putting to sleep for the night

[chloe1]

Hi i was just wondering how it's done. Ive been reading threads about having a routine for bath, feed sleep at around 7 pm, but im wondering how it all fits in. My 4 month old might have an afternoon nap, and wake at around 3-4. I struggle to put him down again as he either sleeps till late and then i cant put him back down at around 7 or i struggle to keep him up say from 3 until 7 as he gets really grizzly and i have to carry him the whole time. am i doing something wrong? How does it all fall into place? Help!!

[maddysmama]

To fill in that gap between arvo nap and bedtime, we go for a one hour walk in the pram at about 5, then it's time for bath and dinner. Or if not, she goes down for a late catnap, but maybe only 45 mins to an hour. Either way, I still find this is bubs most etchy and clingy time of the day!

[lukaelmo]

Hey there,

If little dude is tired, I will pop him to bed as early as 5.30pm. It doesn't seem to change the time he wakes the next morning at all.

Tee hee, you possible don't want to take my advice though - the dude always wakes to feed at some ungodly hour and then tops this off with a pretty regular waking time of 5.30am :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Baby Girl]

With both my girls when they were little (DD2 still is) we had a routine and a rough time that was bedtime but if either of them were tired an hour earlier or an hour later than normal that is what we went with.

I just go by their signs, DD2 sits under her highchair when she wants to eat and has recently started sitting in the kitchen if she wants a bottle (took me a while to figure that one out because she'll only do it if someone is in the kitchen otherwise she grizzles). She used to have other normal baby signs before she started doing this - you would know what your bubs does when he is hungry, tired etc.

DD2 usually wakes from her afternoon nap at about 4 or 5 in the afternoon and then we play for a couple of hours (dad time with both girls), then solids (and dinner for the rest of us) at about 6:30 - 7pm, bath, bottle and bed around 8 - 8:30 for both girls. They both sleep until after 8 in the morning. Obviously if DD2 is tired and I have missed the food (solids) window I don't force it but just give her a bath, bottle and bed. DD1 has always gone to bed (or had a sleep) between 8 - 8:30 since she was a baby so, at first, we just basically fit our timing around getting her to bed before she was strung out and tired and DD2 has just kind of fit in with the whole thing.

Some nights, however, one or both of them might still be up and firing after 9 but I just deal with it and don't let it stress me out because I know they both need 12 hours sleep so I will get to sleep in tomorrow!! 9:30 is the absolute latest I will let them stay up if we are home and it has been a normal night.

Basically, whatever time works for you and your bub is the best time for you to put the routine in place. If it is 6pm dinner and 8pm bed - great, if it is 5pm dinner and 6:30 bed - thats great too, even if it is midnight to bed and that works for your family - guess what?? Great!! Like I said, you know what your bubs natural routine and tired, hungry signs are so go with him at first and gradually work his into your own natural routine. At least that is what worked for us!!

Sorry to ramble...

[Me]

Hey Chloe1,
As with everything for bubs it's about finding what works for you. What I found worked for us is that I take bub in for a bath at about 7:45 then by the time she has her bath and feed she usually settles herself and is asleep around 8:45 or 9. Between the afternoon nap and bedtime we normally go for a walk and she'll have some play time and usually just nap out in the lounge room if she's tired, but I still wake her at her usual bath time otherwise she doesn't seem to realise that it's time for 'big sleeps' and will wake through the night.
That said, I am having trouble fitting in cooking time depending on when DH comes home from work, but we're working on that.
Hope you find something that works for you.