What time does baby go to bed? Tell me your nighttime schedule.

huskymomma94 · February 2013

(XP 9-12)

DS goes to bed for the night at 8:30. (This is an improvement, it used to be 9 but we slowly moved him up.) I enjoy being able to spend a few hours with him after work, but it makes our nights really late.

Once I get him home from grandma-care, nurse him, play time, solid dinner time, bath time, pajama time (aka WWIII in our house), nurse again, then bed, there is NO time to make dinner for me and DH until after he is in bed. Which means we are usually sitting down to eat around 9:30, which is just too late. I don't know what to do to break the cycle! I'm curious what everyone else's nighttime routine looks like. Do you make quick easy dinners?

DH doesn't get home until about 7:30 and while I'm taking care of DS, he's usually doing other stuff that needs to get done (walk the dog, etc).

tarapike86 · February 2013

Emma is in be asleep by 9
We do dinner at 5 bath at 630 and nurse rock by 8.
I am home all day so this makes it a lot easier. She is also our easiest baby to put down

MrsH11710 · February 2013

I get home from work around 5:30 and nurse DD. The whole family eats dinner around 6:30. DD will have purees and puffs, the rest of us usually eat something quick or fast food, unfortunately. After dinner, around 7:00, we wash up and I change DD into her pj's. I give her a bath every other night. Then she will play with dad while I clean up the kitchen. She is nursed to sleep between 7:30-8:00.

Dinners are pretty lame for us lately. I usually try to cook on the weekend when I have time. I try to make enough to have leftovers during the week too. Otherwise, it's sandwiches, fast food, etc. That's just how it is for now. I hope dinners will get more nutritious as DD gets older.

NatPhoto09 · February 2013

Ds2 goes to bed between 78pm closer to 7pm. Ds1 goes to bed between 89pm.

Nights are busy around my house too. Both dh and I get home around 6pm. I will make dinner for ds1 and start adult dinner for us ds1 picky eater. Then while ds1 eats dh walks dog and keeps baby entertained. I will finish dinner then put ds1 to sleep. Usually we can eat right before we put ds2 to sleep.

Then I take a shower and get things ready for the next day. And when I finally sit down it is usually 930/10.

ELF4321 · February 2013

For DD, going to sleep later just means she gets less total sleep, because she doesn't usually sleep later in the mornings. We aim to start bedtime at 7 and have her in bed by 7:30 most nights, because that seems to work best for her. But sometimes if she cuts her naps short or wakes up really early from her second nap, I'll get her in bed by 6:30.

DH usually gets home from work around 6 or 6:30, so sometimes he doesn't get to spend much time with her during the week, but it's still better for all of us if she gets as much sleep as possible.

mrsshawnavanb · February 2013

We get home around 530. I nurse DD for usually about 1/2 hour. Then, around 6 one of us will play with her while the other cooks dinner. It's nothing like our pre-baby dinners, grocery shopping now consists of finding meals that can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Then, we eat while DD sits in her exersaucer next to the table and eats either a little bit off of our plates, or puffs. Then she gets oatmeal and fruit or veggie puree. After dinner one of us cleans up, while the other reads DD a book or two and then plays for a few more minutes. Then around 730 it's bath time. Right after bath it's into pj's and a bottle then bed. She's usually in bed by 8pm. Then, I pump one last time, wash bottles and prepare them for the next day and set out my clothes for work to make the morning run smoothly. DH and I usually will sit down and watch a show off the DVR before I go to bed. He's a night owl, so he listens to the monitor until he comes to bed around 12-1 which is nice because it gives me a few hours of solid sleep. DD is getting much better and sleeps through the night a lot more now, but not always.

Some of our favorite quick dinners are:
Brinner (eggs, pancakes and bacon-healthy I know!)
Frozen skillet meals
home made pizza
pasta and salad
grilled cheese and soup
BLT's and baked fries or mac n cheese
Beef Stew or chili in the crockpot

bellelamb · February 2013

We all eat together as a family, I think even at this age it's important. Plus we don't do baths every day maybe twice a week, I think it's excessive to do it everyday it's not like they're playing in the mud or have bo.

I sah now but with my middle I worked at evening went come home nurse, make dinner, help oldest with homework while laying with lo and cooking. Eat dinner as a family, get everyone ready for bed, pjs teeth, diapers. Read to both or play then tuck oldest in bed nurse the baby and cuddle while watching tv with dh then put him to bed around 8:309 and pass out shortly after.

joshandpanda · February 2013

We have it pretty good... H gets home at 5 with Kyler, and feeds a bottle. I get home at 530, and start cooking. Eating, if not finished by 6ish, depending on what was made. after we eat, DS gets his solids. Playtime while we clean up, until around 7ish. About 715 is another bottle, then bath time (tuesdays and thursdays), lotion massage and in bed, sleeping by 8, if not earlier. After he goes to sleep, we usually watch tv/movie, clean up a little more, cuddle with the dogs. If we are tired (like last night) we will head to bed around 9, otherwise we are in bed by 10.

IgnatusDem · February 2013

Bedtime for DS is between 7 and 7:30 depending on how well he napped during the day. We get home from daycare somewhere between 3:30 and 4:30. If he doesn't nap well at daycare he'll get a 3rd nap at home. Bedtime consists of bath (every night but we only use soap twice a week; he mostly just splashes around) get pjs on and nurse. He's usually asleep within 15 minutes of putting him down. He'll sleep then till 5; nurse; then go back to sleep for 2 hours. DH wanted to move his bedtime back to see if he would sleep later in the morning; but I enjoy the extra time we get in the evening. Plus what we have is working great so I don't feel like messing with it.

Dwinalsinlove · February 2013

Hi Husky! I love your new siggy.

We get home around 4:30 and I nurse/pump. Then we play for a bit and I feed A dinner around 5:30-6:00. Then it is more playing and bedtime routine starts around 6:45. She is normally out by 7-7:15.

I normally prep dinner when she is done eating but still hanging out in her highchair. Then DH finishes it while I'm putting her to bed.

I really want to do more family dinners. The past two months were the busy season for DH so some nights he wasn't getting home till 8. However, that is now starting to slow down so I'm hoping we can find a way to eat with A. Can you make more crock pot meals? I'm going to try doing more that way dinner is already done when I get home and I don't have to take time away from A to make it.

RMama2012 · February 2013

I have grandma care too and she is almost like a nanny so this may not work for you..

My inlaws live in the next building so I get to their apt at 6-6:30 and Aaron usually eats dinner then. I feed him purees, mashed fruit or veggies, or table foods if my MIL made something suitable. I eat at my MILS. So she makes dinner for us all. I help clean up and usually have a cup of coffee with them while playing with the baby.

Then I pack him up and go home around 7:30-8pm. As soon as we get home (5 minutes), DH makes the baby a bottle and I get lo changed for bed. He typically drinks about 1/2 the bottle, plays for another 10-15 minutes, then drinks the rest and is asleep by 8:15-8:30pm. He gets baths in the mornings with grandma.

I realize alot of inlaws arent going to want to do that much for their kids and it has its drawbacks too but it works for us.

Anyway, If she doesnt do dinner, dinner at home is something super quick like tacos, baked frozen tilapia (costco- they go straight in the oven from the freezer) with plain white rice, leftovers, takeout, or something I made ahead and froze. LO goes in the highchair while we cook.

hoping4sticky · February 2013

Well right now, I am working from home, so I am able to get the kids home by about 4:45, but this is a recent thing and I did get home around 5:30ish for over a year previously, my kids (until very recently with DD) go to bed around 7. I'm a big believer in Weisbluth (sp? Healthy Sleep Habits..) and I think sleep is very important, even more important then me spending extra time with them after work.

That being said, I try to plan meals that take less than 30 minutes to cook, are reheats, or a crockpot meal. I like to try and make at least one big thing on Sunday that we can eat during the week. For example, this week on Sunday I made meatballs. On monday I used half the meatballs for swedish meatballs over egg noodles. Tues is chicken in the crockpot, half the chicken will go with the leftover noodles for chicken soup. Wed. I will use the rest of the meatballs in spaghetti. Thur will be cobb salad with the leftover chicken.

Normal schedule looks like: nurse DS at 5, kids play and sometimes DD 'helps' while I make dinner, dinner around 5:30 we basically do BLW so DS gets bits of what is for dinner, bath for DD every other day bath for DS every 4 days, on bath nights I usually clean the kitchen after kids are in bed, mickey mouse for DD while I read to DS, do pjs, nurse and bed around 7 - 7:15, books and in bed by 8 for DD.

I know it is tough when you get home a 6. I would make a baby proof cabinet for LO to play in with bowls and spoons while you get dinner ready. I would try and start moving LO back a bit, but some kids are night owls. Go with easy dinners, and don't feel guilty. Learning to play independently is a great skill, so leaving your LO alone for a few minutes while you get dinner isn't a bad thing. Wow that was a novel.

cltk12 · February 2013

I get home with DS at 4:30/4:45. I get out of my work clothes asap so drool/snot doesn't get on them, then nurse DS at 5. DH works from home so when he's done with meetings he comes and we all play. At 5;30, one of us starts dinner (depending on what we have determines who cooks) and the other one plays with DS.

At 6, we all eat as a family and DS eats whatever we're having. At 6:30, the one who didn't cook, starts cleaning while the other plays with DS.

7pm we turn the lights down, lotion massage, pjs (he gets a bath twice a week - which DH does), 7:15 nurse, 7:30/7:40 DS is in crib sleeping.

notallisonmarie22 · February 2013

We do solids at 6:30pm followed by bath at 7pm. If they seem sleepy they immediately get a bottle and we lay them down after that. If they seem awake and playful then they have floor time or time in their bouncers until they seem sleepy and then we offer their bottles. It works, but they are just at the point now where they're fighting sleep forever. I think (hope) it's just a phase.

iheartkeith · February 2013

I am sure it's a little easier on us since I work from home, but I usually prep dinner or at least have something in mind by the time DH gets home between 5:30 and 6. We usually eat by 6:15-6:30 and then we start the bedtime routine by like 7:15. She is usually asleep between 7:40 and 8.

Audtee · February 2013

Here's my evening...
Arrive home from daycare around 5:30
Start dinner, either something quick and DS plays or snacks on some puffs while I prepare it or i throw together something to put in the oven to bake. DD gets to watch a 30 min cartoon. Every other night I put diapers in the wash bc we CD
6:00 DS eats with the family or if dinner takes longer to make I feed just him. I try really hard to not just make something quick because I feel it's important to ensure DD is getting a nutrious meal and there is something DS can eat too, but some nights it ends up just being pizza...
6:30 every night DS gets his bath and DD takes her shower at the same time. I love having a seperate tub and shower, lol. If bath is quick and we all have eaten dinner we have a short playtime.
700 last nursing and bed. Diapers in the dryer. If dinner was something that takes a little longee to cook/bake, DH, DD, and I eat dinner if we haven't yet... For instance, last night I was nursing DS to sleep while eating my dinner. Otherwise it's time with DD until she goes to bed at 800
Then it's dishes, daycare bottles, and cleaning or if I'm lucky I've already taken care of it all while making dinner.

kcircell · February 2013

The main thing differently that I do is prep dinner for the night before after LO goes to bed so I have to do as little as humanly possible day off to get us eating.

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What time does baby go to bed? Tell me your nighttime schedule.

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