Should I fix what isn't broken? Re: sleep and a 6 week old

[ananas]

I'm wondering about sleep and routines with my 6 week old DD. She sleeps pretty good during the day and very good at night but I'm wondering if there are habits I should start forming/breaking now, or if I should get her into more of a routine?

Right now she mostly nurses to sleep. She can go down without being nursed...it's a little more difficult, but doable. SO rocks or walks her to sleep sometimes, my sister has rocked her to sleep, she falls asleep in the car, and a couple of times I've put her in her swing for a minute to start a load of laundry and have come back to her asleep. So I know she can go to sleep without being nursed, but I'm wondering if at any point I should start working with her on going to sleep more frequently without nursing down, or if I should wait until she's older.

We usually get up around 10 am. I actually usually wake up before her and she stays in bed for a bit while I get dressed and eat something. She takes a couple of cat naps and then usually around 1:30 goes down for about an hour, and then anytime between 3-5 she usually goes to sleep for about 2-3 hours. I nurse her to sleep and put her in the swing. She cluster feeds most of the evening (starting at about 6:30) and will sleep a bit in my arms. I usually spend my evenings just sitting in the recliner with her, watching TV or browsing the internet while she nurses and sleeps, and then anytime between 10 and midnight I will head to bed. She'll wake up at 4:30-5 and then at about 8:30 to nurse.

So, I guess I'm just wondering if I should start working on more concrete times so she knows the routine, or if this sounds good for this age? Also, I put her in her swing because she stays asleep a while there, but is there any reason I should put her in bed or in her crib (we co-sleep, we were planning on sidecarring the crib but right now it's just set up and she's never slept in it. As she gets bigger we probably will sidecar it so we all have a little more space)?

Sorry for the novel!

[sageowl]

6 weeks is a bit early to worry about having a routine--they change so much anyway.  Eventually you'll kind of mutually evolve into one that makes sense.

I never worried about the ramifications of nursing DS to sleep and just did it because it worked.  Did that for a long time (until he weaned on his own), and never had any problems with it.   
 

[pek64]

Without reading your post, based solely on your title, "no". If something works for you and your family, be happy. If someone tells you that you "have to" change, change the subject! Now that I've given you that general advice, I guess I should read your post, to see if I need to add anything!

Edited to add : sounds like all is going well! Congrats on the new baby!

[katelove]

I agree with the PPs. She's still in that newborn sleep/eat pattern at this age and things will change as she gets older.

My best advice is let her set the routine. Follow her cues for when to feed her and when to put her to sleep. It's so much easier than trying to impose an external set of rules.

I have a 2.5yo and a 6 weeks old and, as much as possible we allow them to determine their own sleep patterns and I have always fed to sleep. It's worked well for us so far.

Congratulations on your new babe. Enjoy those evenings in the recliner with her, it's such a sweet time. I sometimes leave my babe on my chest when we go to bed, even when she would settle beside me, because its just so lovely to fall asleep with her snuggled there.

[Jaxy]

Don't worry, it will change. My 3.5 month DS doesn't eat as much and as often as he used to at 6 weeks! I do nurse him to sleep a lot but I started the pacifier as the ladies of mothering advise me and it really works! Sometimes they just want to suck, not eat, so it's perfect (and your nipples don't become chew toys :P) If you can find another way than nursing to sleep, go for it! (will be easier for babysitters and daddy to put your little one to sleep) But I'd say like the other ones, go with the flow!
 

[hyde]

Agreed- don't worry about the routine for now. At that age nothing seemed to stick for more than a week for mine. Around four months things get totally shaken up for lots of babes anyway, so if she does seem to have something of a pattern now, don't feel like you've done anything wrong if it all changes at that point.

If the swing/nursing to sleep/etc. works, keep it up! :) Enjoy the baby!