12 week old bedtime

angeldelight

We have a 12 week old and up until now we've been very much baby-led in terms of when she goes to bed, feeds etc. We're lucky in that she has slept through almost every night since 5.5 weeks so while I'm reluctant to change things I would like to bring her bedtime back a bit earlier.

She currently has last feed around 10/11 depending on when she gets hungry so it can be 11.30/12.30 by the time she's settled and in a deep sleep. We are generally night owls anyway so that part isn't too bad just it would be nice to have some time to ourselves in the evening. In saying that, the last few nights she's been really cranky at her last feed and screaming blue murder while drinking and when I go in to see if I can help (hubby gives last bottle) she's clearly exhausted looking so I'm thinking she actually wants to be in bed earlier.

If we put her to bed earlier though we'll be struggling to get enough formula into her. Eg yesterday she woke at 9.45am so she had bottles at 10, 2.30, 6.20 and 10. If she went to bed earlier she'd be missing a feed and she only had 4 as it is! She didn't drink much of the 10pm one at all. She doesn't drink a standard amount at every feed either so while we make 7oz bottles she only finishes one a day, she could drink anywhere from 3-6oz at the others.

Her bedtime routine is usually change, cuddles and song and into bed - I don't really want to give her a bath every night

Sorry for the essay - totally fighting against my plan to let her decide what she wants/needs as I'm doubting that I'm doing the right thing

pwurple

You could try the Dream Feed?

Put her to sleep after the second last feed, and lift her again for the 10 o click one

moving_home

God she's some sleeper! My 6 month old still has never slept like that. If she's going to bed earlier she will wake earlier I'd imagine. I would try bringing her day time bottles closer together maybe by 15mins each for a couple of days. She will probably then have her last feed around 9 then and wake a bit earlier the following day which will set you up for going back to 4 hourly intervals again.

Ken Shamrock

angeldelight wrote: »

We have a 12 week old and up until now we've been very much baby-led in terms of when she goes to bed, feeds etc. We're lucky in that she has slept through almost every night since 5.5 weeks so while I'm reluctant to change things I would like to bring her bedtime back a bit earlier.

She currently has last feed around 10/11 depending on when she gets hungry so it can be 11.30/12.30 by the time she's settled and in a deep sleep. We are generally night owls anyway so that part isn't too bad just it would be nice to have some time to ourselves in the evening. In saying that, the last few nights she's been really cranky at her last feed and screaming blue murder while drinking and when I go in to see if I can help (hubby gives last bottle) she's clearly exhausted looking so I'm thinking she actually wants to be in bed earlier.

If we put her to bed earlier though we'll be struggling to get enough formula into her. Eg yesterday she woke at 9.45am so she had bottles at 10, 2.30, 6.20 and 10. If she went to bed earlier she'd be missing a feed and she only had 4 as it is! She didn't drink much of the 10pm one at all. She doesn't drink a standard amount at every feed either so while we make 7oz bottles she only finishes one a day, she could drink anywhere from 3-6oz at the others.

Her bedtime routine is usually change, cuddles and song and into bed - I don't really want to give her a bath every night

Sorry for the essay - totally fighting against my plan to let her decide what she wants/needs as I'm doubting that I'm doing the right thing

If you put her to bed earlier she will wake up earlier, she will still be awake for the same amount of hours each day meaning you will still have enough time to get 4 feeds In.

It just means you will have to get out of bed earlier :P

Call me Al

What I tried to do with our babies after about the 2 month mark was to put them down in their cot around 8pm. We did a dream feed around 11pm, and they usually slept to early morning (once they didn't need the 3/4am feed).
After a while we weaned them off this dream feed and by about 5/6 months they slept fairly regular hours for the most part.
On the other side of my approach my sister fed on demand, until her babies were two, and this worked well for her and suited the dynamics of her household.
I'm fortunate enough to have happy well adjusted children and nieces, so I don't think one way is really any better than the other.
If I were you I wouldn't worry too much about the approach you use.

Call me Al

I don't necessarily believe that she will wake that much earlier, as her internal bodyclock adjusts and matures.

Do they not need something like 16/18 hours sleep a day or more at your child's age?

Eta you will find though that you'll need to restructure her daytime feeds and naps to allow for a longer nighttime sleep.