Anyone out there with a late bedtime? If so, what's your daily routine?

Helen - posted on 02/08/2010

My daughter from the time she was starting to sleep through the night more, she was very regular for going to bed at midnight. it didnt matter if i put her to bed at 11:30, she would be up 2 hours later. but at midnight she would sleep through the night... we have recently gotten her back on a schedule and she still is a late night baby and like you i am a stay at home mom, no real need to wake up early unless its necessary. My daughter is back to the midnight or so of going to bed and will wake up usually the first time at 9:30am. she will usually fall back asleep for another hour of so and she has been getting in the habit of 2 naps during the afternoon. usually one around 1 or 1:30 in the afternoon and then another between 5 & 6pm. then typically by midnight or a little before it is bedtime. Its taken a little while to get into a schedule, but this has seemed to work and although i get lectures from the doctors, this schedule works for me and my family, so i dont see any problems with it. So you just have to find what works for you and stick to it... you have to be consistant. thats the most important thing that i have come to realize, consistancy is the most important thing you can do with your child.

Sarah - posted on 01/25/2010

My husband works 3rd shift so he sleeps some in the morning then before he goes to work.So, the baby is wake until after he is about ready to sleep at about 10 she lays down gets kisses from Mommy and Daddy and goes to sleep

LKiesha - posted on 12/27/2009

my son is a late sleeper too. Its a miracle if I can get him to fall asleep without waking up again in like 20 minutes b4 12! He never slept 12 hours sine he was a newborn and then all they did was sleep. He is however up by 7 730 every morning! I hate that because its not enuf sleep for me. He takes a nap at sometime between 11 and 2 then again at like 5 or 6. I wish he would just cut that last nap out and go to bed by 9pm lol. wishful thinking but I have to get him on a sleep cycle better than this one SOON!

Sarah - posted on 12/26/2009

My daughter goes to bed around 9pm most nights. But sometimes we have stuff going on and its 10 or 11. She is usually up around 9am (though she has never slept through the night). She naps at 1 everyday and occasionally she'll take a 30 minute powernap around 6pm. Other then that we're pretty laid back on schedule :). I don't want a kid who gets up at 7am!!! lol

Amber - posted on 12/18/2009

Im sooo glad my family isnt the only one who has a late bedtime:)

Brittany - posted on 12/17/2009

When my daughter was tiny I would try to get her to sleep by 9, but I've given up on that whole battle. She's usually asleep before midnight and sleeps until 10:30-11-ish.

Our Day (prepare to be SO interested, ha).
10am-11am: wake up and nurse (yes, I'm still breastfeeding AND we co-sleep)
11am-12pm: play, read, etc.
12-1pm: Eat brunch (yogurt, fruit, etc)
1:30pm-3:30pm: nap time (yaaaaay)
3:30-4:30: play
4:30: mid-afternoon snack (fruit, cheese, whatever)
4:45pm Husband gets home from work
5:30: late lunch
6-7:30pm Nap again
7:30-8:30 play
8:30 Dinner
9-11: play
11-12 read, breastfeed, rock, sing, tell stories, do WHATEVER it takes to get her to sleep.

?? - posted on 12/17/2009

My son and I are the same way, pretty much exactly.



Our day doesn't start until 10am. We're usually up at 9:30, and we lay in bed and cuddle and I talk to him (I ask him what he dreamed about and he will babble away to me lol I love our mornings), we have breakfast around 10 (usually just a yogurt - he never wants more) and then we play and around 11 we have lunch then we play for an hour or so... usually between 12 and 1pm he has a nap for about an hour... then when he wakes up we have a snack, we go outside to play (weather pending), we have another snack and he has another nap around 4-5pm for an hour or so and when he gets up we cuddle for a bit, read and relax and then between 6-7pm we have dinner. After dinner we play for a lil bit, we have a bath every other night, we watch a lil TV, we read a lil bit, he likes to play by himself in the evening for an hour or so (it's strange, after dinner he actually gets upset with us if we try to play with him lol) and then around 10:30pm we make a bottle, cuddle up, eat and he goes down no probs around 11pm, not fussy and cause he NEEDS to go to sleep but that's the bedtime he likes.



The past lil bit he has been waking up once or twice in the night and needing / wanting reassurance that we are there but he's gotten about 10 teeth in the past 3 months, so he's been a lil clingy with the teething.



I've also noticed lately that once a week he only wants 1 nap a day rather than 2, but if I *try to make him* have 1 nap a day our actual night time is horrendous. If I try to get him to go to bed early he ends up asleep at 8 but then he's up at 1 or 2am and up up up up to play. So I let him decide on whether he wants 1 or 2 naps.



Like you I'm a SAHM and I think we have a couple years at least to get him into waking up earlier, so it's not a rush for me right now, he's only 13.5 months old... he has structure and he is happy and healthy so the details are minor to me lol

Erin - posted on 12/17/2009

Well my husband is on a late work schedule, he works 3pm to 12 am. To maximize him being able to see us we are on a night schedule. We do a bottle at 2:00 pm, brunch around 7 pm, a bottle at 12 am, dinner at 3 am, a bottle at 7 am and go to bed. Our child is really happy with his routine and it gives us plenty of time to do stuff.

Casey - posted on 12/17/2009

my daughter goes to bed at 9:30pm and wakes up around 8:30 to 9 am and take about 2 hour naps twice a day

Ines - posted on 12/10/2009

yeah, my 14 month old boy used to go to bed at 7pm and wakes up at 6am. Now he doesn't want to go to bed before 8:30pm. and most of the time he goes down a little after 9pm. he then wakes up at 6:45am-7pm. So he doesn't get that much sleep(just 9hrs or so). But he still takes 2 naps a day, 1.5 hour each. sometimes more. I would like to have him go down earlier at night and transition him to 1 nap a day. But so far, he just does what he wants and he seems very happy and healthy. So i'm fine with it.

Sarah - posted on 12/06/2009

Hi there.. so glad to know that our boys aren't alone in the late bedtime thing..! We've had a routine for them that has worked since they were born pretty much.. Our boys do have a bedtime (no later than 10, but usually once a week they stay up later because we do a late-nite grocery shop!) They do sleep about 10-12 hours a nite and have naps during the day.. both my partner and I do not need to get up early but my partner usually gets up around 9ish and I'm not usually conscious till sometime after 10.. The oldest boy gets up when he hears my partner making noises in the house, and the little one gets up when I get up.. I guess this will change when both boys are in the same room!
Their grandparents have grumbled that we let them go to bed too late but when they were looking after the boys, we rang them at about 10:30pm and we could hear a wee voice in the background! So much for that.
Every family is different and every child is different, not everyone is in the box.
^_^

Becky - posted on 12/05/2009

Hi Maria - My son has been going to bed over the last few months at about 9PM (daylight savings). Well, I take him upstairs to get ready for bed at 9PM (late today at 9:30) and he wakes up anywhere from 6-8:30AM. He naps anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours during the day depending on what's going on.

Brandi - posted on 12/05/2009

My 4 year old has always been a night owl (I think she gets it from me). When she was about 2 and half we decided it was time for her to start having a bedtime. In the beginning we started with midnight. I know that sounds late but it was a loose schedule to start out with then we went to 11 and then to 10. Her bedtime is now 10 and we stick to it pretty much. I have a one year old who is very easy to get to sleep and she is usually in bed by 10 at the latest and still naps anywhere from 3-5 hours during the day. (She requires lots of sleep) As for my 4 year old she cut out her naps a long time ago. From time to time she will get worn out and crash about 6pm but that makes it hard to stick to the bedtime as she isn't tired by then. How old is your son? He may be ready to go to just one nap a day or if he isn't sleeping well during the day then it may be hard for him to sleep at night. My one year old, we have discovered, has night terrors if she doesn't get her naps in due to a busy day. I once read that "sleep begets sleep". So you just have to figure out whether or not he needs more or less sleep. And I am pleased to know that I am not the only mom that doesn't put their kids in bed by 7 or 8. I hope this helps.

Jenni - posted on 12/05/2009

We're also late night and late morning risers and it works very well for my daughter and I as I have never been good at getting up early in the morning and she seems to take after me :) !! To tell the truth I'm glad there are a lot more people out there who also do this as my health visitor tries to shame me into putting her to bed by 6.30 - her dad would never see her if we did that and she won't go to sleep anyway so whats the point? Like its already been said, its not like she has to get up for anything the next day and I'm a stay at home mum too! Daughters happy, I'm happy and the day goes much easier for both of us!!

Brittany - posted on 11/29/2009

we have a late bedtime as well im a stay at home mom and dont want to wake up that early so. My kids sleep 12 hours and rarely take a nap one is 1 and one is 2. Our days wake up at 10:30-11:30 change diapers, eat, dress, start the day if there is a nap it happens around 3:30 right after snack. Naps usually last 2 hours then playtime, dinner time is usually 7 or 7:30. Bathtime is 9:30 ish then story time. Then bed.

Annette - posted on 11/23/2009

My baby falls asleep between 9pm and 11pm....depending on her nap during the day. When she nas from 12pm til 2.30pm she'll sleep earlier....around 9pm.



Wake-up/breakfast& milk: 8.30/9am

Snack/meal 12pm

nap-time: 12.30/1pm

3pm: wake up and meal

5pm: snack & milk

7pm: dinner

8pm bath

9pm-10 asleep



Glad I"m not alone in having a late night sleeper:-)

Denise - posted on 11/20/2009

Im a SAHM and we get to bed late and get up late I like it that way. She goes to bed around 12 and gets up around 10 or 11. I have tried getting her to bed earlier before if she doesnt get a good evening nap but we always end up back at 12. She will nap normally from 2-4 and sometimes 7-8 if we have a busy day. Im trying to get to bed a little sooner. Im due in 2 weeks with another and my husband still gets up early for work so I dont want to bother him to much with the noise. She eats when she gets up then maybe a little before her nap unless she gets tired early than after her nap then a middle day snack then supper around 8 or 9 then bottle before bed.

Alexis - posted on 11/19/2009

Well, our schedule isn't all that late. I'm a stay at home mom and while we used to be on an earlier schedule, these last few months have been getting later. My daughter wakes up around 8-830 and takes her first nap around 11. she usually only sleeps about a half hour to 1 1/2 hours and then goes back down for another nap between 3-4. Now this nap can be anywhere from an hour to 3 hours! I let her sleep as long as she wants, and even if she has only been up for an hour, she is ready for her bedtime routine around 8 w/bags under her eyes =). I take her upstairs then, read to her for about 15-20 minutes, give her a 10-15 minute bath, give her a bottle (which I'm trying to change now) then put her to sleep. Sometimes she doesn't want to sleep just then so she'll play in her crib until she passes out. Which is usually no later than 9-930. I don't think there is anything wrong w/a late schedule. If it works for your family, then why not? Her father works nights so when we were on an early schedule, I was asleep by the time he came home and I missed him. Now I get to spend some time w/my man, and he can get up w/her in the mornings too sometimes which is nice! =)

Jessica - posted on 11/18/2009

my son is now 13mths. at 9mths i put him onto the routine in the save our sleep book by tizzy hall. he wont sleep 12hrs at night though. he wakes up 6-630am, bottle either 630 or 7am. nap around 930 or 10am for around 1- 1.5hrs. lunch at 1pm, nap at 230 or 3 for 1-1.5hrs. tea at 6pm, bath at 630pm, bottle at 7pm then bed at 730pm. it works for him. he sort of just fell into this routine after i got him self settling at night. i found a routine very important.

Cory - posted on 11/18/2009

My daughter has always been a morning glory, but also a night owl too. We have to set a routine for her otherwise she'll just run herself ragged. She gets up in the morning at about 8 am most days. Some days she's up around 6:30 or 7. She still takes a short nap in the morning around 11:00 or 11:30 until lunch time around 12 or 12:30. Then, she plays all afternoon and gets a snack around 2, then about 4 she takes about an hour nap. Then, she gets up and eats dinner. She plays and reads books with daddy until about 8. Then, we've tried to start a bedtime routine. I run her a bath. She plays in the bathtub and then she gets dressed for bed. We read a few more books and then pray and sing. Then, we try and get her rocked and down for the night at about 9. She's better if she goes down then. Otherwise if we try much earlier, she's trying to play with everything in her room or with my face while we rock. :) So, maybe this helps a little. Some babies just require less sleep. That's okay. They're soaking up the world around them! Think of it as a blessing! :)

Maria - posted on 11/18/2009

thank you everyone for your input!

Sara - posted on 11/17/2009

I have let my daughter lead somewhat on her bedtime and as she has gotten older it has gotten later. She has never been a big sleeper. Right now, she goes to bed between 9 and 9:30, wakes up at 7-7:30 and then naps from about 1-2 (sometimes she takes a nap at 11 or so, but she never naps for more than an hour). All babies are different...I think she just requires less sleep than other babies.. At this age, some babies will change their naps a bit, going from two naps to one. Good luck!

Lulu - posted on 11/17/2009

yes my daughter goes to sleep between 9-10 and wakes up between 8-9am which is great hehe....
i send my daughter to a childcare thing it starts at 9 and finishes at 3...so when she gets home i let her play around until 4:30pm-5pm and then i have a shower with her sing to her etc etc... when we get out she is normally restless so i change ready for bed and give her a bottle, but we only sleep to 7.
once we get up she has a hot meal and bottle and plays for a hour then another bottle then shes asleep by 9ish

hope this helps.....look up childcare hun its a life saver

Brenda - posted on 11/16/2009

my son falls asleep whenever he is tired. Sometimes it's 7, sometimes it's 11! He has never slept 12 hours and no matter when he goes to bed he always wakes up at 6:30. He takes 1 to 2 naps a day, the first around 10am for about 2 hours, the second around 3:30pm for about 45 mins to an hour. It's been really hard for us to set a bedtime schedule because we have had a lot of company in our house lately, and we're about to go to grandma's for a week where the baby will have to sleep with us in bed. I think my new year's resolution will be to give bedtime some sort of structure so he won't be a 5 year old who is up till midnight.

Kelly - posted on 11/16/2009

I am also a SAHM but provide care for others in my home and attend evening college classes. We don't really have a "schedule" per say either. My sone is usally in bed between 8 and 10 pm. He sleeps 10-12 hrs a night so he will get up between 7 and 9 am. I try not to let him sleep past 9 (as I am up with the other kids) even though some days he would. He is then usually up for about 2-3 hrs back down for an hour or 2 (generally 2) up for another 2-4 and then down again for about 2 hrs. I don't let him sleep past 6:30 at night regardless. I hope this helps a bit!