19 mo old's bedtime is 1 am!!!!!!! help me change that

amother

Thu, Jan 14 2010, 12:08 pm

for some reason my baby was never one of those babies that by 8 pm is out cold for the night- his internal bedtime used to be 11 since he was a baby, and I was never able to change that.

for a month, 2 months ago I was able to put him to bed at 10 but now for some reason it turned into 1 am, or even 2. three nights already this past week we went so crazy that the only solution we could think of was to go for a ride in the car. and it worked, but c'mon is he kidding us? why cant he be like a regular child that goes to sleep early???

to compensate he does wake up later than other regular kids, though (9 am, or sometimes later)

I tried waking him up earlier in the morning so he can start and end his day earlier but he is just tired and cranky, I tried not napping him at all, napping earlier, napping twice, I dont knwo what else to do.

HELLLLLPPP!!!!!!

amother

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 5:42 am

amother wrote:

I tried waking him up earlier in the morning so he can start and end his day earlier but he is just tired and cranky, I tried not napping him at all, napping earlier, napping twice, I dont knwo what else to do!

KEEP TRYING! It takes a week or more to re set his body clock. You can do it!

HindaRochel

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 2:54 pm

What's the newest rule on honey? Can they have it at 19 months?
Here's what I would do.

Wake early. Yeah he'll be cranky but you are resetting his clock.
Wash his face with cool (not cold) water (gently!) and give him some high energy food.
Play. Play. Play.
Nap early.
High energy game about two hours before bedtime then start wind down.
Have a high carb dinner. (oatmeal or something similar is good) with milk and a bit of sweetner of some sort (honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, apple juice) and a bit of fat (butter in the oatmeal for instance.)
Play only quiet games after that. Keep lights low, not off and dark, but low. One lamp in the living room for instance. No rough housing, tickle games chase. Reading, playing with dolls on the floor, giving the dolls there bath and reading to the dolls, reading books etc.
Warm bath about 1/2hr before bed....no splashing...again lights low. No radio, t.v. computers.
A glass of warm milk and honey (it really does work) and crackers.
Snuggle up with him in bed.
Pretend to sleep.

cubbie

Sun, Jan 17 2010, 2:54 pm

amother wrote:

for some reason my baby was never one of those babies that by 8 pm is out cold for the night- his internal bedtime used to be 11 since he was a baby, and I was never able to change that.

Nearly all babies are not those babies, they get taught, no baby is born with an internal bedtime.

for a month, 2 months ago I was able to put him to bed at 10 but now for some reason it turned into 1 am, or even 2. three nights already this past week we went so crazy that the only solution we could think of was to go for a ride in the car. and it worked, but c'mon is he kidding us? why cant he be like a regular child that goes to sleep early???

Because you haven't taught him to be one.

to compensate he does wake up later than other regular kids, though (9 am, or sometimes later)

[color=darkblue]Part of the problem[/color]

I tried waking him up earlier in the morning so he can start and end his day earlier but he is just tired and cranky, I tried not napping him at all, napping earlier, napping twice, I dont knwo what else to do.

[color=darkblue][color=blue]The more tired he his the worse his sleep will be[/color][/color]
HELLLLLPPP!!!!!!

Sorry I know my responses are not what you're looking for - but it's time you replaced every "he doesn't" with "I haven't taught him" and then you'll understand that it's all in your power. And it will be sooo much easier to teach him now while he's still in a crib than when he's in a bed.

He needs to be sleeping 11-13 hours at night and a daytime nap of 2-3 hours. I strongly recommend the baby whisperer's pick up/put down technique, but you need to start with the morning waking him at a decent time if you want to go to sleep at a decent time.