Working on the routine!

[S082018]

Hi all

My little one is now just over 7 weeks old. Before now, I've just been led by him in terms of sleeping/feeding, but there were regular nights when he wouldn't settle down fully for the night until 1am so I decided I needed to knuckle down and bring this a lot earlier.

I've tested out taking him up to bed for 7pm for the last two nights but both times he's not settling until around 10pm.
When I've taken him up earlier, he will fall asleep and I will place him in his next to me crib, but he will last a short period of time and will wake up regularly and I have to rock him back to sleep again. He will do this around 3 times, by which time he is due his next feed! When I've fed him again and re-settled him, he then settles into his sleep well and only wakes twice after this in the night which I can deal with!

For example, last night I took him up for 7pm and fed him. I then changed his nappy and did a gentle massage on his arms, legs and front with oil whilst I had gentle lullabies playing. (This is the first time I had tried a baby massage as part of his bedtime routine). I then rocked him to sleep and placed him in his crib for 8.15pm, in his swaddle sleeping bag.
3 times he woke up crying which eventually took us to around 9.30pm - so he was then due another feed. We did another feed and a nappy change and he was asleep and in his crib by 10.20pm. He then woke at 2.30am and 5.30am for feeds and then again at 9.15am where we then came downstairs and he had a play after his feed.
Whilst I'm pleased he only gets up twice in the night, I really want him to settle a lot earlier.

Any tips on how I can get him up to bed earlier without the constant initial waking/re-settling?

Might be useful to add that I am breastfeeding, although he does have one bottle of formula in the evening.
I keep the lights dimmed in the bedroom when he goes upstairs and also use white noise/instrumental lullabies to help settle.
He also has on average 3 naps in the day - mid-morning, afternoon (longest nap), late afternoon. I also don't let him go over three hours between feeds during the day.
At the moment, his wake up time in the morning varies - I'm wondering if this is where it starts?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Hi,
My name is Liz and I have been a maternity nurse for the last 15years and have looked after approximately 70 babies.
It sounds to me as though you are on the right track but maybe you could do with a more structured bedtime routine.
I would suggest nappy off time, bath, clean nappy etc.
Into a darkened room with swaddling muslin folded and ready.Also have a pre-prepared warm bottle to hand
Breastfeed as normal and then offer top-up bottle immediately.
Wind on your shoulder. Swaddle. Wind on your shoulder again.
When baby feels relaxed place into basket. Switch on Ewan or similar and put baby in basket. Leave the room, close the door and cross your fingers!!!
I would also suggest a last no-fuss feed at 11pm with a nappy change only if soiled or very sleepy.
Good luck
Remember: consistency is everything.

Your baby is only 7 weeks old. Stop stressing about a bed time routine. Take your baby downstairs with you and chill out with your partner. They will eventually fall asleep earlier upstairs quicker. You are lucky you only have to wake twice in the night!!

At 7 weeks there is no point at all in a bedtime routine. You'll spend all evening doing battle and end up exhausted and miserable with a partner you never get to spend time with. Have the baby downstairs with you and just go with it for the next month or so.