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Any advice on getting LO to go to sleep before midnight lol

Davids not a naughty boy at all, but he stays awake till at least 11pm smiling laughing, giggling, just not wanting to sleep, he will willingly lie on his changing mat, in his rocking chair or swing and watch tv with us, but put him in his cot and its like jekyl and hyde, screaming baby, proper tears, nearly making himself sick, and im talking seconds after putting him down.
I know hes spoilt, as I pick him up straight away, but he really cries, I dont know how to get him out of habit, hr normally sleeps about midnight to 4:30 drinks 4/5oz straight down in his sleep then sleeps till 8. Im not too tired or anything but surely a baby should sleep about 7-7 at 13 weeks, even if they do wake up for a feed???
David gets round 8 hours at night then has 3/4 20 min cat naps, so is sleeping only 9 hours some days?? lol
Maybe its my fault for being so active when pregnant..

Replies

  • habits do start to form at this kind of age,does he fall asleep by himself or not?do you have a bedtime routine?what time is his last nap?sorry for so many qs but if he has a nap at say 5 o clock he may not want to sleep at 7 if you get what i mean?!!it can be difficult but somtimes u have to be cruel tpo be kind and maybe a spot of contolled crying may help?he is still young so there is plenty of time but the longer you leave it to start a routine the harder it will be xxx
  • I agree with the other ladies. Lily hasn't been well the last few days and things have gone to pot with her sleeping habits. If Lily naps around 5pm I know I am in for a bad night!
    xxx
  • hello,

    Do you him ready for bed after tea? Then when he rubs his eyes or gives you signs he is tired, do you put himdown?
    I found with my lo,if I her signs it takes longer for her to get to sleep.xxx
  • Hoogly goes off to sleep at around 11. wakes for a feed at 6 am, and then sleeps till 10am. Works for us.

    Also don't get this british fashion of putting kids to bed at 7 pm. If I would put Hugo to bed at 7, he would get no daddy time on weekdays. Also, it makes them wake up at 6/7 am when they re put to bed at 7 pm, way too early for me.

    I am planning to bring bedtime up to about 9 30 in time, but not earlier than that, I don't mind that he is up till then, and he still get a really good night's sleep.

    Also, though they say babies need to sleep like 14 hours a day, not all babies are the same, some need A LOT less than that, and they are still healthy and still happy.

    On average Hugo sleeps around 12 hours in 24 hours. Sometimes less, but seems to work for him, he is very happy!
  • he will go asleep around 8 bt will scream till we pick him up at about 8 30 then will go down at 11ish if were lucky lol..
  • We used to have the same problem with Oscar - couldn't get him to go to sleep until about 11ish, then he was up at 6.30. We started encouraging him to sleep with us in the living room after his feed around 9pm, ie, if he fell asleep after his feed which he usually does, we didn't move him, even if it was on me and i was busting for a wee lol, we just let him sleep. After about a week he had gotten used to going to sleep about this time, so we started putting him in his cot, and he settled himself because his bodyclock had changed. We wake him for a dreamfeed at 11ish then back to sleep. It did take a bit of persevereance and we still have nights that he's up until 11 but it's early days, he's only little and we'll get there. I found the trick is not to play with him after 9pm - just sit him in his bouncy chair. He's not allowed on the floor or to play after this time, so he knows if he's up, he gets no attention.

    I do agree with Fooxoo about the 7pm bedtime, it's just not realistic for everyone at this age. Daddy would get no time to see him or play, and we couldn't fit our dinner, his bath or any fun time in - 9pm ish works for us.
  • I guess it depends how you look at it! If my two went to bed at 10 then I would have absolutely no time to myself, or for me and hubby at all!!

    It sounds as if he isn't tired earlier in the evening as he is quite cheerful, could you maybe adjust his naps so that he is tired earlier? Might be best to do it gradually, say 15 mins at a time so it doesn't come as too much of a shock for him. He is still very tiny though so I wouldn't worry about it too much.
    xx
  • We used the have the same problem with Amber hun, she was so excitable at night she didnt want to sleep.

    We decided that this was how she was so bathed her at 9.30, fed her at 9.50 and in bed for 10. She settles herself really well know as she knows exactly what is coming next!

    We gradually bring the bath time forward by 15 mins each week so know we bath her at 9, feed at 9.20 bed at 9.30 and it takes her about 10 mins to settle herself. This has worked for us so give it a try. Also it may be mean but try not to pick him up straight away(unless really upset) let him grumble a little and also try not to play so he knows night time is not a time for sleep!

    Also who says a baby has to go to bed at 7???? Every baby is different! This is ok when they are a bit older as they need to go to bed a bit earlier but not at around 3months hun. If babies can go to bed then great but most wont. Also agree that it means they will wake earlier for a feed and also earlier for the day.

    Good luck!!

    xxxxxxxxx
  • i dont know what to sugest all my kids have gone down at 6.30pm
    justin used to do 6.30pm - 9am but woke every hour or more intill he was 3
    maya did 6.30pm - 9am without ever waking
    charie who is 6 weeks gets his last bottle at 6pm and is asleep by 6.30 he wakes for 2 feeds between then and 6am some time only once.
    he will the go back to sleep after his 6am feed if he sleeps with me if not hes awake till 8.30am he is only awake around 6 - 8 hours out of 24
  • Hi my boys the same, got some tips from a parenting leaflet that m gonna try from monday -

    When baby shows signs of tiredness bathe, feed and cuddle
    Put him to bed sleepy
    If baby cries pick him up give him a cuddle and put him back down
    Repeat 'pick up put down' as often as necessary until baby goes to sleep.
    Get him used to this for a week or so then gradually do that routine earlier and earlier until you get to the bedtime you want.

    Hopefully it will work!

    Gill
    xxxx
  • Unless you're tired I really wouldnt worry. Gabe used to go to bed at 9 but gradually it changed when he started napping less in the day and getting tired earlier. xx
  • I don't think it matters what time you put baby to bed so long as you and baby are happy with that time. We aim for 7.30-8ish but he wakes really early and i have to settle him for another hr before getting up at 730 ish.
    I do think that it's important to have a bedtime routine and if you do this at 10pm or 6.30 it doesn't matter but it definitely helps baby get used to going to be at that time every night. S x
  • some babys dont need much sleep! millie does she sleeps 7- 9.30am but wakes twice for a feed. she use to sleep lots in day 6 hours at a time and didnt go to bed til 11pm but she started getting tired on her own earlier at around 8 weeks and started going to bed earlier. at 3 months she started having less naps in day she has 3 naps now lasting 30mins-2 hours at a time. i thnk ur lo may start going to bed earlier eventually they will prob start getting tired quicker, or u may just have an active baby!! who doesnt need much sleep!!some babys need 10 hours sleep and others need 18!! i guess u have a 10 hour baby lol i was very active when pg walking 2 hours a day until i was due and millie moved constantly but she is a bit lazy although does fidget and roll alot in her sleep lol
  • davids always fidgeting in his sleep, at first i stayed and watch him cos i thought he wasuncomfortable and going to wake. now i let him get on with it unless he cries. Lat nite he did 8 45-3 then 3-7
    Im very proud of him image
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