Is a 7pm bedtime the holy grail of infant sleep?

[FatLittleWombat]

I put DS2 to bed at 7 pm, he wakes multiple times at night but is usually still asleep when my alarm goes at 7.30am. My MIL thinks I'm bonkers to put him to bed so early and that he'd sleep better if I put him to bed at 9 pm or so. While I'm sure he doesn't wake at night because he isn't tired, I do wonder why so many British and American books on infant sleep insist on an early bedtime. Is there research to back up the theory that it improves sleep? I can't believe that all babies in countries where late bedtimes are the norm sleep badly!

my dds were born in the uk (I'm not british myself) and I remember feeling a massive amount of pressure to make sure they had a 7pm bedtime. they were terrible sleepers and bedtimes were a nightmare for all concerned. In hindsight it was madness to try to force a rhythm onto them before they were ready for it! Having said that when they were a bit older (toddlers) they naturally gravitated towards 7/7:30 bedtime, which was the norm until they were maybe 7 years old. They took afternoon naps until they were 4 year old.

Their bedtime has been gradually getting later and now (at 11 and 9 years old) they switch off their lights at 8:30 on a school night and 9:30 on weekends.

The 7pm bedtime is entirely cultural btw. We moved to a central European country and I can hear lots of young children in our building playing until well past 9pm.

My 10 month old has had a 7pm routine for a while now. At first she'd wake up for night feeds, but now sleeps through until around 6am. The early bed time means I get to spend quality time with my other 3 children and then my partner when they go to bed. I also think a good night time routine means they'll be trained ready for school.

Just seen that this thread had been revived! Thanks for your replies everyone, they've been interesting to read.

I also think a good night time routine means they'll be trained ready for school.

I find this utterly bizarre.

Mind you, I've absolutely no interest at being woken up at 6am (or even 7am) unless it's to catch a flight. Luckily my DC inherited that and love nothing more than sleeping till 9am or later.

DC needs to be up at 8am to leave the house at 8:10am. No need to be up any earlier here.

DC needs to be up at 8am to leave the house at 8:10am. No need to be up any earlier here

Wow, you can do face washes, teeth brushed, clothes on, breakfast etc in 10 mins? What's your secret?

She gets breakfast at school (but none of us really does breakfast (night owls)). 2 mins tooth brushing, quick swipe over face with wet flannel, hair brushed, vitamin in, takes her 2-3 mins to get dressed. Meanwhile DH is putting lunchbox into bag (everything else is sorted the night before). And out the door.

I'm ready by 8am.

Simples.

Both of mine are pre schoolers so a different morning routine I guess.

We have to be out of the house just after 7am so we are all up by 6.30am. DS (14 months) goes to bed between 6.30 and 7pm. He's getting grouchy by 6pm which usually signals bath time. He only has one nap a day, more would be tricky with nursery routines. If we didn't have to leave so early in the morning I'd love him to go to bed later but I don't see how I could with our current routine. The plus side is that once he's asleep we both get to do some exercise and have an evening to spend time together/get jobs done and when we want to go out we can get a babysittter who can turn up at 7pm to a sleeping child!