Advice please on my son and minding

[vix84]

Hiya, Max is my first baby and currently 13 weeks old. Before I had him i looked after 2 boys - if they return they will be nearly 3. Im trying to forward plan and am a bit worried about how Max will cope.
He hasnt been a good sleeper and quite often ends up in bed with me half way through the night after a feed. And in the day he usually sleeps on me as he had to be rocked to sleep from newborn. On the odd occasion iver had to finnish the washing etc. and left him to cry he has got really upset so im not keen on letting him cry to sleep. But obviously when i return to work i wont be able to let him sleep on me! Its so different listening to a baby cry when they are yours!

If we are out and about he will drop off to sleep without any rocking, in the baby bjorn and buggy - but only occassionally in the car. If i leave it too late he gets overtired and then needs me, but sometimes he will go by himself.

What age do you think is the best age to start perservering with the sleeping by himself? Im planning on returning when he is around 9 months old.
His routine is roughly:
Wake at 7:30am and up
Breastfeed at 9am
Sleep at 9:30am for 1/2 hour or hour maximum
Breastfeed around 11:30
Sleep around 12 till 2
Breastfeed on waking
Sleep around 4 for 40mins ish
Breastfeed around 5
Bath and quiet time
7pm feed and bed hopefully! Then occassional feeds through night.

Hopefully by 9 months I will get him in the cot in the day - but if i start this now it may limit us to seeing people etc. but when should i start this at the latest?

[Minstrel]

Do you have a moses basket or pram he can sleep in downstairs so that he is used to the noise and bustle of the day but can have his own space?

[singlewiththree]

I have 3 children and every one has needed a different routine so I'm afraid there are no hard and fast rules.

All I can say is think do you want to be rocking him to sleep for the next 2 years? I would say at about 3mths they are starting to get used to what you are doing so if you can start trying to put him down awake now it will be easier for you. Easier said than done when breastfeeding but if you just try and make him semi awake. I know its hard I've been there.

My third child has slept the best because I just didnt have time to rock her or push her and she had to learn to sleep where she was put, be it buggy or cot! I know is hard.

If you could get him used to falling asleep anyway its easier BUT as I said at the start everychild is different my eldest would only sleep when SHE wanted and in the buggy, me eldest just DIDNT sleep in the day from being 6 wks old and not much at night either. My youngest will be put in the cot or buggy with her rabbit and then just falls asleep for 2hrs a day and then all night and she is 2yrs old.

GOOD LUCK
Paula W

[vix84]

I really dont want to be rocking him to sleep in a couple of months time let alone 2 years time! I am going to have to bite the bullet - I have a moses basket but I need to perservere at letting him self-settle, by catching him at the right time so he isnt over-tired. May buy some ear plugs for the heart-breaking crying! I wonder wether I should start taking him for a walk in the buggy for the am and pm nap so he hopefully wont cry, but gets used to not sleeping on me. Then try the cot for the 2 hour sleep.


Feeling a bit beter now i have a plan! Even when i return I could incorporate his sleeps in pram to park time, or hopefully by then he'll just go in the buggy with a dummy or teddy and go by himself!

Luckily in the day he doesnt feed to sleep so that is one less problem!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I know that you enjoy the comfort of him sleeping on or with you but the sooner you get him into his own bed the better.

When you return to work you will need to be able to put him down. Try and get him used to being in the same room as you rather than on you. Does dad put him to bed at all?

[Minstrel]

If you put him down in the basket and just keep chatting, pottering about and walking past every so often he'll get used to the fact that your not going anywhere and you'll still be there when he wakes up.x good luck x

[vix84]

I know that you enjoy the comfort of him sleeping on or with you but the sooner you get him into his own bed the better.

When you return to work you will need to be able to put him down. Try and get him used to being in the same room as you rather than on you. Does dad put him to bed at all?

I used to love the cuddles, but I have so much house stuff to catch up with and childminding stuff to do that Im going to have to start him sleeping by himself.

Minstrel - sometimes this works and other times it doesnt, but i think the times it doesnt is because I havent put him down soon enough.

Will def. try this week, maybe I should try the cot for all sleeps when at home 0 think i was going to try the buggy as I knew he prob. wouldnt cry and it would mean I could go out and about in the morning:)