Babies: 6 - 9 Months

How do I get my LO to sleep earlier?

My LO takes 2 short naps during the day at a total of 2 or 2.5 hours during the day. Is this too much? At night time she does not fall asleep until 1030 or 11. Wakes up at 6 and she is awake not fussy for about an hour till its time for me to take her to the caregiver for that day. I really would like her to fall asleep earlier, at least 9. But she just wants to play and refuses. I tried doing bath time earlier to change the routine, but that doesn't work. Any suggestions?

Re: How do I get my LO to sleep earlier?

  • she is 6 months old
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  • From what I've read, that is not too much napping, if anything it's not enough.  At 6 months I believe they are supposed to get 3-4 total nap hours in a day. (Mine doesn't get anywhere near this, something we are currently working on :) )

    As for going to bed earlier, also from what I've read they should be able to fall asleep as early as 6:30 or 7pm.  To make bedtime earlier you can just move it back by 15 or 30 minutes at a time, over several nights/weeks.  Also, keep an eye on baby starting in the evening and look for any signs of tired, and as soon as they show them start the bedtime routine.

    (I'm reading the No Cry Sleep Solution right now so that's where all of my tips come from :) )
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  • when are the naps?  how long is she awake? she could be overtired, but I don't know how she behaves.

    at 7 months, my LO takes 2 naps a day, one for about 1-2 hours and the other 1.5-2 hours (for a total of 3-4 hours) She sleeps 11-12 hours a night, from 7/730-6:30/7 am. so i don't think that is too ugh
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  • I second trying to move the bedtime back by 15 minutes each night (reading No Cry myself) but keep in mind that daylight savings is in a few weeks - baby may naturally go to sleep an hour earlier since we "fall back" an hour.  When LO is playing in the evening try turning the lights down.  If DD is fighting sleep I'll turn the lights down but still let her play and I think it helps her realize it's bedtime.  I also say "Ready for beddy-byes?" and talk to her about going to sleep as I do her nighttime routine so she hears the words (even though she's only 6.5 months) while we're going through the motions.  I figure this will help me as she gets older.  My DD is a horrible napper - some days will be great with 2-3 hour or more naps and other days she do 3-4 20 minute snippets.  But I consistently get her down between 7 and 8:30pm and she sleeps til about 5am, give or take an hour.

  • she is 6 months old

    Lol this

    My DS Naps 4-5 hrs total a day. 2 hrs is not enough. He goes to bed around 7-8



  • My 7 month old sleeps 13hrs at night (waking to feed) and has two 1.5-2hr naps plus one shorter 45min nap each day.  So total of about 17hrs of sleep a day.  She goes down for naps/night with zero fussing, zero tears and talks for less than a minute before putting herself to sleep. 

    If we have a busy day and she sleeps less...she is very difficult to get to sleep and will be up really late wide awake (happy but unable to sleep). 

     

  • MrsWindyCityMrsWindyCity member
    edited October 2013
    If she's only getting ~9.5  hours of sleep a day, then she's overtired. It can take babies longer to fall asleep/settle when they are overtired. I would just keep making her bed time earlier and earlier, or depending on when her last nap is, add a 3rd nap.
  • Sometimes she takes a little thiry minute nap at 7, but she never stays asleep. She has her last bottle for the day at almost 10. So I guess I just need to set eveything back if I want her to get that 5th bottle. Is isnt difficult to get her to sleep at night, she has her bottle and passes out. I just would like it to be sooner cause I go to bed right afterwards with no time to myself. I heard that you could let them fuss for about 5 minutes and check on them every 5 minutes so they know you are still there. I am just not comfortable with letting her cry herself to sleep when I can easliy rock her to sleep. I am just unsure of how else to get her to sleep on her own. I can't rock her forever.....can I? haha.
  • Start bedtime way earlier, like 3-4 hrs after her last nap
  • =Lee=B said:

    My 7 month old sleeps 13hrs at night (waking to feed) and has two 1.5-2hr naps plus one shorter 45min nap each day.  So total of about 17hrs of sleep a day.  She goes down for naps/night with zero fussing, zero tears and talks for less than a minute before putting herself to sleep. 

    If we have a busy day and she sleeps less...she is very difficult to get to sleep and will be up really late wide awake (happy but unable to sleep). 

    OMG! I need to take tips from you.  How do you get your LO to nap that long?  Mine sleeps great at night, 12 hours!  But naps are more of a struggle and I am lucky to get 3-4 naps between 25-45 min each and she is almost 6 months old.
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