and have my full admiration for that!

Awww thank you @modge xx

I had a bedtime routine from early on of change to pjs, last feed in the dark and into Moses basket but that would be at the same time I went to bed and the rest of the routine didn’t form for months as I was just going with what my DD needed

Also we’d do our “night time routine” but she’d still be awake in 2 hours for a feed