Baby's Bedtime Getting Later and Later

I would suggest reading Healthy sleep habits, Healthy child. I did not read that book until my son was about 8 months old. I wish I had done so earlier. It made a lot of sense. My son was not on a good sleep schedule until 9 months. It took him a little bit longer...Good luck!

Hey A.,

Our Pediatrician got us on schedule when our baby was 4 months old and I am so grateful! Here's what we did with both of our kids. Bedtime is between 6pm - 6:30pm. After their evening feeding you go through a bedtime routine, bath, story, song or prayers, then put the baby in his crib awake and leave the room. He'll cry but if he doesn't stop after 5 minutes go give him a quick pet, whisper sweet nothings then leave. If he still cries wait 10 minutes this time before you go in. Then 15, etc.

You'll need to adjust those daytime naps too. Try to push him a little longer in the AM (by 30-60 min), and then push the afternoon one a little later and let it last longer. So if he wakes up at 7am try to wait until 9am for the morning nap. Let's say he sleeps until 10:30am. So the afternoon nap could be from 1pm - 2:30pm. He'll be nice and ready for bed at 6pm.

Kids who are well rested are so much easier to live with. And your job is to provide them structure. You need to be as vigilant about their sleep as you are about safety and nutrition.

Good luck and have fun with your baby!

A major shift in sleeping occurs around 3-4 months. The first thing I'd do, if I was you, was make the bed time much earlier --I'd shoot for 7:30 at the very latest.

At this time he will try to make his own schedule and if you let him he will. With my little one I tried to make a schedule for her. Put him down when he has too and let him cry a little. Start with only 10 min. After 10 min go in check on him and tell him he has to take his nap. Comfort him a little without picking him up and then leave again. He will need to learn how to go to sleep himself. You can check on him every 10 min. It might take sometime at the beginning, but he will learn. He should be able to put himself to sleep within a few days. try not to pick him
At this age you need to teach them what a schedule is. Now he will eat, then play, then nap and so on. And do it at the same time every day. It could be early, but if you think he is ready you could cut on naps too. Try to let him stay up a little longer in the morning, so he can take a later nap, after lunch. and then see how long you can keep him up. You have to work it around. Let's say if he wakes up at 8:00, try to ut him down for his morning nap only at 9:30. That way he will probably wake up at 10:30. So he could take an afternoon nap at 1:00pm. If he sleeps 2 or 3 hours then you could cut on his late afternoon nap and put him down to bed early, like 8:00pm.

It will be hard to put him on a schedule, but once you do, it will be easier on you. My girls have to sleep every day at 12:30 or 1:00.

I hope it helps. I know it's hard when you have your first baby. It will be easier with the second one, believe me.

I absolutely agree with everyone that having structure/routine in their lives is crucial. Also, they are going through many developmental changes at 3 1/2 months. I have found with my 11 month old daughter that her sleep patterns have changed time and time again, based on growth spurts, teething, learning to crawl, etc... I don't believe you can expect that his schedule will always stay the same.

My daughter went through a period when she also wasn't going to bed til 10:30-11, but it didn't last that long. As she became more active, she slept better. She still has days where she may only nap 40 min. and some days 2 hours. Try not to put so much pressure on yourself. It WILL work out. So far, I have never had to let her "cry it out." Try to change up his scenery throughout the day (hanging out in different rooms of the house), introduce new colors, sights and sounds, and play on the floor...anything to wear your little one out so he sleeps better. Good luck to you!

2 daytime naps are probably enough for him at 31/2 mos. Just eliminate 1 nap and change his other naps to an hour later. Keep him awake by playing with him. Tickle him, exercise his little legs and arms, roll a ball around the floor in front of him while he lays on his belly on your bed or the floor. Give him a new toy to watch. A wooden spoon he can hold and bang around or something softer..a new baby or dog toy, a rope to chew in case his teeth are starting to come in, etc.

Being overtired REALLY screws up thier system. I used to think if I kept kids up later or skipped naps they would sleep better or sleep later. It is the EXACT opposite! You need to make sure he gets enough sleep during the day so that your nights work too.
My 18 month old still takes 2 naps during the day. I tried to switch to one nap but bedtime was horrible! With 2 naps he goes down without a problem by 7:30 :)
Good luck. Unfortunately with parenting, the minute you think you have it figured out...something changes:)
J.

Call or go see Dr. Marc Weissbluth ###-###-####). His book is good (Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child) but talking to him is the BEST. Tell him M. sent you. I promise you will be happy if you do what he says for two days!!!

Hi A.,

I totally agree that you should move bedtime earlier (sometime in the 6-7 PM range). And at 3.5 mos., your baby still probably needs 3 naps, but maybe they will be a bit earlier. A good rule of thumb is to make sure to put him down for a nap within 2 hrs. of when he wakes up (and it might be even less for that first morning nap). Babies' sleep needs change as they grow and develop. Around 3 mos. my daughter also experienced a change in her sleeping patterns and having an earlier bedtime did help some (also we had more adult time in the evenings). My daughter, at 11 mos. is a much better sleeper than she was along the way. Rest assured (no pun intended) that it will get easier as your baby grows older (although there will be some set backs along the way, I'm sure).

Best of luck,
R.

Hi,

I agree with Janis and Julie. I'd also recommend checking out "Happy Children, Healthy Sleep Habits" by Dr. Weisebluth (spelling?). It's a great book with some explanation as to why you should let them sleep more during the day if you want them to sleep better at night and vice versa. As a result of reading his book, my daughter was in bed between 6:30 and 7:00 every night by the time she was you son's age. Once she started sleeping through the night, she slept until about 6:30 every morning. Hope this helps!

I had the same problem... I changed the nap times. My little one would wake at 530-600am.. I'd put her down for a first nap at 9am for 1hr.. then after lunch 1-3pm no sleeping past 3!!. Then down by 7 asleep no later than 730-8 after routine.
make sure he's good and tired by bedtime. :D

It is very normal for an infants schedule to change every three months or so. I would stop waking him up and see what his natural rythmn is. Use that to help you establish a more desirable schedule. Make sure you have a night time routine established and you do it every night at the same time. This will help to set the tone for the next day. It may take a few days for a schedule to form. Be assured that once you get used to this schedule it will change again as his sleep needs change. He may need to go down a little later for that first am nap. You can change it by keeping him up for 5 to 10 minutes longer each day until he naturally can do it. 9AM is a good time for that morning nap and for the afternoon getting him down at 12PM-12:30 is good. That evening nap may be gone completely once the shift is complete and then he'll go to bed at 7PM. So you'll start your routine at 6 or so, so that he is already for 7pm.