At what age?

Question

At what age did you start putting your child down for bed at a regular time? Our son is 3 1/2 months and sleeps through the night. We're putting him to bed around 8:30 and I'm not sure if it's working or not. What are some tricks you used to get your child to sleep?

Some people were wondering what the problem was, there's no problem, I'm just interested in what other parents have done. Thanks!

Answer 1

The best thing I found was to learn what my son's tired signs were, put him down to sleep when he showed me he was tired, be consistent with how I put him to bed (he gets a bottle or sippy cup right before and I say naptime, goodnight, and give him a kiss at naps; read him a story and say bedtime, goodnight with a kiss at bedtime), and let him schedule himself. Reading "The Best Behaved Baby on the Block" gave me some new tips on how to tell if he was tired or not past the point when he just cried/screamed it out as a newborn. As a result of all of the above and his admittedly great temperament, he's been sleeping through the night almost since birth (other than feedings in the early months). He's 14 mos. old now, and still takes a morning and afternoon nap most days (half an hour to a couple of hours) about 10 AM and 2-3 PM though sometimes he only wants one nap. He's switched from sleeping from about 8 PM - 9 AM to 6 PM - 8 AM, but other than that, pretty consistent with his schedule and chose his own "regular" time from about four months forward. I wear him out enough in between with learning time, active time and "alone" time (I watch him but he does what he wants within the bounds of safety) that he's pretty ready to go to sleep. I tried rocking him, swings, etc., but he just didn't like it. I have friends who have tried imposing their own schedule, which doesn't seem to work as well, because their kids aren't tired enough at the times their parents want them to be. I also have friends who have a very elaborate bedtime routine, and from what I've seen, their kids don't want to nap and/or don't go to bed without assistance ever (even when from behavior it's obvious they need to), which is not what I want to teach my son. I'd like him to learn to go to sleep on his own, and a loving routine with consistency but brevity seems to work for us. We also did music at night (just looped the DVD player to play continuously) for the first six months, and that seemed to help a lot, though we stopped that when he seemed ready and didn't need noise to shut out other noises while sleeping (didn't want him to be dependent on the music either). In general, with us, the key seemed to be letting him set his own schedule, and he fell into a reliable pattern with it pretty quickly. I do have the luxury of being a stay-at-home mom though - if you don't, or have some other reason to need to go to bed or get up at certain times, this might not work for you. Good luck!

Answer 2

I did the same thing my parents did. The kid goes down at a regular time every night no matter what. I was in bed by 8pm until Jr hi and then 9pm and then hi school 10 pm summer winter it didn't matter. weekends I got an extra hour and sometimes if I went to sleep over all night was OK depending on the parents where I was at. Kids need the structure and the parents need their time in the evening.

Answer 3

Your baby is 3 1/2 months and sleep through the night? Count yourself blessed and don't mess with success. My daughter was 11 months before I got a good night's sleep.

Answer 4

Hell Yeah! However that occurs now not as typically as people with the same age! I am sixteen but I feel just a little foolish having a crsuh on some 25 yr ancient lady! So it depends upon the person relatively!

Answer 5

My son's been on a schedule since I brought him home from the hospital. He tries to deviate from it from time to time, but we still hold to it. Bed time by nine, sleeps until 8 am, naps atleast once during the day.

I dont understand your question, if he's sleeping through the night whats the problem?

Answer 6

well ur son is 3 1/2 months so u hav to start making a routine when its time to wake him up open the curtains so he can see the sun and play with him and when its time to put him to sleep close the curtains so he relizes okay its dark its time for me too sleep now rock him or read to him u can sing if u want too just soothe him basicly thats it during the day play with him and let him kno its daytime and at night rock him and let him kno its time for bed

Answer 7

with my oldest i didnt put him on a routine bed time or anything really til he was 2 1.2 yr old BIG MISTAKE. with my other 2 children they was on a bed time and just a general routine through out the day since they were born. It was way easier they know what to expect and so do i. seems to me your doing a good job. If the baby still seems tired move his bed time up a little bit like in 15 min intervals until you find the perfect time for him thats what I did with mine. congrats on ur baby

Answer 8

I read stories to my kids or sing songs very softly. I have 3 kids and they all go to bed at 8 30. They need a routine and you need to stick with it. Also you can give warm milk. A back rub sometimes helps.

Answer 9

Hell Yeah! yet that occurs not as in many cases as those with the comparable age! i'm sixteen yet i've got faith slightly silly having a crsuh on some 25 year previous female! So it relies upon on the guy incredibly!

Answer 10

im a kid i just take sum sleep pills but to git a lil kid to sleep thats about right 8 hours is wut ur supost to sleep if yo baby sleeps at 8:30 9:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 1:30 2:30 3:30 4:30 8 hours from that is 4:30 u wunt to put him or her to bed later