Author Topic: 6 week old--establishing earlier bed time  (Read 907 times)

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Offline blt10

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6 week old--establishing earlier bed time
« on: October 26, 2016, 17:27:43 pm »
Looking for some night time help with my 6 week old. We wake somewhere around 8 AM right now and follow the EASY schedule throughout the day. I get great naps for the first two of the day then it starts to get a bit dicey with the witching hours.

Right now, we do a little bed time routing around 7 which includes bottle, bath (some days), lotion, PJs, swaddle and cuddling. Then maybe she'll take a quick nap. Then she'll wake up and around 9 want to eat and then she's up and fussy. She'll finally fall asleep around 11 for the night. We'll do another feed around 12:30 (she's usually very sleep--does this count as a dream feed?). Then she'll sleep til 4:30-5 before she wants to eat again.

I want to know how I can get her better prepared for bed time earlier than 11. Any suggestions?

Offline blt10

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Re: 6 week old--establishing earlier bed time
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2016, 01:04:56 am »
any help here?

Offline jessmum46

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Re: 6 week old--establishing earlier bed time
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2016, 12:49:47 pm »
Hi and welcome, sorry you've not yet had any other replies.

I think it sounds like you are doing all the right things :)  establishing a nice consistent calming bedtime routine that you start at around the same time each day is a really good thing to get started early on so well done!  You can also ensure that even if she is awake, the hours you consider 'night' are dark and quiet and the day time (naps aside) is light and bright/noisy.  She will get the idea, eventually, but at 6 weeks many babies don't really 'do' the early bedtime thing and many will fuss all evening long before settling down properly.  Really only time fixes that!  You can think of some ways to get through it though - wearing her in a sling for example can help when she is fussy. 

The only thing I'd probably be a bit careful of is that 12.30 feed - it does sound like you are doing it as a dream feed as she is asleep, but typically the dream feed is done about 3-4h after settling for the night as it can mess with night sleep if not done at the right sort of time.  Perhaps one to leave for now and just let her wake to eat when she is hungry?  Then re-establish a dream feed once her bedtime comes a touch earlier?  But entirely up to you - if it seems to be working for now theres no reason to change x