Infant Sleeping Habits?

caseyleigh77 · July 2010

I am torn about what to do with DS #2's sleep habits? What is your suggested "bedtime" for a 4-5 month old? I get home from work about 6:30, then it is time to get dinner together, nurse DS#2 by 7 or 7:30. Should I be putting him to bed right afterwards? I feel like I get no quality time to spend with him during the week if he goes to bed early. On the flip side I want to do what is best for him with regards to healthy sleeping. Typically I try to put him to bed no later than 9am. Am I doing wrong by my child by having his bedtime so late? For the record, once he is asleep he doesn't wake up til 4-530 to nurse then goes back to sleep until 8 or so.

Thanks Ladies!

GirlStylist · July 2010

J is to sleep by the latest 7 pm. Especially on the days that I work, and he is at daycare all day he is EXHAUSTED when I get home. I pretty much nurse him and put him down No qt but it seems to be the best time for him.

I would think you can read his cues of when he is ready. Good luck, its tough !!

SarahCee · July 2010

We have been sticking to the same bedtime routine since early on, and it really works for us. We start at 7 (sometimes 6:30 depending on when he got up from his last nap) and he is usually asleep by 7:30 or 8, wakes & nurses about 6 and then down until 8am. I don't think you are doing wrong by putting him down late, you are doing what works for your family. He is STTN and that is wonderful. DH and I go to bed pretty early and really enjoy having a couple of hours to ourselves after LO is in bed for the night. Good luck!

KellyMRocks · July 2010

If he is ok being up that late, I see nothing wrong with it. If he is giving sleep cues and you're ignoring them, then that would be bad.

DS #1 naturally fell into our sleep patterns. We are late birds and sleep in late...or at least we were before G started school. For the first 3 years of his life he was up very late, but also slept late in the morning. Now that he is in school we've had to push back his bedtime, but that was pretty easy, just getting him up earlier for a few days.

hersheykiss · July 2010

When E was 4-5 months old she was going to bed between 6-6:30. I was working until 5:30 and most day would barely get home and she was going to bed. I felt the same as you, I wasn't getting any quality time with her during those months. I knew it would change too. Her bedtime is closer to 7 or 8. Now that I am at a different job I get home earlier and I can play with her for 2-3 hours before bedtime.

amyfelice · July 2010

Our baby always had a very early bedtime, due to her own internal clock. At one point it was about 4:45 pm! We tried really hard to push it back and by the time I went back to work, we had gotten it to about 5:30. the nanny would keep her up till I got home, I'd nurse her and put her right to bed, she was so tired (around 6.). Now she goes to sleep about 6:30, which is so much better. I like the early bedtime, but I only work part time. Also she gets up early so I get to hang with her in the morning from 6-7:45 when I leave for work.

I would probably put the baby to sleep by 7or 8 at the very latest, due to what I have read in HSHHC, but if he doesn't seem tired, then he won't want to go to sleep, so maybe try to move it up little by little.

ModernMomma · July 2010

Between 6:00 and 8:00 is what HSHHC recommends. So yes, I'd probably put him down right after nursing.It sucks I know to barely see your kids when you get home. I have the same problem :-(

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