Our routine- sound ok?

[Mrs Pto be]

Hi ladies, could you tell me if the routine i have at the moment is ok, or am i doing something wrong, hence why Oliver still doesnt sleep through the night and cannot self settle, he has to either be rocked, dummy or have his fav blanket OVER his face before he will go to sleep. This is roughly what we do each day , it does vary though-

8am- 7oz bottle
10:30am - nap for bout 40 mins
12- 7oz bottle
1.30pm- half a jar of food
2.30- nap, again for about 40 mins to an hour
4pm- 7oz bottle
6.30pm- another nap for an hour
8pm - 7-9oz bottle
Bedtime rarely before 9.30pm, he just wont go to sleep.

thanks

 

[Louppey]

Your routine looks fine to me, but I would say maybe he's not napping enough in the day and that's why he's unsettled at night? How many times does he normally stir? Is he waking for a feed, or just for dummy etc.

Coralie *generally* STTN now, but that's only been in the past couple of weeks. She can self settle herself to go to bed, but if she wakes up in the night she can't and will need her dummy to settle her back off.

I normally dreamfeed her at 10pm. If she takes her dreamfeed she generally sleep through. If she doesn't - no chance!!!!

 

[Mrs Pto be]

he normally stirs at 2am, takes me sometimes an hour to get him back to sleep, he sometimes wants a feed ( he takes 4oz maximum in the night so not sure if im misenterpreting him waking as hungry ), but for the last few nights hasnt had a bottle, just has his dummy and wants his blanket on his face ( obviously i then have to stay awake until he's gone to sleep to take blanket off him then ). he normally wakes then bout 4am and gets up at 06.30am ( i have made the mistake of putting him our bed after he wakes at 4am as this is the only way i can get hime to sleep - i know i shouldnt but im so tired ! ). x

 

[thenymom]

You don't need approval from anyone on the Internet! If it works for you, then go ahead.

 

[Louppey]

he normally stirs at 2am, takes me sometimes an hour to get him back to sleep, he sometimes wants a feed ( he takes 4oz maximum in the night so not sure if im misenterpreting him waking as hungry ), but for the last few nights hasnt had a bottle, just has his dummy and wants his blanket on his face ( obviously i then have to stay awake until he's gone to sleep to take blanket off him then ). he normally wakes then bout 4am and gets up at 06.30am ( i have made the mistake of putting him our bed after he wakes at 4am as this is the only way i can get hime to sleep - i know i shouldnt but im so tired ! ). x

Well if i'm being completely honest, this sounds exactly like Coralie was when she was your LO's age. It's literally been the last couple of weeks she's been more settled at night. She'd wake, and sometimes go straight back off with a dummy but sometimes want company/rocking to sleep. It would be around 1am and 3am so she was an hour ahead of your LO!!!

I think just roll with it for now, and hopefully your LO will start sleeping through for you soon enough

Do you have a bedtime routine? I do bath/bottle/bed, although I only do bath every couple of days. After the bath I keep Coralie upstairs (in her nursery), black out blind closed and the door closed so it's dark and I feed her and sing to her before laying her down.

The blanket thing is annoying!!! Seeing as you have to stay awake Have you thought about trying him with a comforter of taggie that he can hold instead? Or even a teddy? Coralie has a slumber bear which she snuggles into every night and she strokes his ears as she drifts off

You don't need approval from anyone on the Internet! If it works for you, then go ahead.

I don't think the OP was looking for approval, she just wants reassurance that she's doing nothing wrong as her LO isn't sleeping through the night.

 

[cowboys angel]

I think it sounds just fine! I agree though, a "comfort object" may help. My LO is 4 months and can self settle and sttn. She has an eeyore blanket thing, dunno what they're called. It's a soft blanket with eeyores head on it. She rubs her face against it and falls asleep.

There's nothing wrong with taking your LO into your bed. We part time cosleep. If it's not for you, then fine, but if it helps her go back to sleep and gets you a little more sleep...I'd just go with it. You're no good to her without your sleep.

 

[Mrs Pto be]

thanks Louppey- he does have a few comforters but doesnt like them lol he just likes his blacnket ( its only a cheapie cellular blanket from tesco lol ). hopefully he'l settle down soon, just gets a bit frustrating when everyone keeps telling me he should be SSTN by now, makes me feel like im doing something wrong x

 

[Louppey]

thanks Louppey- he does have a few comforters but doesnt like them lol he just likes his blacnket ( its only a cheapie cellular blanket from tesco lol ). hopefully he'l settle down soon, just gets a bit frustrating when everyone keeps telling me he should be SSTN by now, makes me feel like im doing something wrong x

Oh I have sooooo been there. People looked at me like I was a sh*t parent just because Coralie didn't STTN. She still doesn't all the time now. I just figure she's a baby, if she wants Mummy in the night I may aswell try and enjoy it while it lasts cause when she's 18 she's not going to wake me for a cuddle I love snuggly cuddles anyway

If it's a cellular, I may consider leaving it. I'm sure they'll be lots of people who disagree with that comment but they're holey so breathable and LO will take it off if it bothers him. Coralie has just learnt the art of rolling and now sleeps with her face planted to the mattress I hate it! Every morning I go in there and think is she alive!!!!! But she is, and she gets uber grumpy if I roll her back over. So I just leave her be. They're very aware now, they will move/move the blanket if they need too.

Although that's totally your decision and I would understand if you weren't okay with that. If you're not comfortable with the cellular, perhaps a muslin would be better?

 

[Mrs Pto be]

hmm didnt think of a muslin, could possibly try that. think id be a bag of nerves tho lol. think i am too caucious sometimes but as a first time mum i worry a lot. Oliver is rolling as well, he can roll onto his stomach but hasnt figured out how to roll back yet, he really wants to crawl as well but just goes round in circles, he gets so frustrated ! thanks for the advice, much appreciated. x

 

[4 leaf clover]

My LOis nearly 4.5 months & im trying to establish a good routine as she doesnt sleep through either. I'm finding the better she sleeps in the day, she sleeps better at night but She wakess lots for her dummy and has her muslin over her mouth as that is how she settles x

 

[lyns20]

that sounds exactly how my son is! but hes gradually getting better. i was told to stop his baby food for a few days and thats helped so ive just started feeding him again and seems ok x

 

[CharlieP]

For what its worth I think every child is different and whatever works for you and your LO is good.

If I were you I wouldn't get too hung up about dummy's etc - My oldest has one and he loves it - it was a bit of a pain in the A in the early days when he coulodn't put it back in himself but I wouldn't change it - its his "thing" (and I'm sure every child has one)... I don't think any child can truly self settle without their "ting" whether its an object, or routine etc.

Your LO will STTN when they are ready.

xx