establishing a bedtime routine

[Deleted]

DD is only 12 days old, so I know it's probably far too early to set-up any kind of schedule for her...but I want to start thinking about it.

For now, she is eating every 3 hours during the day (with me waking her sometimes to feed) and I am letting her wake me up through the night. Since we've been home from the hospital, she has gone about 4-5 hours between feedings overnight. So depending on what time she wakes in the morning will determine the 3-hour schedule for the day.

Example: yesterday she slept until ~9am, eating every 3 hrs from that point. I did a dream feed at 9pm and 12am. She woke up at 4am and 8am to eat again. So today, she ate at 8am, 11am, etc. I plan on doing a dream feed again at 8pm, 11pm and then let her go. Hopefully you see what I'm trying to figure out...there's no real consistency from day to day.

At what age do you start a bedtime routine and what time do you start it? Our pedi said bathing is once a week...and her cord stump is still attached so I've just been wiping her down. It seems like many people give baths more frequently than that, read stories, etc.

Also, do you wake your newborn to start a bedtime routine? Or do you wait until they are more alert to establish a set bedtime? I hate to really wake her up for fear that she won't go back to sleep. I am finding she is awake a good amount in the morning and early afternoon, but sleeps most of the afternoon and evening away. Are we doing something wrong here, or am I just craving a routine/predictability that won't exist for a while?

[ijack]

I'd wait until she's more alert and then her bedtime will be the one before you do a dream feed.

[Deleted]

I started a bedtime routine at about 4 weeks, when DS seemed to start naturally seeing a difference in night and day.

What i did was bath (he loves it), nurse, burp or change if necessary, bed. I started it at about 630-7 with the aim of bed by 730. He has gradually moved it earlier and is usually asleep now about 645-7pm, and will sleep till 4am, nurse, and then sleep till 7am. So he's doing 12 hours with just one break.

I did try the dream feed a few times but he didn't seem to sleep any longer, still did a 4am nurse so I don't bother now.