Too young for a bedtime routine?

Question

My Daugther is 4 weeks old.We have been trying to establish a bedtime routine with her for a week or so now. We start at around 6pm everynight.We start with a Warm bath(which she hates) then feed her then to bed.As soon as we turn the light off she starts crying.We try to leave her for a bit and go in every 10 mins to check her, but as soon as we go in she stops crying.We try to perserve every night but hate to hear her cry.Do you think that 4 weeks is too young?

Answer 1

You leave a newborn to cry alone?

WTF? Why on earth would you do such a horrible thing?

Of course you hate to hear her cry -- you're supposed to; her cry is designed to bring you to her for comfort.

What are you hoping to accomplish with this?

If she hates baths, bring her in the regular bathtub with you...

Some reading:

http://www.talaris.org/pdf/research/CIOPoster.pdf
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/handout2.asp

And, "The Baby Book" by Sears & Sears, and "Your Baby and Child" by Penelope Leach are both excellent, basic baby-care manuals...

Answer 2

No, my daughter is 14 weeks now, we put her in her own room at 3 weeks, and put her to bed at 9ish. Have been gradually bringing that time forward ever since, now going down half 7 to 8, my aim is to have her going down at 7 the same as my 3 year old. She has been sleeping 9 - 11 hours through the night since 9 weeks, has a feed then goes back down for another 3- 4 hours. She is breastfed.
Stick with it, it will work, but maybe start off putting her down a bit later while she is so young and gradually make bedtime earlier.

Answer 3

At 4 weeks I was sleeping when I could and when she could. She slept on my chest and sometimes in bed with me. Anywhere she was comfy and could sleep. I had no routine really, she dictated my routine at that point. The more you try to plan your lifestyle around your baby the harder it's going to be.
Start with the little things. Bath is important...at what part does she "hate" it? The whole thing? make sure it is warm enough...not noisy...this should be a good time. babies uber alles said a good thing...take her in the bath with you =) I had a colicky daughter and she love, love, LOVED taking a shower while being held by me or my husband. We held her close and ran warm water over her with the handheld shower head. Just brought her some babywash in the shower, a washcloth and a warm towel. Voila! 4 weeks is so little. Don't try routine too much. Start by doing the bath thing in the evening...maybe by 8 tone it down in your house to signify night. Low lights, low tv. Talk a little quieter. "Fall" into a routine...don't force. My "routine" took tweaking and does still but by 12 weeks we had started to get into it, we are 15 weeks now and she knows bathtime means food next and food means bed next. At 4 weeks I was still trying to get my little girl to realize mom and dad were there and safe. We never, ever left her alone in a room to cry. Of course she stops when you come it...you are all she knows.

Answer 4

Hi your litle one is not to young to establish a routine,but you nurse her to sleep, but i think 6pm is maybe too early my wee one went to bed around 7:30 and woke at 10:30 for a final feed and that was her till 3:00am then 7:30am. But i kept this routine going from birth, she is 11month now and as she got older she got more oz in her milk and also solids meaning she did not have a feed at 10:30pm and she stopped waking through the night too, i helped her with this by giving her water when she woke because she simply was just thirsty, not hungry. You have to nurse her just now and go into the room in the dark and quiet too and stay with her. If you have not gave her water to drink and get used to the taste too it woould be good to start that just now but dont do that through the night because she will be needing a feed. Just through the day. Good luck and take care. xx

Answer 5

I feel that she is slightly to young at the moment. I let my daughter lead the way until 6 weeks and then she sort of sorted herself out. Like she was having a bath at 7, Then cuddles and a last feed. We would put her to bed at 7.30(which is the time we learnt she was grizzling to go to bed), We left a very dim night light on for her. She would then wake about 11 for another feed then sleep till 6am when she had another. I think perhaps you should give your daughter time to establish herself. As for the bath my baby didn't like it at first but slowly got used to it. My health visitor said that there is no need to give a bath to a newborn every night until they are a little older

Answer 6

At that age they choose 8-10 hours. Your newborn may be timed, how long does he commonly sleep? alter bedtime as a effect, so as that he can awaken wide-spread and be wide awake for breakfast. If he sleeps 10 hours and could be on the college bus at 8, have him be in mattress by means of 9PM and get him up at 7AM, see? Then shop the schedule an identical during the weekend and holiday journeys, as that's not sturdy to disenchanted the sleep cycle of childrens.

Answer 7

When babies are young they need to take frequent naps during the day and may not sleep through the night for a while. This may not be the best time to establish a bedtime routine.

Answer 8

It takes time for babies to learn to settle themselves and it is never too early to start a bedtime routine.
If she starts crying when you turn the light out, put a lamp in her room and leave it on all night. My 10 month old has always slept with a light on and is able to settle herself when she wakes during the night. She is frightened by the dark and cries. I want her to be comfortable and happy to go to bed, so I provide a room with things that help her to feel secure - including light!

Answer 9

I've never done a routine with my 1 year old son so I'm no expert.

But its my understanding that at 4 weeks she is too young to respond. As a previous poster says, at 4 weeks I kept my son in the same room with me in his moses basket.

The warm bath probaby stresses her out more than relaxes her (you could try massaging her with some organic olive oil afterwards and see how she reacts to that).

Also, at 4 weeks she is going to need frequent, on-demand feeding so I'm not sure how you expect her to cope with going to sleep at a "set" time.

Thats just my opinion though and I know some mothers swear by routines, I just never bothered with one myself.

Answer 10

i think 4 weeks is too young a newborn baby does need to feel secure with their mum or dad remember that for 9 months before they was nice and secure inside you, my baby was born 6 weeks premature and for 2 weeks i had to leave him in the special care unit at hospital it was dreadful being apart from him and it took both of us ages to bond with each other, after he came home i started his bedtime rountine at about 2 months before that he also would not settle in his crib at night because he didnt understand why he was being left on his own and didnt understand that it was night time after 2 months he started to fall asleep by himself after his night feeds in his crib, his 4 1/2 months now being 6 wks premature his only really 3 months and he has a good rountine now bath at half 6 feed at 7 then goes to bed usually if his sleeply if is not sleepy theres no point putting him down becuse he cries to get up i leave him up and his usually sleeply within half an hour he goes back down after his feeds now even if he is really awake and he slept all night the night before last 11 hours! good luck you will get there when your baby is ready for now tho you just have to treat nights like day but do dim the lights and turn telly down at night,

Answer 11

It's not too young to establish a routine, but babies at that age need reassurance when falling asleep. My daughter will fall asleep on my chest and then I move her the basinette right next to the bed, or on the couch.

My son on the otherhand would fall asleep in his own crib. It't not about finding what is the best for you, but for your child. Then you will discover that this is really the best for you.