what is your baby's bedtime? - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

trvlr76 · 10-23-2007, 12:25 PM

For the longest time, we gave DS a bottle at 10 or 10:30, then put him to bed, even though he really fell asleep at 7ish. He would sleep until 3 or 4am. Last week, I started trying to keep him awake until 9, gave him a bottle, and put him to bed. Still, he would sleep until 3 or 4. We transitioned him this weekend to his crib from the bassinet, he is 3 1/2 mths, and he slept great. I decided since I can't for the life of me keep him awake until 9, I would just put him down at 7:30 or 8. We have done this the past couple nights, and he sleeps until 2 or 2:30. I love that after 3 months, I finally have time with my husband at night! Usually, I would go to bed at 9ish, and he stayed up with baby. Now that DS is in his own room, I can finally sleep!

Here's my issue, though. I am still up at 2. I would love to get to the point where all three of us sleep through the night. So I ask, what time do you put your LO down for the night, how old is he/she, and does he/she sleep all night???

Thanks!!!

baj406 · 10-23-2007, 01:23 PM

My son is 4 months. He's always been put down for the night at midnight. DH and I are kind of nightowls, LOL. For about 3 weeks, he's been sleeping through until 8 or 9 AM. His last bottle is around 11 and we play for the hour before sleepy time, to get him nice and drowsy. He takes several long naps during the day too. As he gets older, I'll move his bedtime up. I'm thinking I'll start putting him down around 10PM once he starts solids as he'll likely be able to still make it until 8 if I do that.

Then around 1 year I'll push him up to an 8:00 bedtime and likely leave it there until he starts school. (Assuming this works out, but you know kids, they have different plans, LOL!)

athome1 · 10-23-2007, 03:35 PM

My little one goes to bed around 8ish. She will sleep through until about 7am, sometimes 6:30. She's 5 months and has been doing this until she was about 1 month old. My other two NEVER slept through the night.

Cookiem26 · 10-23-2007, 06:34 PM

you are doing the right thing, it will take time but putting you baby to bed at the earlier time is the trick, they sleep better and if they go to bed too late they get overtired and don't sleep well. Eventually he'll sleep through the night but it may not be for a while. Just enjoy the time you do have right now in the evenings with your husband, that shouldn't change but one day your DS will sleep through the night and down the road you may kind of miss those middle of the night feedings just for the bonding/quiet time you have together. I kind of miss it for that reason, not that I want to go back to waking up at 2am

My DD is 16 months old now and has been a great sleeper, she now goes down closer to 8pm but she used to go to bed by 7 or 7:30 until just recently. Just be patient, it will happen before too long.

lindsay1026 · 10-23-2007, 07:40 PM

You sound like you are living in my house! My husband & I are doing the exact same thing this week. My DD is 10 weeks old and we always put her to bed at 10. She would wake up around 2ish and then again around 6 (she has to get up at 6 or so b/c I work). Anyway, this week we decided that she really needed to go to bed around 8-8:30 b/c that is when she was becoming tired. (we were trying to keep her up just like you until 10) So far, so good. She still wakes up for her 2 am feeding, but I don't mind too much. I kind of like that time w/her...just as long as she falls back asleep easily!

I agree w/you, it's great to have some "free" time in the evenings again!

My dh and I laugh, b/c we well so clueless about what to do!