Author Topic: Is going to bed late the problem??  (Read 997 times)

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Offline Susie-Q

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Is going to bed late the problem??
« on: December 07, 2005, 14:31:45 pm »
My DS still crys for that bottle in the middle of the night and we just started watering it down in the hopes that it would move those calories to the daytime.  But regardless, he's always been good about taking the bottle and going right back to sleep.

But some nights, he'll be up for 2 hours in the middle of the night, be very restless and just sleep on and off.   I found those are the nights that he goes to bed late but what's weird is this ...

After wake up, his first nap is 3 hours later, his 2nd nap is 3 hours after he wakes up from his first nap and his bedtime is 4 hours after that. 

Sometimes he sleeps later in the morning which pushes the naps back and then pushes the bedtime later.  Sometimes his naps are longer than others which pushes the naps back and then pushes the bedtime later.  But his awake time between naps never changes.  Just the timing of the wakeup in the morning and the naps can push the bedtime later. 

So if he goes to bed at 9 or later, we are in for a bad night.  But it doesn't make sense to me ... it's not like he's staying awake any longer than usual.  Everything is just pushed back.  But he always has a restless night so I have to imagine that's the reason. 

I'm sorry for rambling but does this make sense??  Would a bedtime that's too late even though he napped well and didn't stay awake too long be the cause of a restless night???

Offline Katet

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Is going to bed late the problem??
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2005, 02:17:39 am »
I'm guessing from a 3hour awake time your lo is over 6mo

From 6months the Circadian (?sp) rythmn kicks in for a baby, so they will start to feel tired at a set time, like an adult gets 'tired' at their usual bedtime & then gets a second wind.

So if you have set nap & bedtimes, your baby is working its sleep into a routine & the body adjusts. So if the bedtime varies, the baby's body gets confused & is awake when it should be asleep & then gets confused & wakes up.

So rather than letting your lo sleep late somedays it would be better to set a morning wakeup time & a set bedtime (I only let ours vary by 1/2 hour & even that can cause problems)

HTH
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline Susie-Q

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Is going to bed late the problem??
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2005, 13:57:14 pm »
I knew it!  I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!!!  I knew it wasn't just my imagination!!!   Thanks for the input!!