Bedtime routine for 3 month old?

jamalynn

DD used to be nursed to sleep, but we are trying to break that.  For the past 2 weeks we have done BF, diaper and pj's, play, rock, and then bed.  We had to add in the play because DD would wake up while I was putting on her pj's and was now not ready for bed.  When I BF'ed her to sleep, she would only wake up once (to feed).  Now she wakes up 5 times I night (I only feed once and the other times I rub her belly and put the pacifier in her mouth).  Does anyone have any advice or tips?  We start her bedtime routine when she yawns and that varies from 7:45pm to 8:30pm.

seanswife

Maybe earlier bedtime?  Can't help you on the not nursing thing because we are still there.

 

Have you tried just seeing if she will go back to sleep?  DD sometimes wakes up prematurely at night and will fuss a little but after about 5 minutes she goes back to sleep.  She has a REALLY early bedtime right now because she doesn't nap during the day no matter what I do....she's in by 6:15.  She sleeps for 8 hours, wakes up at about 2:30 for a feed, and then goes back to bed until around 6.

Lucky_Dragonfly

unless he ate 30min before we get ready for bed I always make something to give him before bed whether its a full bottle or a half bottle just to fill him up so he sleeps longer and the food also relaxes him to drift off to sleep.

garden123

This is what we do (we start around 7:15, before he's too tired):

change diaper and put on pjs

maybe play a little on the changing pad (smiles, giggles, that kind of thing, nothing too stimulating)

feed

read one book if he doesn't seem too tired.  Stop talking to him.

turn on sound machine

turn off light (just use light from hall or the closet to see, so it's low light)

put him down in his papasan chair (which is in his crib - he sleeps in it because he had bad reflux), swaddle him, give him paci.

Turn on vibration of chair (we plan to stop this soon, which I expect to go well since he STTN (8 pm - 7 or 8 am) already. and I don't have to turn it on for naps)

Leave the room and turn off all lights (no night light).  If he cries, we go in to put paci back in, but no talking.  Rarely, we have to turn on the vibration again to get him to settle down.  Only once did we have to put him in the car to drive (but it was after a trip and I think he was off kilter and over tired).

 

gobigblue

i'd still take out the play.  i'd go from changing her immediately to rock - that way she'll learn it's not playtime.  do you swaddle and/or do you have a noise machine?  i realize those are also props, but it might help w/ the transition.

RikaNTim05

ditto pp about taking out the play.  It may send her mixed signals about what time it is (playtime vs. bedtime).  Maybe reading a book or quiet singing instead?  Our bedtime routine at 3 months (and still is now at 4 months):  Starts at 6pm: bath, lotion, jammies, bottle, bed by 6:45 or 7pm.  He sometimes falls asleep while eating but lately he hasn't been doing that as much.  If he doesn't fall asleep while eating I put him down anyways and he usually tosses and turns for 5-10min and is out.