Daytime naps and Bedtime sleep

[PEONY1318]

Hi I desperately need help with bedtime routine.Our LO has been on a routine since he was about 8 weeks, feed, activity, sleep in that order. I have always put him to sleep in his cot awake with the blinds drawn and try to cut out too much activity before his naps. But recently he has been crying like mad everytime we put him down to sleep at night about 7 ish. I have tried reading him a story but I think that seems to make him more excited than relaxed!

He is now a little over 4 months (teething beginning) and am getting worried as I will be returning to work in 3 weeks time. He will be going to nursery full time from then.

Basically he has a nap at around 9 (for 40 mins) and then one at 1ish for abour 1 1/2 and then another one at 6 for 30 minutes. I'm beginning to think that he doesn't need the 6 pm catnap? But am not sure because if I do put him into his cot at 6pm then he will fuss and then eventually with a bit of patting from me he will drift off. And then when he wakes up 30 minutes later we have some activity for say 15 minutes then a bath and then to bed at about 7ish. But he has been fighting being put down at 7ish. Is it possible or even wise if I don't let him nap at 6? Could this late a nap interfere with him going down at night?

Other than that he is sleeping well through the night.

Sorry forgot to say that I wouldn't normally feed him as he wouldn't need it.

His feeding pattern is

8.00 - breakfast
12.00 - lunch
4.00 - dinner
10.00 - dream feed

You will see that it is every four hours. I don't want to feed him before bed just for the sake of making him go to sleep and make a habit of him bringing a bottle to bed when he doesn't need it (obviously if he was really showing a sign of hunger I would feed him!).

my ds was having a sleep at about 6 but i found he just didnt want to go to bed at 7, so now he has one about 5. Why dont you try putting him down after that 4pm feed? by 7pm he should be ready to go.

Thanks, I'll try that this evening and let you know how it goes but you're probably spot on as I think that if he just woke up at 6 he is reluctant to sleep again at 7!

did you try putting him down earlier? might take a couple of days to get used to it x

what about putting him to bed for the night at 6:45 - or even a little earlier?

Hi Lindster!

this is how it went, I put LO to sleep at 5pm but when we went to put him down to sleep at 7pm he was again fighting us and crying so hard!

Yesterday I skipped the 5/6pm nap and just put him down at 7pm. He did fuss and cry a little as per usual but it was quicker patting him to sleep. He didn't seem out of sorts between his last nap which ended at 3pm up until his bedtime sleep. So am wondering if he can live without the late afternoon nap?

Pookey - We might try putting his sleep forward to 6.45 as we have done that before (but the disadvantage is that I won't be able to see much of him, as when I go back to work we will pick him up from nursery at 6pm - )

The thing which baffles us is why now as he is getting bigger he is fighting being put down for sleep and naps! We have always kept to fairly same routine but now whenever we put him into his sleeping bag , actually sometimes even BEFORE we put him in he starts crying! In the past he was pretty good, he would spend some time babbling to himself in his cot and only start fussing when he needs some help to get to sleep (sometimes if we were lucky he would fall alseep himself).

Gosh sorry if I am being so long winded !

Oh that makes things hard, I guess if you end up having to put him to bed earlier you can aim to gradually put him to bed a little later each night

babies are certainly sent to test us arnt they! Maybe try leaving that last nap for a few days and see how he goes on. maybe if hes getting enough sleep during the other naps he may happy not to have one later on. it might just all suddenly work out! Keep in touch.

babies are certainly sent to test us arnt they! Maybe try leaving that last nap for a few days and see how he goes on. maybe if hes getting enough sleep during the other naps he may happy not to have one later on. it might just all suddenly work out! Keep in touch.

Just going with his flow at the mo, so we'll see!

Alas, soon won't be able to log in as much as will be returning to work full time, and cruddy work won't allow us to use internet for 'leisure' purposes -darn, but will sure keep in touch !

Take care all!