How do you handle being out with LO way past bedtime?

skibunny59 · September 2012

My sister in law is getting married next weekend and although we have arrangements for a sitter to watch DD for the wedding, we do not have anyone to take care of her for the rehearsal dinner so she will be coming with us. The rehearsal is at 5:30 and the rehearsal dinner is at 7:00. 7:00 is her bedtime. I don't want her to be a cranky mess. I guess if worse comes to worse I could always just put my nursing cover on and nurse her to sleep at the restaurant. The problem is, I would have to leave her on my boob under the cover in order for her to stay quiet and asleep. I'm afraid all of the noise and stimulation at the restaurant would wake her otherwise. Thoughts?

kalette · September 2012

That's a tough one... we just had LO out past bed time last night and towards the end of dinner she started to get reeeaaalllyy cranky. I had a bottle of BM with me though so gave that to her and she was okay until that was gone.... then uh... then we went home.

lebrale · September 2012

I have DD favourite music on my phone and when we're somewhere noisy I lay her in the stroller (ours goes flat) and swaddle her, plug in her soother, turn my phone on and rock the stroller till she's sleeping. Usually it takes a bit, but once she's sleeping she stays that way....

Good luck!

ETA: Our stroller cover also goes all the way down, and then I put a blanket over top of the cover to reduce noise and make it dark for her... HTH!

juliane2004 · September 2012

lebrale:
I have DD favourite music on my phone and when we're somewhere noisy I lay her in the stroller (ours goes flat) and swaddle her, plug in her soother, turn my phone on and rock the stroller till she's sleeping. Usually it takes a bit, but once she's sleeping she stays that way....
Good luck!
ETA: Our stroller cover also goes all the way down, and then I put a blanket over top of the cover to reduce noise and make it dark for her... HTH!

This. Make a temporary "bed".

mwitter80 · September 2012

We went to our 3rd wedding this past Saturday since LO has been born. The 1st two were not a problem, however this last one, he was not having it. We left at 9pm and he screamed the whole way home

acia · September 2012

Would your LO sleep in a carrier/wrap? I've seen babies in wraps at weddings, and it's nice because the baby can either sleep (if they're a deep enough sleeper) or just cuddle peacefully and maybe nap on and off, and you can have your hands free.

Bottom line though is that it really depends on what type of baby you have I think. The easy-going, good sleeping baby will probably be fine in a stroller or carrier. The higher-maintenance babies will either be cranky as soon as they get tired or need to be taken home early.

Good luck!

skibunny59 · September 2012

acia:
Would your LO sleep in a carrier/wrap? I've seen babies in wraps at weddings, and it's nice because the baby can either sleep (if they're a deep enough sleeper) or just cuddle peacefully and maybe nap on and off, and you can have your hands free.
Bottom line though is that it really depends on what type of baby you have I think. The easy-going, good sleeping baby will probably be fine in a stroller or carrier. The higher-maintenance babies will either be cranky as soon as they get tired or need to be taken home early.
Good luck!

Good idea on the carrier! I wear her a lot at home and she almost always falls asleep. We'll also be prepared to leave early if we need to. Thanks!

starswinger · September 2012

Husband left a wedding early with DS to make it home for bedtime and he barely made it home before the total meltdown. When we are at my in laws past his bedtime, we put him in the flat stroller as other PP have said and rock him to sleep. Otherwise, I try to get him to at least nap during his normal bed time so he does not get super cranky.

mkflower3000 · September 2012

kalette:
That's a tough one... we just had LO out past bed time last night and towards the end of dinner she started to get reeeaaalllyy cranky. I had a bottle of BM with me though so gave that to her and she was okay until that was gone.... then uh... then we went home.

Basically, this for us :-/

We just took DD to her first wedding this weekend, and it was really tough. Granted, I was stupid and didn't get a very BF-conducive dress. On top of that, the reception place didn't have a good spot for me to BF either. I think the stress of that made things harder than they needed to be (on both of us).

We did get DD these: https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Banz-Hearing-Protector-Earmuffs/dp/B007BEIKGO/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1346847480&sr=8-8&keywords=baby+headphones

which she was OK with for a while, but then got mad about. I guess that's always something that's worth attempting

Good luck to you!

lucylove619 · September 2012

We are attempting a wedding on Friday......I am kind of terrified. It's my SIL's and is out of town so we don't have a sitter. Our plan is to bring a sleeping outfit and the sleep sheep and try to put her down in her stroller when she gets fussy. I am guessing DD and I will end up back in the hotel room shortly after 8 though

Good luck!

Dee1028 · September 2012

If you don't think she will sleep well in the stroller/car seat. I would just have 1 of you take her back to sleep. If it was MY family then DH would stay back (assuming you can/will pump and she takes a bottle from him) with the fellas. If it was HIS family then I would.

laurack · September 2012

We put her in her carseat. Last weekend we went out to dinner and couldn't get a sitter. So we got to the restaurant about 730pm and then she was awake in my arms until 830 or so just looking around, she loves being around lots of people.

Then at 830 or so I gave her a bottle of expressed milk and she dozed off so I put her in her seat and she stayed sleepy until we left at about 10.30. When we got home I put her pjs on and nursed her again and she slept as normal.

We have a wedding this weekend also and not planning on getting a sitter. I just won't drink much so if she starts freaking out at any point she can just have a nice calming booby for herself.

cltk12 · September 2012

We go out all the time past Los bedtime. We bring a sleeper and change him to that. We bring a bottle of BM and feed him, once he falls asleep we put him in the stroller laid down or in the car seat. If he gets fussy one of us steps out with him for 5 mins to calm him.

okayestmom12 · September 2012

wife07mom09:
i would find a sitter or be prepared to leave early.
sorry!

Agreed. Our LO is a hot mess if we try and make her stay awake any longer than she wants to so this situation would absolutely not work for us.

skibunny59 · September 2012

kbruington:
I think that at this age...you just can't keep them out past bedtime. We've turned down a lot of plans because of this. It will happen in time

We never ever keep her out past her bedtime. But this is my sister in law's rehearsal dinner for her wedding (DH's sister) and DH is actually officiating the wedding so we kind of have to be there. If it were just random dinner plans with friends or family then we would skip out. I think we will try it and see how DD does and if I need to, I will leave early with DD and DH can have one of his family members drive him home.

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