EASY...what to do with evening time

[jsorrow24]

The evenings with my 7 wk DS are never the same. The only "routine" thing I do to let him know it's bedtime is give him a bath. But there may be nights when I can't...how will he know it's bedtime if bedtime is rarely the same time every night. Some nights it has been 7:30p, but I would really like to push this to 8 or 8:30. It's like after his "day" feed anywhere from 4:30 - 5:30pm...I am not sure what to do between that time and bedtime. Should he catnap some? I tried that tonight and he didn't seem to want to do that. So I just let him get up and fed him the first cluster feed at 7:30p. Should I feed him again say at 9 for another feed or just bathe and put to bed then do the dreamfeed?

Any suggestions on a routine for evenings. Some evenings go right with the flow, others are off because of the timing of the last feed.

Help.
 

[Colin Macs Mom]

Since your lo is only 7 weeks, it will probably be a little bit longer before you can really solidify a routine, IMHO. For now, can you maybe read a story, sing to him, or something like that that will give him a cue that it's bedtime in addition to the bath? Something that you can be consistent with that doesn't take a terribly long time is what I'm thinking.

[Noelle]

Hello! 

The evenings with my 7 wk DS are never the same. The only "routine" thing I do to let him know it's bedtime is give him a bath. But there may be nights when I can't...how will he know it's bedtime if bedtime is rarely the same time every night.

If you can't do a bath every night another thing you can do is a baby massage 

Some nights it has been 7:30p, but I would really like to push this to 8 or 8:30. It's like after his "day" feed anywhere from 4:30 - 5:30pm...I am not sure what to do between that time and bedtime. Should he catnap some? I tried that tonight and he didn't seem to want to do that. So I just let him get up and fed him the first cluster feed at 7:30p. Should I feed him again say at 9 for another feed or just bathe and put to bed then do the dreamfeed?

It sounds like he is ready for bed at 7-7:30.  If his internal clock is telling him that, I would go with it.  You had mentioned pushing it back to 8 - 8:30 but he may not be ready for it.  You eventually want him to sleep a 12 hr stretch (say 7-7AM or 8-8AM).  Does he seem to have a time that he wakes up every morning?  If it's early like 6-6:30 I'd put him to bed at 7-7:30.  If it's later, then go with the later bedtime.  Whichever bedtime you choose, you are right in that he needs a catnap.  I always had the hardest times with this nap too.  If you have to resort to the swing or bouncy chair or baby sling I would do that.  I'm not quite sure of what his feeding times are, but with him being ready for bed at 7:30 I would clusterfeed at say 3,5, 7 then bedtime.  And if you want to do a dreamfeed I would do that between 10 and 11:00.

Any suggestions on a routine for evenings. Some evenings go right with the flow, others are off because of the timing of the last feed.

Help.
 

I think if you concentrate on a set bedtime, with clusterfeeds at approx the same times, you will find that the evenings will flow a little better.  Though days where you can't get the catnap in may be a little sketchy.

HTH 

[jsorrow24]

I think you are right...he does seem to like the 7:30 bedtime and he has been waking up at 6:30 the past two mornings which will work well once I go back to work. The stretch from 5-7 has been the toughest. I am not sure really what to do some evenings. I know he can't stay up 2 hours and I have a hard time some days getting him to take a catnap even though I can tell he really needs it and I can tell he wants to. He has been a great night sleeper, but naps are another story. Plus, I think he is getting a cold. Sounding a little congested, but thank God he is still sleeping well...so far.

The massage is a great idea. I think even though he is 7 weeks he will like it. I already rub his legs and belly with lotion after his bath and he seems to like it.

If he wakes at 5pm to eat (first cluster feed) then when should he take a catnap? 6:15p?

Thanks for all the advice.

[Noelle]

Hi again 

If he wakes at 5 from a nap, I would then actually have A time until 6:30 (this seems long but I found with my two that they were able to do this at the end up the day, probably depends on naps though...) where I would then do massage, jammies, bottle and then bedtime at 7:00.  If he can't make it this long, I would go ahead and start bedtime routine at 6:00 and put him down at 6:30.  This way you won't have to worry about a catnap - and the bedtime you will eventually be able to move back.

 

[jsorrow24]

Thanks for the advice and I will try that tonight. I used to that, but there are so many versions of EASY schedules out there I just wasn't sure what I should do.

Jennifer