My LO is 8 weeks now and I feel like I've just been in a whirlwind with no routine whatsoever.... However for last couple weeks in morning after feed I have been putting her down for sleep (awake) in cot with no probs, she sleeps for couple hours. She has always been unsettle at night and will wake as soon as put her down so has spent nights until midnight feed asleep on us. She's feeding every 1.5 hours in evening now and just generally seems unsettled all night until as I said around midnight. She's exclusively bf and in day will go 2-3 hours between feeds. So I'm feeling like I can't get a handle on things, I want to get into a good routine ESP in evenings ad be able to ou her down in cot without waking and consequently fussing and crying until u take her out! Is t too young to leave o cry to sleep? She's been sleeping in bed with us as its easier but really want I break that habit! Any advice welcome

It's very hard to set a routine for such a young baby, you really need to just go with the flow and have a 'baby led' routine until they're a little older. Pretty soon things come together.
Maybe in the evenings you could start giving a bath, story, feed, and lullaby in the same order at the same time...this is how we got our night time routine sorted as they soon begin to find comfort in knowing what is going to happen next every night.
Feeding frequently in the evenings is completely normal for a newborn! It's known as 'cluster feeding' and is very common. Breastfed babies cluster feed in order to boost your milk supply during growth spurts etc, you shouldn't try to avoid this. 1.5 hours is pretty good, in the first few weeks my LO fed every 30 mins!
I personally think it's far too early to leave your baby to cry to sleep, newborns don't cry for no reason...they only have tiny tummys that can hold a tiny amount of milk so will need a lot of top ups. You also have to remember he/she has only been in the world for 8 weeks, it's all very new and scary...babies need there mummy's! Maybe your expecting too much too soon?

I asked my HV the same question around this time. My LO was breastfed up until 4 weeks old, I then put her onto formula as my milk dried up. By this time she was supposed to be feeding every 4 hrs, she would wake usually around 3hrs or so for a feed (during the day) she would wake any time after 2hrs looking for a feed (in the middle of the night). She just wouldnt settle at night. My HV suggested feeding every 3hrs during the day until midnight (last bottle) and then leave her be. Within a few days she slept 5-6hrs... By 11 weeks she was sleeping 9hrs. She is 17 weeks and still only sleeps the 9hrs but I'm very happy with this.

I think its much harder to try and put the baby into a routine when BF. I think you'll have to let her lead the way and you'll follow until she's a little older. I agree with above, start a bedtime routine and see if that makes a difference

Sorry I'm not much help

Good Luck

I've had my little guy in a routine for nearly 2 weeks (he's 6 weeks tomorrow), and so far it's the best thing I've done and it's going good. I bath him around 6.15-6.30, give him a bottle and we have cuddles until he's nearly asleep then he goes in his cot. He doesn't always go to sleep straight away, so if he's still awake after his bottle we cuddle and have a story or I sing to him. I try to keep it calm. He is usually asleep by 8pm, although it has been as late as 9pm a couple times.

I think a bath/bottle/bed routine is a good habit to get into even if your LO doesn't go to sleep. It may help to calm and soothe her and she will eventually come to realise that bethtime means bottle and bottle means bed. It's worth a try but be flexible, if she wakes up she wakes up, feed, cuddle... Do whatever she needs to settle her. But straight back in her cot/whatever you sleep her in when she starts to fall asleep. As long as you don't leave her to cry I don't see what harm it will do. And she will eventually get the idea, even of its just for a couple hours to start with.

XxX

Hi. I'm having the same problem with my 10 week old. Are you other ladies leaving your babies in their/your bedrooms or are you going to bed with them so early? I have been letting my son sleep in his travel cot downstairs until I'm ready to go to bed, then I bring him upstairs with me. Maybe it's time I get the baby monitor out and put him to bed early.

My LO is 11w and for the past 3w I've done this:

Around 630-7 oh undresses LO and gets her ready for bed.
He reads her a story on the dresser whilst ages awake and then hands her to me around 7-730

At 730 I take her into our room and lie her down on my bed and lie next to her feeding (bf)

After about half an hour of feeding, winding etc she falls asleep and I transition her to her crib next to me bed.

I tried a number of things early on and didn't work..this does. She will then stay in her crib until around 11-12 and wake for another feed...

Hi My LO has always led the way during the day, but from about 2 weeks we started a routine of nappy off time with story/play, bath, feed and bed. Obviously when she was tiny it was just to get her used to the idea so she got to know what was coming. I used to bf her in a darkened room with no noise, and stay as long as it took for her to doze off. This was upwards of 2 hours but got less and less, (she also brought forward her bedtime herself, clue? VERY grouchy baby!)Cant remember specifically now but think it was around 8 weeks she was self settling first time of trying about 6.30/7pm. She enjoyed the routine and even if she was in fits of sleepy tears, as soon as we put her on her mat for nappy off time she knew and was instantly calm! She is still good as gold now at 7 and half months at bedtime. hth

btw, it took perserverence and a lot of patience - i remember wondering if i would ever get me time ever again! And feeling like giving up and just taking her back downstairs but so glad i stuck with it. It makes all the difference being able to have a few hours to be just 'you' again.

Routines are no good for such young baby's, there tummys are still tiny so need to feed little and often, at 8 weeks your baby's tummy is about the size of a walnut. Your baby is cluster feeding to help build up your milk supply and should not be discouraged. Feeding every 4 hours is the maximum time a baby should go with out food, not a minimum. And yes your baby is far too young to be left to cry. Baby's cry for a reason and those reasons shouldent be ignored.

I dont agree with you saying routine is not good for babies. My LO always got fed whenever she wanted, never slept through the night and still doesnt now. Just because we have a nightly routine in place doesnt mean she is neglected. I agree about not letting them cry though, i never have and never will, now she is older i do let her whinge but there is a difference imo.