Dealing with the witching hour - tips pls!

[anotherbitofcake]

Hi
Am interested to know tips for dealing with witching hour. My LO is 10 weeks. He gets tired around 5:30 but doesn't go to bed till 7. Would it be better to encourage a longer pm nap? If so when early or late? Or should I try and keep him awake? Or get him to bed at 5:30?! He usually has a couple naps in the am - time varies depending on what we are doing, and one in pm - ditto but usually fairly short - half hour to 45 mins. He sleeps much better if we are out rather than me coaxing him at home, which he fights.
When he goes to bed he sleeps till about 6:30 with two feeds usually around midnight and 3.

Thanks!

[LindsayS79]

My DD is the same at 8 months! Naps for 30 mins a couple of times a day. She goes down at 7:30 and I usually take her out for a walk and a nap at 5:30. If not, it's a nightmare to keep her awake.
Why don't you try a nap at 5:30 to see if it affects their bed routine?

[claremoss]

I used to have the same problem. I used to walk my LO at around 4ish to try to get her to nap. That worked for a few weeks and then she fought it, so I breast fed her at 430ish to try to get a catnap, even for ten mins, out of her. This would then see her through till bedtime. The other option is to bring forward her bedtime, maybe start her bath etc at 6pm?

[MrsHY1]

Hi! At that age the max they can go for between naps without getting overtired is about 1.5-2hrs, at a push 2.5. So you could work backwards from bedtime and encourage a nap there with a trip in the pram? Obviously though this will then shape the pattern of the other daytime naps as if LO wakes at 3 from one nap they wouldn't be tired again until 4.30/5 iyswim.

[slightlyconfused85]

I used to try and encourage a nap till about 5 or as close as possible, then bath, bottle, bed. Would often be asleep by 6 as she was exhausted. She definitely could not stay awake two hours, 1 hour 15 max. Can you put him to bed earlier? Chances are he will still wake up at 6.30...

[slightlyconfused85]

ps my DD has only just started going to bed at 7 now and she is 16.5 months. She was always asleep by 6.30 before, she could never make it and it eliminated grizzly evenings for us.

[hotcrossbun83]

Your lo sounds very similar to mine at night, same bedtime, feeds and waking (14w). We try to nap 9-11, 1-3 and 4.30-5.15. Realistically he's not asleep all that time so prob 4 hrs in total but that last nap crucial. We used to have screaming from last wake up to bath at 6 but he's fine now, got used to the routine and is well rested from the naps

[anotherbitofcake]

Yes think maybe he's not napping enough in day. Diff to say when he naps as he will fall asleep in pram or car if we go out but generally 2 naps in am and 1 in pm but naps seem to only last half hour. I think maybe ill try putting him down for routine nap in early pm and see 1) if he will! 2) if that helps