Night time

[Cindy]

Well we have never really had a night time routine but it worked for us. He would always go to bed and that was that. Well now he is fighting it and it's driving me crazy. He gets so tired that he doesn't want to sleep. He is starting to cut his naps short and I read that, that usually means their bed time needs moved up because they get so sleepy.

So tips please! He HATES being sang to or read to. I think he mostly hates it because it makes him tired so he fights it. Should I buy a rocking chair? Is it to late to start? Ugh I am desperate! We tired a movie tonight and relaxing on the couch but he started fighting it when he was getting cozy and tired.

Help please! :idontknow:

[Jojo]

How about a bath? I noticed Matthew will only go down after a bath and not fight sleep as much.

The thing I am sending you has a music lullaby cd. Maybe you can sway with him and listen to it (this is what they recommend--I haven't tried it yet though.)

[Heather]

How many naps is he getting now and what time do you usually try to put him down for bed? Sounds like he's just getting overtired, and I would agree that he needs to go to bed earlier. I really wouldn't start the rocking thing now unless it's a last resort b/c believe me, that's just another habit you're going to have to break eventually. He might be having a growth spurt or his teeth could be bothering him too if he's always just gone to bed and now he's fighting it. I think the good news here is that he HAS been able to put himself to sleep before, so I wouldn't think it would be too terribly hard to get him back into the habit.

[Cindy]

I think he needs to go to bed earlier to. I really think that's the issue. He takes two naps still. But like his last nap today was only and hour and it's usually two. But his first one was 3 hours, but that's also because he got up 2 hours earlier than we usually do. Ugh. lol

I think I am just going to start laying him down directly after his bath. The tricky part is getting him to wait for bath time because he gets so crabby which I guess is like DUH he needs to go to bed earlier.

He usually would go down at 7, then when it started staying light later he started going to bed around 8 sometimes 9! So maybe I should shoot for that 7 bedtime again?

Sorry I am going on and on and on :eyeroll:

[Farah]

I eventually had to put Charlie down between 6 and 7 because he was a beast in the evening. I couldn't handle it and my pediatrician actually recommended it to me. Now, he goes to bed earlier (and typically happier) and then wakes up at the same time he did before. Overally, we're a happier family.

Our night time routine is super simple. Change him, brush his teeth, read him a story, and I sing him a song (DH does something different, but it's something Charlie knows Dad will always do). Some days I can't get through the song and he's saying "nigh nigh! Nigh nigh!"

:goodluck:

[MomHenry918]

I hear you, girl...Annie is no picnic, either. She wants to potty, then a drink of water, then brush her teeth again, then a story, then another story, then back to the potty, more water...it's a vicious cycle. We've started to make things very strict around bedtime. Bed means quiet time...she gets to listen to her lullaby CD, and she gets one potty break, one small glass of water (it's a plastic shotglass, I know...I'm terrible), and one story. That's that. After that, she gets to cry it out. It sounds horrible, but it's actually made things MUCH easier. She still fights us, especially when she is too tired, but it's getting easier!!!

Good luck!! Don't make my mistake...establish a routine NOW and stick to it!! ;)

[Leah]

It does sound like maybe his schedule needs a little adjusting and maybe he is trying to adjust himself and sleep a bit less during the day and more at night. That often happens around this age. I agree that I wouldn't start the rocking thing but try and find what calms him down. Talon likes singing. It almost always works to calm him down. I used to sit and rock him, but lately he's not having that. I have been standing and we listen to his crib aquarium and he cuddles his blankie against me while I sway and sing a lullaby.