When to start a routine

[Mamaux]

My baby is 8 weeks old and I've noticed that he tends to fall asleep at 6pm for a good 5 hour stretch. He doesn't sleep more than 2.5 hours the rest of the night. I read that they have to be in the same room as you until they're 6 months, so have been putting him in his moses basket downstairs. I then Potter about for a bit and try to nap on the sofa but I don't get a decent sleep.

Tonight, I've put him to bed at 7, and although I am hoping for some shut eye with an early night later, I've got bits to do. Would you start a routine this early and dies anyone leave their child upstairs whilst they're downstairs? I do have an angelcare monitor. TIA

My son probably wasn’t 8 weeks, more like 12 weeks, but as soon as he started doing those longer stretches I’d leave him upstairs until I went to bed. It’s not the advice though. But I also wouldn’t always stay in the room with him when he fell asleep during the day (as in, if he fell asleep in the lounge, I’d happily crack on doing laundry and prepping dinner in the kitchen). Ultimately, you’ve got to do what you feel comfortable with. A well rested mum is important for safety too.

I really don't understand the staying in the same room as your sleeping baby until 6 months rule. It's supposed to be because hearing your breathing helps them regulate theirs which reduces chance of SIDS - but there's no way my baby can hear my breathing over the sound of the white noise if in the bedroom or over the TV/washing machine if we're in the living room when they're on. If anyone could explain this to me I would be very grateful!
I leave my 8 week old sleeping in the bedroom from 8pm but I have a small one bed flat and come and check on her regularly. I only.get one longish sleep starting from then too, only four or five hours though....

@mswales

I really don't understand the staying in the same room as your sleeping baby until 6 months rule. It's supposed to be because hearing your breathing helps them regulate theirs which reduces chance of SIDS - but there's no way my baby can hear my breathing over the sound of the white noise if in the bedroom or over the TV/washing machine if we're in the living room when they're on. If anyone could explain this to me I would be very grateful! I leave my 8 week old sleeping in the bedroom from 8pm but I have a small one bed flat and come and check on her regularly. I only.get one longish sleep starting from then too, only four or five hours though....

They don’t need to hear it, they feel it. They were inside you so they’re in tune with you.

They regulate their breathing, temperature, heart rate etc. based on yours and they can only do that in the same room.

Not only that but it prevents them going into too deep a sleep to decrease SIDS too.

A monitor cannot help with any of this and will not save your baby if something were to happen; it’s a false sense of security and pretty pointless.

No, you should stay in the same room as baby for all sleep until 6 months due to SIDS.

Routine isn’t that important. What is important is establishing day and nighttime and following age appropriate wake windows.

I didn't leave alone before 6mths no. But if they're asleep in the Moses basket downstairs can you not just move it upstairs with them in it when you're ready for bed? Routine will come soon enough, don't sweat that bit for now.