'routine' at 7 weeks old?

[Mummymoo_x]

I'm so jealous seeing baby's younger than my LB sleeping through the night & having some sort of routine!!
(Mostly FF babies)
I dont know how I'm supposed to get him into a routine as I'm supposed to 'feed on demand' anyone know or want to share their nighttime/bedtime routine on a 7 week or so old?

So far I give him a bath at 9pm, put him into pjs then feed him hoping it will settle him to sleep, but then wont sleep til 1am sometimes! & then he cries when put in his cot!! Haha but thats another story! x

 

[aliss]

Oh goodness! My BF baby has started to STTN mostly at 16 months! And my formula baby at 23 months! LOL!

I promise your baby is normal, it is really not expected to happen anytime earlier than 7 weeks, those are exceptions and not the norm.

 

[Mummymoo_x]

I wasnt expecting to not have a sleepless night for another 2 years yet! Lol just crazy how they do it ... lucky them!!

i do worry that my LO dont sleep enough sometimes though! Haha x

 

[aliss]

I wasnt expecting to not have a sleepless night for another 2 years yet! Lol just crazy how they do it ... lucky them!!

i do worry that my LO dont sleep enough sometimes though! Haha x

That can certainly happen, there are so many growth spurts in the beginning (8 weeks is another, 12 weeks, 17 weeks is a big one) that it will seem like baby always nurses and never sleeps. It's part of building your supply and it sucks, but it passes. Try and get some rest during the day.

I personally had a routine with #2 from day 1 - same method of going to bed/nursing, starting at 5pm (11pm with #1, they both set their natural bedtimes) and as time goes on, it gets ingrained in them.

 

[maisiemoo]

It's wholly dependant on the baby; some do, dome don't. I think it is more common in ff babies, but babies are supposed to wake frequently in the night. My first was feeding every two hours during the night until 6/7 months (breastfeeding) and she didn't sleep through the night regularly until 2.5 yrs. My second has slept an excess of 5 hours in one stint many times, she's also breastfed and the only difference between the two is that I've co-slept with her since birth (she's now 18 weeks).

With regards to routine, I tried to instil a routine with my 1st; bath, pjs, feed etc and then sitting in a dark room feeding, rocking in silence until she slept. This was more stressful than productive, resenting the hours upon hours trying to get her to sleep...then of course, this is when the thoughts 'what am I doing wrong?' Seep in. With my second, I go with the flow and I'm happier, my baby is happy and content. Win, win. For a while her bed time was around 1am (bit of a killer when my elder daughter wakes at 6am), which has been gradually brought forward by my baby (to currently 9pm). If I could turn back time with my first, i would ditch the idea of routines and simply not worry and enjoy; she taught me that it all falls in to place when they're ready.

 

[Mummymoo_x]

Thankyou!! I wasnt too worried about a routine. I feed him when hes hungry, he sleeps when hes tired etc. I just try to give him what he wants when he wants. But as hes a bit older now I wasnt sure if I was supposed to be getting him into a routine or not yet x

 

[maisiemoo]

I think it's about whatever feels right and works for you and your baby. There is no harm in trying to introduce a routine, who knows, baby may like it? I just wouldn't stress over it if it doesn't work out, especially as there are some major growth spurts within quick succession during the first few months that tend to throw everything out of sync. Then there's teething on the horizon, that's also not very compatible with routines

 

[halullat]

For me it was my LO who got himself into a routine, it was nothing we did or do, it isn't strict by any means but generally if he gets irritable I can make a reasonable guess as to why depending on the time of day. He's been like this for a good few weeks and he's 9 weeks old now and breastfed.

Honestly though we have done nothing, fed on demand etc. and he hates not being held so is generally on me or my husband. So I think it is down to the individual baby, I've heard people say bigger babies sleep for longer etc. and my LO is big (although it is mainly length) but I tend to assume that it is still down to the individual baby again instead of weight.

Also, once they are in a routine it makes it stressful when you have to do something which will affect it!

 

[Foogirl]

Although feeding on demand is generally held to be the best advice, it's not impossible to adjust that demand gradually so the demand becomes more constant. Our wee girl was fed on demand but that demand came every three hours on the dot. You could start by waiting just 5 minutes and gradually increase it. Babies do settle into their own routine eventually. Albeit the dreaded growth spurt and cluster feeding do screw it up from time to time.

Not sure about bigger babies sleeping longer. Ours was 3lbs 7oz at birth and has always been a sleep monster!

 

[Perplexed]

We didn't have a routine at 7 weeks and still don't really. We are completely baby led, feeding on demand and holding when baby needs to be held. She established her own bedtime, but that bedtime isn't 100% accurate every night.

Before 8 weeks I do recall being exhausted and stressed. It does seem like it'll be forever until normalcy is restored. But now at 14 weeks I've really come to terms with how short that period of time is. So hang in there, things will get better before you know it!

 

[BigAl]

I remember all this worrying (bringing back nightmares), my lo settled his own rountine at about 4m. It was just a case of working out the cues, but it will probably be obvious when it happens. 7w is very early.