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Attachment Parenting
StarlitRN
member
struggling with bedtime routine
StarlitRN
member
I've read through the NCSS and have been trying to implement some of the suggestions but I am struggling with the bedtime routine!
We don't give baths at night because they seem to energize her more than relax (she loves having her baths in the morning!). I've tried just doing a massage with lotion but DD seems to hate it! She will let me rub her feet with lotion and sometimes her legs but she gets annoyed (bored?) with it quick and tries to roll away. She also won't sit for a book to save my life! Reading is one of my favorite things to do and I couldn't wait to have a LO to read to but you would think I'm torturing DD by sitting in the rocker to read! What else can I do?!
Currently I have just been waiting until I see sleepy signs (usually around 7pm) and then hurrying to put on PJs and night diaper before she gets worked up. I nurse her to sleep in our bed and she usually passes out by 7:30. Putting her to sleep is fairly easy.....but staying asleep is another matter! She is waking every 30 min until we go to bed (she calms quickly with a paci or the boob) and then wakes every 2+hrs during the night.
I'm sure this is the 4mo wakeful and I can handle it but I really want to start setting good bed routines/habits so this doesn't last forever. Anyone else have problems doing bedtime routines?
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Re: struggling with bedtime routine
For the PM routine, books and baths will come as she grows - but have you tried just winding down the whole house? 6:30p, get her in her night dipe and jammies then start turning down/off TV, turning down lights, lower your voice... then just follow her signs. When she seems tired, feed her and put her down.
For staying asleep, this sounds like a growth spurt esp. if she used to go longer than 2h between eating. The constant nursing is helping increase your supply to keep up with her next stage of eating! Also - can you turn on the TV or some white noise for her while she is in bed before you go to sleep? It might help her feel more secure as if you were in there?
I would keep on trying the book reading as part of the bedtime routine. Maybe a really short book like "Moo Baa La la la" by Sandra Boynton. And maybe not at this young age for LO, but when she gets older you could incorporate it into the routine.
Also, maybe rocking and singing a song to LO could be part of your routine. Our bedtime routine just has one more step on from the nap routine which I think helps DD sort out naps from bedtime (this could totally be in my head, but I think it helps). Maybe the short song will help her? GL!
I found this amazing book when I was pregnant with DS2 that was so in tune with what I wanted to do, but didn't know how to. "The Lull-A-Baby Sleep Plan" by Cathryn Tobin, MD. It was written by a midwife/pediatrician from Canada with 20 yrs exp. It has nothing to do with leaving them screaming or putting them alseep and then trying to sneak out. I loved nursing both my boys to sleep, but I learned I was setting up them and myself up for bad habits. Babies need to learn to put themselves to sleep (even in the middle of the night) and this book explains how to go about it without tears and screams, but with a happy baby. It worked like a charm for my DS2 and I even put the tactics to work for my older son (was 4 at the time) and it worked for him too. I definately plan on using it for DS3 when he gets here. Oh did I mention the plan only takes 7 days or less to work!
I am in the same boat - LO wants to go to bed at 6:30/7ish, and has no trouble falling asleep - it's the staying asleep that is the problem. She will usually wake up every 30/45 minutes until 9ish. She will go back to sleep sometimes if she just looks over and sees me, or if I keep a hand on her, so I'm not really nursing her every time. She will then sleep until 12 or 1, when she starts waking up every 2 hours to nurse.
She has always been a 2 hour waker, but just recently decided she was tired at 6:30. It was 8 and has slowly crept up.
I still feel it's too early for her to sleep on her own or fall asleep on her own regularly. I'm fine with being there for her. I think if she can put herself to sleep occasionally, that is a good start.