Breastfeeding mums - what's your bedtime/last feed routine?

Is she tired in the first place?

Spending hours doing bedtime won’t help build sleep pressure, not going in the right direction after 30 mins then take her back down and play & try again when she displays tired cues. Sounds like you need to adjust your routine but it’s your baby dependent so following someone else’s likely won’t work. There is no what time she should be asleep for because all babies have different sleep needs.

Usually tired around 7, I’ll push him 20 minutes to build sleep pressure and take him upstairs for a bedtime feed and bed. Overtired is easier to work with for bedtime because you’ve got that sleep pressure.

I was feeding my LO to sleep then carefully transferring him into his next to me but it was taking 2 plus hours every night so I started feeding him (white noise, sleeping bag, bath before bed etc...) then as soon as he unlatches, usually because he's fallen asleep I put him straight in the cot. It usually wake him but I lie next to him until he's asleep again then creep out!
The first 3/4 nights it took around 30/40 minutes and I was doing lots of patting, stroking the face etc to soothe him.
Night 4 he just went to sleep without me doing anything. I'm usually downstairs by 7:30 every night now so get some time back!

I'm always amazed when people say their baby is asleep by 7:30! My LO doesn't fall asleep for the night until 9:30/10pm.

I always think she's getting tired as she gets a bit irritable but once I feed her she's awake and ready to play again.

how did you move bedtime so drastically? I’ve been trying to creep it earlier for months but she just doesn’t seem to fall asleep until 9ish no matter how long she’s been up (also feeds to sleep)

@Holly yeah I used to get into bed with him at 7pm and feed and no matter what time I put him in his cot he wouldn't stay asleep until 9pm or later so would be lifting him in and out. But I just got to a point where I thought I can't be sat in bed with you for 2 plus hours every single night until it hits 9pm so after his last nap around half 4/5 I would just take him for a walk, then start bedtime routine around 6/ half 6 (depending on when he's getting tired) of play, bath, massage, feed and one night just put him straight in his next to me cot after a feed and layed there with him. First few nights did take a while for him to fall asleep but now he knows.

It also helps massively now that it's dark earlier!

how many naps does your LO have during the day?

And when you put him down at 7pm or so, how long does he sleep for?

it isn’t a one fits all. All babies have different sleep needs & different pressure at different times. 7pm bedtime at X age isn’t going to work for all. My LB used to be the same and the suddenly changed. Where are you feeding? Could she be getting distracted?

@Catherine he has 3 or 4 naps but it all depends on him really. We just follow his cues but he's usually awake around 90 minutes at a time.

He usually sleeps 7pm - 11.30ish and then will wake up twice again during the night. Never slept through