Author Topic: 3 year old bedtime  (Read 1111 times)

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Offline sunflower321

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3 year old bedtime
« on: February 09, 2016, 18:38:38 pm »
My dd has been going to bed at 7 since she dropped her nap (started dropping about 9 months ago. Completely gone about 4 months) she always had hsn as a baby and young toddler. When she went to bed at 7 she used to be exhausted and sleep til about 7.30 or 8. WU time has slowly become earlier and earlier until now it's about 6.30 plus she doesn't seem that tired coming up to bed time anymore.
I think she needs a later bedtime. What time do other 3 yos go to bed at?

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Re: 3 year old bedtime
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2016, 22:09:17 pm »
Mine is older now but at that age he did 12 hour nights, actually still does almost the same now at 5yo!
If your DD is near her birthday or half birthday sleep disturbance is very common at those times, just something to bare in mind, if it's the half/birthday thing she might return to a longer night once it's passed.


Offline sunflower321

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Re: 3 year old bedtime
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2016, 20:07:05 pm »
Last night she went to sleep just before 8pm and up at 6am this morning. Maybe she woke earlier from ot at the later bt. She doesn't seem abnormally tired though. She often seems more tired after a 7-7 night!
There is something I've noticed ever since she was a baby though and I'm wondering if this is the reason for the short nights. She seems to go through phases of sleeping a lot and eating a little or eating a lot and sleeping a little. At the moment she is eating everything she is given and a few extra yogurts too!! So I'm wondering if you guys have ever noticed this.. have you heard of children going through a phase of  eating in favour of sleeping? Even last week she was waking at 5am saying she was hungry and asking for a yogurt. I still don't know whether I should adjust bt though. She went at 7 tonight and was very obviously tired before going up
Oh also I meant to say she is 3y and 2m so not particularly close to a birthday or half birthday.
I've just reread what I just wrote and it does look like I should give her more to eat doesn't it? She does eat plenty though. Today she had
6.30 yogurt
7.30 big bowl of porridge and blended fruit. I know after a 6am wu she should have had an earlier breakfast but I didn't want to put on the blender earlier because dd2 was asleep! That's why she had the yogurt to tide her over til breakfast. The bowl of porridge she has is bigger than what some adults would eat.
12 lunch salmon, potato and baked beans. And a yogurt
4.15 dinner   blended meat, potato, veg. Like a thick soup. She likes it like this.
6.15  supper     weetabix and warm milk
 Most days would be similar. Maybe I should mention she's quite thin. Within the normal range but lower percentile than average weight. So I don't really know what to increase. Maybe a bigger bowl of dinner at 4.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2016, 20:21:14 pm by sunflower321 »

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Re: 3 year old bedtime
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2016, 20:51:18 pm »
Just a few of my thoughts following what you've said:
She doesn't seem abnormally tired though. She often seems more tired after a 7-7 night!
Do you ever feel more tired after a long lie in (do you remember what a lie in feels like??)?
I tend to keep going through the week or for several weeks, appearing not tired but in reality missing some sleep pretty much every night. If I do get a lie in (even after a disturbed night) I *always* feel more tired when I wake, dopey.  Ii complain about needing a lie in when I am really exhausted but then complain after the lie in that I have over slept. I think the reality is that I do miss out of sleep pretty much every night but appear energised enough, then when I catch up on my sleep I appear more sleepy but my body needed it.
Whilst younger LOs seem to show their tiredness a bit differently I think at 3yo they can feel just as dopey after a longer sleep, my DS did/does if he randomly falls asleep in the car, he appears more tired and dopey (and grumpy) than he would if he just kept on going.

She seems to go through phases of sleeping a lot and eating a little or eating a lot and sleeping a little. At the moment she is eating everything she is given and a few extra yogurts too!! So I'm wondering if you guys have ever noticed this.. have you heard of children going through a phase of  eating in favour of sleeping?
No never heard of this but clearly it can happen as you've observed it with your LO :) but...
Even last week she was waking at 5am saying she was hungry and asking for a yogurt.
I have had this during growth spurts, well not at 5am because mine follows his timer-light rules so keeps quiet until 7am but at 7am rather than read his book he will come and say right away he is hungry and needs a banana.  Usually he wouldn't have anything for at least 30 mins after WU then he has milk followed by breakfast so for him to tell me right away he needs food is a clear growth spurt. It makes no difference if he has eaten a lot the day before, he just needs food immediately.

Maybe I should mention she's quite thin. Within the normal range but lower percentile than average weight.
Mine is also petite, between 4ht and 25th centile on weight, 50th for height so he looks very slim - but has a very good appetite and will still eat the fridge empty during a growth spurt! Sounds like your DD is the same :)

So I don't really know what to increase. Maybe a bigger bowl of dinner at 4.
I always let DS guide me on how much and when.  Most kids eat more in the morning and lunch time rather than dinner time but you can increase anywhere she seems to be hungry for an extra portion, or add in the option of a piece of fruit/bread/cheese if she is still hungry after a meal.  I didn't see any snack times on your example, pretty much all the kids I know had a mid morning (around 10.30/11am) and mid afternoon (around 2.30/3pm)snack as well as their 3 main meals and possibly supper.  If she appears full at meals times maybe she can fit in a snack a couple of hours later and still have a good appetite for her next meal?  If there is any question over waking early because she is hungry I'd probably offer more or at the additional times.

i see she gets a good couple of portions of fish and meat, does she also get some fat? Is the yoghurt full fat for instance? This could make a difference.  It's ok to give kids this age reduced fat versions but again if there is a question of hunger it's one of the things I'd probably switch to full fat to make it higher calorie.  Mine still has full fat milk.

Not sure anything here will help, maybe, hope so.


Offline sunflower321

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Re: 3 year old bedtime
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2016, 22:57:30 pm »
Oh I always give full fat! I actually don't like low cal low fat things in general for anyone! But that's another topic ☺ I hope she gets enough fat. She won't drink milk. Only water. But she has too milky cereals a day. Yogurts. Some cheese. Not a lot but I'm sure I could increase it. She eats eggs for lunch.
Interesting about snacks. I hardly ever give snacks. I'm not a snacker so it never occurred to me although I do remember when she was younger she used to have something small like chopped up apple and cheese cos she couldn't last til lunch. I think I stopped that snack because she wasn't eating lunch well. But she was younger and would now I'm sure so she'll be having a snack tomorrow! Now that you say it she does go too long from breakfast to lunch with nothing. So thanks.
As a baby she always went through phases of sleeping non stop and hardly eating. Then as a young toddler there were definite phases of eating more and sleeping less. Must be something she does.
So you think 7 is a normal bt for a 3yo? I'll stick with 7 so and I'll increase the food during the day and see if it gives her longer nights. I've a feeling that could be it. Thanks.

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Re: 3 year old bedtime
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2016, 09:29:46 am »
Yes I think 7pm BT is perfect for 3yo.  You might find she only needs/wants snacks during growth spurts or certain phases but certainly it is totally normal for children to have 2 snacks even though many adults don't snack.

I often get those mini apples which seem to be just the right size for DS or give him a hand full of grapes or blueberries.  I also used to give crackers or bread sticks for snack or a couple of mini home made pancakes (no added sugar but with dried or fresh fruit in the batter) or a mini muffin (same, no added sugar but made with fruit) or mini oaty chew but haven't made any in a long time.

Hope her nights settle down.  If the earlier waking continues and turns out not to be food related you could try upping her physical activity level the last couple hours before BT. I do remember needing to give DS lots of running, jumping, skipping challenges in the house before BT to use up the last of his energy so he could relax in bed.