Babies: 3 - 6 Months

How to go about changing bed time?

I really would like to change when DD goes down for the night. Currently she goes down at 1 am and sleeps until about 5 am eats for about 10-15 minutes and then is back down until about 9 eats again and then sleeps until 11 when she is okay with being awake for a solid period of time. But I was hoping to move her bed time from 1 am to something more like 10 pm. Any thoughts on how to move her bedtime?
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Re: How to go about changing bed time?

  • Just start her bedtime routine earlier. Instead of a later nap, make it her bedtime.
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  • I have always been told to move it slowly.  15-30 mins at a time.  It will move them more easily.
  • imagenikipau144:
    Just start her bedtime routine earlier. Instead of a later nap, make it her bedtime.
    This. Is there any reason why it's so late? I can't even stay up that late now. Are you not exhausted? (not criticising, just curious)
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  • I agree with PP about moving bedtime up by 15-30 minutes every 2 days.

    Can I ask why your baby has such a super late bedtime?

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  • She pretty much has always had her longer stretches  later at night. She started at midnight, had a growth spurt and changed to 3 am, had another and changed to 11, and has had yet another and won't sleep until 1 am. I don't mind as much because I'm a night owl myself and my only commitments in the day are her and online classes. So pretty much we both sleep in until later.

    However, I would like to try to go to bed when my husband does and that doesn't happen when she still wants to be awake.

    Thanks for the suggestions.

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  • She might be overtired, and that is why she is not falling asleep until so late. Have you read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child?

    Most infant sleep experts agree that babies this age are naturally set for a bedtime around 6:30 - 7 pm. You might want to think about slowly adjusting your LO to that time. You might be surprised that she goes to sleep much earlier than you anticipate.

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  • I just finally changed our dd's bedtime from 11/12 to 8 pm after reading something about bedtimes on here.  It took only a few days of being diligent to sticking to it for it to start working for us.  We take her up to her room around 7:45/8, gave her a bath {we do this every other day}, lotion, mini-massage, pjs, bottle, and then would put her down with her seahorse.  The first couple of nights, my husband and I would take turns when we heard her start to cry, and eventually she'd be asleep by 10:30.  But starting Wednesday, she fell asleep at 9 after being rocked for about 30 minutes.  Then last night, she went to bed at 8:15 and went down drowsy.  Then tonight, she went to sleep at 8:15 again.  She has started fussing around 7:30, so I started taking that cue as sleepyness.  She sleeps until 6 am, then gets a diaper change and another bottle, and sleeps until around 9.  My husband and I now have more "us time" at night and we have a MUCH happier baby.  Believe me, you won't be sorry!  Just be patient with your LO-it takes a little while to get them on the schedule.  Good luck! Smile
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  • imagetriplea1819:
    I have always been told to move it slowly.  15-30 mins at a time.  It will move them more easily.

     

    This  

     Just sticking to it and being consistent when you finally do get to the bedtime you desire.  It's obviously not going to be the exact same time but my DD goes down between 7-8 most nights.  Tonight she went down at 6:45 because she's been sick.   

  • I've been tring to get my daughters bedtime to change since 3 months also she's now going down around 9 instead of one! We started her with a routine and started it 30-45 minutes earlier every few weeks. Good luck and be patient!
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  • We just jumped right in with a bedtime routine of bath, swaddle, rock to sleep. I tried to time her afternoon nap so that she'd be going to sleep abut 2 hours after she woke up. The first few nights were rough, she was screaming in our arms not wanting to sleep but was so exhausted. Now she usually goes to sleep no issue by 8:30 everynight. 

    I also tried to wake her up by 9 AM and would sit her by the window with the blinds open to try and reset her clock. She was going to bed around midnight/one AM. Now that she goes to bed around 8, she wakes to eat around midnight which is when I go to sleep. Then she wakes up around 4/5 and then up for the day by 9.

    It just takes perserverance. My husband put her to sleep those first few nights because I couldn't take the crying but we were persistant on rocking her and using the paci and singing, etc. Trying to be as soothing as possible but not giving in on her sleeping. A few times we'd bring her out to the living room and put her in the swing in the swaddle for a few minutes. She is one that fights sleep though. I think you may be missing your kids sleepy cues and thats why she's sleeping so late. I know that's what was happening with us for quite some time too.

    Good luck!

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