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Anyone else

Liz - posted on 04/17/2011 ( 4 moms have responded )

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I don't mean that a later bedtime works better in terms of your family's schedule and that your LO doesn't mind it... but does anyone else's LO actually sleep better with a later bedtime?



Ever since my son turned 7 months old, his whole routine has gone out the window. He developed separation anxiety, which is part of the problem, but he's also just more wakeful now.



His naps have regressed back to catnaps, and he was waking every 2 hours at night! So I took the conventional advice -- that he was overtired and needed an even earlier bedtime -- and started putting him to bed before 7pm (instead of 8:00ish). Well, all that made him do was wake EVERY SINGLE HOUR -- and despite not sleeping well, he was grinning and ready for the day at FIVE AM.



After a few nights of this, I was about to skip town and change my name... then I said screw Those Books, I'm putting this little punk to bed later. So I got him good and exhausted (and myself too), then put him to bed at 9:30pm. He didn't wake up until 3:00ish, nursed and slept until 5:00ish, then nursed on and off and dozed until 7:30! (We co-sleep.)



This isn't where we were in terms of sleeping -- believe it or not, before the time change, he slept 6pm-6am with only 2 wake-ups (I can hardly believe it myself) -- but it's way better.



What do you ladies think? Is it just a coincidence that he's sleeping better now? Is 9:30 too late of a bedtime for an infant?

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4 Comments

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Amy - posted on 04/19/2011

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You and your child will find that balance and it sounds like you are getting warmer:) Ever since my eldest was 6 months, his bedtime was at 9,the time I chose to put him down. His waking times occasionally changed but his bedtime never did. Now he is nearly 7 yrs old and still goes to bed promptly at 9,and has no sleep issues whatsoever. So do what you do,mama. You're not harming him so just keep feeling around for the balance you are looking for. But just so you know...kids get older but they will always wake you up in the middle of the night for some reason or other:)

Stifler's - posted on 04/19/2011

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I think every kid has their own thing that works. I find if we put my son to bed at 6 he will wake up at 10PM thinking it's morning or having a nightmare. If he goes to bed at 7 he often sleeps through or wakes up at midnight for a cup of milk then sleeps until 7AM.

Louise - posted on 04/18/2011

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I think you have a different routine to me because I did not breast feed. At 7 months my daughter was going to bed about 8.30pm because she was having two, two hour sleeps in the day. She was falling asleep about 9pm and waking at 8am. At 15 months she was going to bed at 8pm because the two sleeps had merged into one of 2.5 hours at lunch time. At 2 she now only has an hours nap during the day and goes to bed at 7.45pm and wakes up about 7-7.30am.

I think as long as your child is getting enough sleep to grow and is healthy does it really matter what his schedule is as long as it works for all of you. I think the breast feeding has disrupted your babies sleep pattern because most bottle fed babies sleep through the night form about 5 months. Just remember that babies under 5 need 12-13 hours sleep in 24 hours to help growth and brain function. As long as they are getting this is does not matter if it is in one go or in long naps.

Christine - posted on 04/18/2011

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I just started working 3rds part time for about a month now. so my 9 months stays up with daddy untill 11 and sleeps all night for him wakes up when I get home at 7, nurses and is asleep till 8:30. and naps 2x durring the day 9:30 and 4:30 for about an hour. On my nights off he goes to bed around 10 and wakes up 2-3x but will sleep until 9-9:30, and only naps once. He used to be on a scheduale before I went back to work bd by 9:30 up by 8. We co-sleep as well. I honestly think as long as you have a rutine that is all that matters. if he knows that bath, story time, then nursing means time for bed, later you can always adjust the time earlier. Good luck!

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