bedtime

taraleanne · March 2014

I'm getting a little bit of slack from f&f about my LO's 630pm bedtime because when I go back to work soon I won't be able to spend much time with him

But I find if I try to keep him up any later, he only gets overtired. This seems to lead to night wakings. An earlier bedtime seems to make for better night sleep. He also doesn't nap very well so by end of day he's exhausted. Some people have told me to try keeping him up 15m later every day until I get a later bed time. Some have said I need to put him on more of a schedule during the day for naps so he naps longer so he can stay up later. It is difficult because I never know when or how long he'll nap for during the day, sleepy cues are MUCH harder to pick up now and naps are generally a mix of hit and miss easy or a big fat mess but I don't know what to do about it. I let him sleep in until whatever time he wants in the morning and it's rarely the same time.

So my question June mamas, what time does your LO go to bed, do they STTN and what time do they wake up for the day? I'm just curious if anyone is in the same boat as me or what's working for you? At the end of the day I've got to do what works for my LO and if that means a 6 or630pm bedtime and oh so little time with him after work

then I guess that's what I'll do.

Western Diva · March 2014

My LO goes to bed at 6pm and STTN until 7am. I SAH and DH doesn't get to see him lots after work, but DS1 had the same schedule and it works best for both boys. Now DS1 is almost 2.5 years and goes to bed between 6:30-7pm. They both just really need their sleep! Do what you think is best for them.

musicalsilver · March 2014

I still have a night owl!

He only naps once at daycare during the day, so has a nap as soon as he gets home around 6pm. I've tried making this "bedtime" but it's definitely a nap. He sleeps for about an hour-ish, and then is up with us until 9:30/10pm.

He does not STTN, but is also a fierce reverse cycler. He's up around 1 or 2am and again around 5am, but will go down again until 7:30ish when he's up for the day.

Maelara · March 2014

I get flack from my inlaws about N's bedtime. We start her routine at 7:15pm and they hate that we have to leave by then when we are over at their house. It's getting so bad I'm considering not even going anymore. So I feel ya! N STTN more often than not now, so if you have a bedtime that works for you, stick with it!

ASmallWonder · March 2014

You've got the right idea, mama. Forcing a baby to stay up isn't helpful to anyone because that's not going to result in quality time. Plus, babies rarely do ANYTHING the same for any length of time. You'll likely find him adjusting his own bedtime here and there in the coming months.

Quinn goes to bed around 7:15, usually still wakes twice (at least once) and is up for the day at 6:30 on weekdays and he sometimes sleeps in until around 7 on weekends. He usually takes 3 shorter naps during the day.

flerlgirl · March 2014

Josh goes to sleep between 7 and 8, STTN, and wakes up at 7 or 8. He takes two naps during the day that last about an hour. He used to go to bed earlier but I slowly pushed it back so DH could see him after work and because it fit our overall schedule better. Maybe you could try that?

lioness13 · March 2014

She goes to bed around 8pm. She wakes up to nurse at 5 or 6am, then sleeps until around 8am. She naps around noon for 1.5- 2 hours. She naps again when I pick her up from daycare between 5:30 and 6 for about 30-45 minutes. On the weekend I put her down for a nap around 5 and let her sleep 1-1.5 hours.

TheTamedShrew · March 2014

We start bedtime routine around 7:30 and she is in bed with lights out by 8:00. She recently moved her bedtime up from 9:00 to 8:00 randomly. Like @elmoali said, they will switch up their routine now and then and you just adjust and follow your instincts. I SAH though so I have more time to focus on her nap schedule. She didn't start taking consistent naps until after we sleep trained a couple of months ago. She now STTN from 8 p.m.-7:15 a.m., and takes a morning nap around 9:30 for 1.5-2 hours, and takes a cat nap around 3 p.m. for about 45 min. Every now and then she takes 3 short naps instead of one long and one short. I would not try to keep your LO up later just for the sake of having a later bedtime. Our LOs really don't need to be awake longer than 3 hour stretches or they will get overtired and that's a whole mess to deal with.

HeartLikeMine3 · March 2014

I'm rocking/nursing LO by 7:45 an he's in his crib asleep by 8. He wakes up around 6:30 for the day and takes two naps. One from 9-10:30 and the other from 2:30-4. It works for us but I think daylight saving will have your LO staying up later naturally so I would wait on trying to adjust anything.

taraleanne · March 2014

Thanks ladies! All helpful! I wish I had thought to come to the June 2013 board before

@flerlgirl yes that seems to be what should happen for us but trying to get there. We were once, but it somehow went astray around 7.5m. Developmental milestones perhaps. Just out of curiosity, what time does your LO nap at for those two naps?

flerlgirl · March 2014

taraleanne said:

Thanks ladies! All helpful! I wish I had thought to come to the June 2013 board before

@flerlgirl yes that seems to be what should happen for us but trying to get there. We were once, but it somehow went astray around 7.5m. Developmental milestones perhaps. Just out of curiosity, what time does your LO nap at for those two naps?

He usually goes down about an hour or 90 minutes after he wakes up, and then again between 2 and 3 for about an hour. It sort of depends on what else we have to do that day but that is the "norm," if such a thing exists with children

numbersgirl08 · March 2014

We start bedtime around 7 pm and she's in her crib, lights out by 7:30. She STTN and normally wakes up around 7ish. She typically naps at least twice a day, sometimes three times, and generally gets a total of 2.5-3.5 hours of nap time a day.

cafecreme · March 2014

depends, she goes to sleep anywhere from 7:30-8:30. Its's probably more closer to 7:45 or 8.

HelgaFunk · March 2014

I'm useless when it comes to all of this because I just put her down whenever she gets her sleepy face. Her eyes get all red and she starts rubbing them and sucking her fingers and I'll lay her down until she lets me know she's ready to get up. At night she regularly goes to bed at approximately 7:30 (give or take a half hour) and get up anywhere between 5:00-8:00. I really just follow her lead and so far it's kept her happy. My social life sucks but she's a happy baby.

fabumama · March 2014

Bedtime is 6:30 give or take 15 min and she STTN until 7 or 8am

cynthia2007 · March 2014

I've got a little night owl too (like me). Bedtime is usually between 8:15-9. Some nights shell STTN but lately she's been waking up at 11 and then maybe 2am. If she STTN she'll wakeup between 5:30-6. Naps twice at daycare for 1-2 hrs. She gives sleepy cues like rubbing her eyes and putting fingers in mouth if she's tired sooner and we'll put her down if so.

Greywolf12 · March 2014

Bedtime is 7 here, and I agree with everyone. Do what works for him. Also remember the time change is this weekend so that will naturally move his schedule back

LBeez13 · March 2014

subliminalrabbit said:

E goes to bed around 7:30pm. It's definitely difficult being a working mama with an early baby bedtime but you'll get into a groove.

Exact thing. It is hard some nights I want to hang out a little more but I still stick to the 7:30 routine.

taraleanne · March 2014

Acrosthec said:

I don't get home from work until 7. As soon as I do, I give her her reflux medicine with dinner (DH has usually cooked something for us as well) and then we either play or do bathtime (if it's bath night), then have a bottle, read a story, brush our teeth, and go to bed. She's usually asleep by 8:30 or 9 at the latest, and sleeps until 6:30 in the morning. I stay up to prep bottles, etc. for the next day, and am in bed by 10/10:30. We are out the door by 7:30 the next morning.

So yes, it sucks. I spend MAYBE 3 hours with my child every day, and one of them is in the morning when I'm running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done so we can leave, and then at night I feel like I'm rushing trying to get everything done so she can get to bed and isn't cranky and overtired. I figure it sucks now, but eventually my job will let me work from home, so that will help a ton. Otherwise I would be begging DH to move closer to my job so I didn't waste 2 hours in the car every day commuting.

Edited to say that the point of that ^ is that while it sucks for me, it's better for her. I used to try and keep her up until 10 or 11 to spend time with her, and she was SO fussy and irritable because she doesn't nap well at daycare and wasn't getting enough sleep at night to make up for it. An earlier bedtime has made me both happy and sad, because she's so much better off, but I feel like I never get to see her.

I understand. We really have to do what works for our baby don't we? It sounds like you've got a groove going so that's good. I'm sure weekends with her are all the more precious! I'm so scared to go back to work because I'll spend less time with him but such is life right? I'm waiting for approval on a 4 day work week (without extending my hours on the 4 days so essential it's a pay cut but that is OK). This will help immensely. I'm grateful to be able to spend this much time at home with him when I know so many ladies have to go back to work much much earlier.

sassygal29 · March 2014

kdc2007 said:

G goes to bed around 7pm

She STTN and wakes up around 5:30am/6am

This for us too

GRJC · March 2014

Bedtime is 7:30 SSTN wakes up at 7:30 - if for whatever reason he wakes up earlier he just plays in the crib until we get him. Takes two full naps 1-1.5hrs and a 45-1hr nap in the evening.

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