Community› The Bump Local Boards› North Carolina Babies
North Carolina Babies
New Discussion
Options

Earlier Bedtime Questions

hgunterhgunter
in North Carolina Babies

I pick DS up at 5:15pm and we are home by 5:40pm.  He had been taking a cat nap from about 6:45pm until 7:15pm, then we started the bedtime routine and he was asleep by 8pm.  Lately, bedtime has become a nightmare.  The catnaps have gone out the window.  By 8pm, he is cranky and overtired.  I can normally lay him down drowsy, pat his bottom a little and he's out...NOT anymore. 

So, I'm thinking about experimenting with an earlier bedtime.  Tell me your experiences please!

Report Reply to Post

Re: Earlier Bedtime Questions

  • Options
    raceyraeraceyrae
    Is it possible he's going to bed too early?  At 3 mo. old, both my girls wouldn't go to "bed" until around 10 p.m. (and then got up for night feedings 2x a night).  If he's waking up at 7:15 from his cat nap, he may not be ready to go to sleep for the night (does he STTN?).  I think you'd need to try to keep him up around 2 hrs before putting him back down or he might fight it.  What time does he get up from his last nap at DC?
    Lilypie Fifth Birthday tickers
    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • Options
    hgunterhgunter

    imageraceyrae:
    Is it possible he's going to bed too early?  At 3 mo. old, both my girls wouldn't go to "bed" until around 10 p.m. (and then got up for night feedings 2x a night).  If he's waking up at 7:15 from his cat nap, he may not be ready to go to sleep for the night (does he STTN?).  I think you'd need to try to keep him up around 2 hrs before putting him back down or he might fight it.  What time does he get up from his last nap at DC?

    He had been sleeping from 8pm until 4am, eating, then sleeping until about 6:30am. (this was when he was still catnapping) 

    Now, he naps in the car on the way home for about 20 minutes, but once we're home, he's awake until bedtime.  He is just SO tired earlier now,(rubbing his eyes/yawning), that I'm wondering if I need to go ahead and put him down earlier...   I honestly think that keeping him up for 2 hours is whats causing the problem.  I guess I could just try it and see...

    Thank you for your thoughts.

    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Options
    NatPhoto09NatPhoto09 member
    Once Nic stopped napping in the afternoon (5-5:30pm) he started going to be earlier.  At 3-4 months, his bedtime was close to 7pm and would sometimes go to sleep as early at 6:45pm (like at 5-6months).  I would ask your daycare at what time is his latest nap and count 2-3 hours from that and if it earlier than 5pm then he probably needs a nap if it is beyond 5pm, I would rough it out and try to put him to bed earlier like 6:30pm-7pm.  Nic didn't STTN but would go to sleep early.  I bet I've confused you more but HTH.
    src=image
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers
    Photo/Family Blog
    Report Reply
  • Options
    uncjulesuncjules

    DD has started going to bed earlier the past couple of weeks. DH gets home with her at 4:45 and she goes down around 7:30. We upped her 7:00 bottle to 6 oz from 4, partly because we realized we weren't feeding her enough since she dropped a middle of the night feeding (oops!) and partly to help her make it through the night without a feeding. Thankfully, after the big bottle she goes down easily (knock on wood) and doesn't wake up again until around 5:15 (again, knock on wood).

    Good luck! It's no fun dealing with a cranky baby!!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • Options
    moobugmoobug

    That is about when DD  started to go to bed at 6-6:30 (and she still does at almost 8 months).

    We get home around 4:30 and play until 5. From 5-5:30 we do dinner (at 3 months we'd play more or take a walk). Then we head upstairs for bath, book, bottle, bed. She's typically down for the night at 6:15 and gets up in the morning between 6 and 7.

    I'd try doing bedtime at 7 and move it up if you think he is tired.

    If DD gets tired during dinner, I bump up bedtime that day as early as 5:30. I hate not seeing her as much, but she is a MUCH happier baby with good sleep.

    PortraitBabyFruit Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Options
    kimilanekimilane
    I agree. How long does your LO normally stay up between naps? I'd go with that number and find out from daycare when his last nap is. If he only stays awake for 2 hours, then put him to bed 2 hours from his last nap. The bedtime routine should still be the same, though. It'll help let him know that it's time to go to sleep.
    Lilypie Second Birthday tickersImage and video hosting by TinyPic
    imageimageLilypie First Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • Options
    BackthePackBackthePack

    I would put him down when he first starts looking tired. J pulled this for a LONG time and went to bed by 6-6:30 every night (sometimes as early as 5:30!!). Poor DH rarely got to see him during the week b/c of work, but it was better than having an overtired screaming child.

    Good luck! 

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"