Changing bedtime routine - advice pls

[bayneddie]

My 9mo DD goes to bed at 7.30. Since she was borne we have had a consistent bedtime routine of bath then bottle in darkened nursery and then bed (goes down awake). I'm now thinking that this isn't really a long term plan and that i would like to move to giving her a feed downstairs, brushing her teeth upstairs (when she gets some, we're still gummy only!), reading a story then putting her to bed. I've tried a version of this for a week or two. I'll feed her downstairs in the living room but with no telly or lights on so that it's not too much of a change at once. She'll take about half the feed and then mess around for england. I end up taking her upstairs for the remainder so that she at least finishes it. She's generally a poor eater by the way - milk and solids - has been since day one. I've also tried reading to her upstairs but all she does is grab the book or beat it up - she seems to find it really stimulating - am i trying that too early?
In short, I'd like some advice on how to make the transition from a newborn baby to a more toddler-like bedtime routine.
All advice welcome and appreciated.

[ella&jack'smum]

My fuddled brain can't totally remember what I did with both of mine, but I'm pretty sure they were both at least 1 before we had a more toddler routine - Jack was nearly 18 mos I think. It sounds to me like for your baby it is maybe too early - another reason to wait (particularly if she is a fussy eater) is that then the milk will be more incidental - she'll be getting most of her calories from solids during the day, which will mean you feel less pressure to make sure that last bottle is drained. Also, with some babies even a book can be too stimulating just before bedtime.

My advice would be to wait, seeing as your previous routine seemed to be working - there's no pressure to make this happen at any particular age, and it really does depend on your baaby.

hth

[bayneddie]

Thanks ella&jack's mum
Maybe it is too early for her. I guess what prompted me to try something else was thinking about teeth coming through and worrying giving her a feed after brushing her teeth. ie i wouldn't really want to feed her in a darkened room and get her all relaxed and then go and take her into a bright bathroom to brush her teeth.
Or does everyone brush teeth and then feed anyway? I was worried that there's lactose in formula milk so i didn't think that was a good habit to get into. But maybe I'm being over the top...

[ella&jack'smum]

With both mine I did the feed and then quickly brushed teeth in the darkened room afterwards

[ks6]

For several months now, ds has had his milk downstairs with us watching tv.  Then I go in the kitchen, wet a washcloth, and wipe his teeth and gums.  (He loves to chew on the cloth.)  Then dh takes him up to bed.  It's hard to keep things too dim in the summer when the sun is still shining at 8:00.  No books yet, either.  He would be really fussy.

[Mia & Scarlett's Mummy]

Hello

FWIW I thought about chnaging dd's bedtime routine (which is exactly the same as yours) to a more grown up one as it seems everyone I know takes their lo's back downstairs for a bit after their bath.  However, it works really well for us all so I think if it ain't broke don't fix it.

I think that they will give us signs that they have outgrown their current routines and that will be the time to change it.

[bayneddie]

Thanks everyone. I've continued with our old routine and have got easy bedtimes back again. I think I'll wait until dd tells me that it's not working any more.