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Bedtime - routines, techniques, time and tips

Discussion in 'Toddlers' started by vasera, Mar 20, 2008.

  1. Riyasmommy

    Riyasmommy Silver IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Cheer, this is what Riya's schedule was like at 12 months-
    7 am - wake up
    3 hours in between for breakfast, play or whatever else.
    between 9:30 to 10:00 am - 1st nap
    11:00 am - wake up
    3 hours in between - lunch/play/reading or going out/play dates etc.
    2:00 to 2:30 pm - 2nd nap
    4 pm - wake up

    This second nap was always iffy - she would sometimes go down for a nap, sometimes she wouldn't or sometimes she would be tired and fall asleep around 4 pm. Whatever the scenario was, I never let her sleep after 5 pm, even now. Even if she fell asleep at 4pm, I would wake her up at 5 pm. The funda behind this is that the baby need to be awake for atleast 3 hours before his or her bedtime. Riya's bedtime was and still is 8 pm, we start our bedtime routine at 7 pm, dinner is 6 pm. According to the above nap and sleep schedule, I planned her snack/meal times. Her dad also comes home at 6 pm, we have dinner around that time and then he spends time with her for the one hour before her bed time routine around 7 pm. Whatever happens, we try not to disrupt her bed time and routine as much as possible as it's also for her own good. Apart from our "me time", she needs all this sleep to help with her growth and development, and also it will also be easier on all of us in the long run when she starts school. Hubby spends a lot of time with her on weekends and catches up with her.

    Riya sleeps in her own room in her own crib so it was easy for us to put her down to sleep at 8 pm. But now we are staying in a one room motel for the last month, and I still start her routine at 7 pm and nowadays she's asleep by 8 pm on our bed. After she's asleep we do our own thing, we don't watch TV because of the noise, but surf, read and study. I don't know if Aanya sleeps in a crib or with you guys, but you need to come up with a plan that will work for all of you.

    Like Vanathi, the couple hours I get after Riya goes to sleep is precious to me too. That's the time when hubby and I get to even talk or share our daily stuff or just sit and watch a movie or something, or just do our own thing without having to watch a toddler run around going crazy. It's important that you get that time, cheer, for your own sanity and for your marriage.

    Raj
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2009
  2. tikka

    tikka Gold IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Cheer, from my experience Kiran DIDNT get up early though he went to bed early. It is true every child has his/her sleep needs, but from what you are telling us, it does not look like she is getting more than 12 hours sleep. I would think it is somewhat low for a one year old.

    Can papa do other things to bond with the baby like a nice massage and a bath, read books to her, teach alphabets or something that will both tire her out as well as wind her down.

    Whenever Kiran's bedtime slips past 9 pm, we move it forward in 15 minutes increments till he is sleeping around 7.30/8 pm. Sudden changes dont work very well for K. So everyday, we start the nighttime routine of bath, dinner, quiet games, books, night time music, nurse, brush teeth to be rocked to sleep.
    AT 12 months, Kiran was hitting the bed by 8 pm and wake up at 7 am
    9.30 to 10.30 nurse to sleep for up to 1.5 hours, eat lunch at 2 pm and sleep 3ish for two more hours. Like Latha said I will wake him up gently by 5 pm by either offering to nurse or change diapers. bedtime routine starts at 6 pm, somedays will be easy others tough.
     
  3. Aadhusmom

    Aadhusmom Gold IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    At 1 year Aadhu was on 2 naps a day - 10-11.30 and 3 to 4.30. Like Aanya he never slept for more than 90 mins at a time but when they have 2 naps that adds up and its ok. Now he does 1 nap of 2 and a half hours and is woken up at 5 pm max (I try to get him up atleast 15-30 mins before that most days).
    This is a very important point that Raj has made - you need to work on cutting the 5 pm nap out. Maybe moving the whole schedule forward in stages (like Krithika has said) will work. When you say she gets up early - how early? Aadhu never sleeps for more than 10 hrs to 10 and a half hrs at night so he is usually up at 6.45 or 7 am which is ok for me and will probably be ok when he starts preschool too. But of course you need to decide what would be an acceptable wake-up hour for you - werent you planning on going back to work? If so you need to factor that in as well. In any case she will go to 1 nap a day sometime in the next few months so be prepared for some trying times while that happens!

    V.
     
  4. cheer

    cheer Silver IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    sorry latha for late reply was kind of busy, oh no dear u really made a right point, it's really good for everybody if kids go to sleeps early & get up early & after reading all u ladies replies i really think that way too. This weekend onwards i'll try to chg her schedule. Hey BTW i have to thanku to made that point to some other thread.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 13, 2009
  5. cheer

    cheer Silver IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Raj thanx for sharing her schedule, she is also taking nap twice in a day but the thing is her schedule starts late, but i'll try to put her sleep early. Thanx Raj.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 13, 2009
  6. cheer

    cheer Silver IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Dear Tikka & Vanathi thanx for ur suggestions, well i quit job, i was not sure to leave her in daycare. But u ladies are right i need to chg her sleep schedule that will be good for everybody. Will let u know next monday abt any progress.

    Once again thanx.
     
  7. Traveller

    Traveller Gold IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Hi Cheer,

    As Vanathi says initial days of this change will be troublesome. But don't give up and it will help you later. My son gets up at 6.30 and even then to make him ready for school at 8-8.30 is a pain!

    Latha
     
  8. Priya0425

    Priya0425 New IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Hi ladies

    This subject is very relevant for me. I dont know why but my 19mth old, Pranav hates sleeping. Even as a newborn I remember I would have to rock him for ages before he would fall asleep.

    Yesterday he slept from 12.30 to 2.30. So I was very happy thinking this meant an early night. But no, even tho I shut the door and the rocking etc started at 8.15 he slept only at 9.45 by which time Dh and I were both exhausted.
    I wonder if any of you have any tips for me. P refuses to even get into the crib and sleeps in our bed.

    Priya
     
  9. Traveller

    Traveller Gold IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Welcome here Priya.

    Let me console you on the co-sleeping point. My son, who is 4 years old now, slept in his crib until a year. Then he refused to and slept with us. So don'T force him. Since last year my boy is again sleeping in his junior bed.

    I would suggest stop rocking. There were days even when my boy was 2.5 yrs that i could see he was exhausted; but yet he would be lurking around until 9.30 pm. We both tried many ways and losing sanity. Then we finally decided no point fighting with a kid that is refusing to sleep. So we told him 'okay... you play for sometime then try to get back'... this strategy doesn't work on day one but try.

    It looks like:

    either your husband comes home around your kid's usual bed time and so the kiddo wants to play with dad (it happens even now with us)

    or

    there are too many exciting things happening around his bed time. Our home is chillingly quiet when the kids are in bed! this part you'll have to find out:)

    First focus on getting him to sleep in the bedroom and then you can think about shifting him to his bed... that's the best way:thumbsup

    Latha
     
  10. cheer

    cheer Silver IL'ite

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    Re: When your baby go to bed??

    Hi Ladies, well latest update is still same schedule, actually weekend is the culpit. We usually go to bed late at night. But i'll try to chg it. Yesterday me & my hubby both had a worst fight i remembered. I put her to sleep in the afternoon ard 1.30pm she got up at 2.30, only 1 hr nap & then again i tried to put her to sleep ard 4.20 but she couldn't even she started crying continuously for an hour, he got angry & i got mad, as a result she won & took last nap ard 6 pm.

    I don't know whenever he is around she got very excited, maybe she wants to spend as much as time with him, i don't know???? But on weekends she is really piss me off, never listen anything & my hubby pamper her.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2009

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