Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

Paige's bedtime is around 7-730. I love her bedtime that early because it give me time to unwind and relax. I do miss spending time with her, but she is a mess come 6:30. She is one big crank pot. She starts cranking sometimes at 6, but cant put her down that early because im usually walking in the door at that time. I still have to play, feed, bathe her, etc.

Anyway, I feel like DH and I can never go out to dinner with her because around dinner time she is whining and crying. We have tried to go earlier and it works out sometimes. I also feel that we cant be out that late even if its with friends. Im not talking 11 late, i mean like 8-9 late.

Dont get me wrong, i just love the fact that she sleeps but i think sometimes we need a life too (of course with her coming alongwith her coming places with us).

Does anyone else have a similar situation?

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

We were afraid that we were falling into the same situation. This past weekend we decided that we were going to go out no matter what. So at 4pm we went to the Nautical Mile and walked around. We took DS out of the stroller and took pictures. Then later on we walked over to a restaurant to eat. DS was a little fussy and we alternated between holding him and putting him down.

Finally we put him in the stroller and rocked it while we ate and talked...he fell asleep It was great. I think the breeze from the water helped too.

So we continued to do that all weekend...go places and just give it a try. We just made sure to have everything he needed to be comfortable to sleep.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

Posted by Ang-Rich

We were afraid that we were falling into the same situation. This past weekend we decided that we were going to go out no matter what. So at 4pm we went to the Nautical Mile and walked around. We took DS out of the stroller and took pictures. Then later on we walked over to a restaurant to eat. DS was a little fussy and we alternated between holding him and putting him down.

Finally we put him in the stroller and rocked it while we ate and talked...he fell asleep It was great. I think the breeze from the water helped too.

So we continued to do that all weekend...go places and just give it a try. We just made sure to have everything he needed to be comfortable to sleep.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

Posted by Ang-Rich

We were afraid that we were falling into the same situation. This past weekend we decided that we were going to go out no matter what. So at 4pm we went to the Nautical Mile and walked around. We took DS out of the stroller and took pictures. Then later on we walked over to a restaurant to eat. DS was a little fussy and we alternated between holding him and putting him down.

Finally we put him in the stroller and rocked it while we ate and talked...he fell asleep It was great. I think the breeze from the water helped too.

So we continued to do that all weekend...go places and just give it a try. We just made sure to have everything he needed to be comfortable to sleep.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

We are in exactly the same situation. We go to dinner early (by 5 or 5:30.) So we're home by her bedtime. We kinda like eating early now. Sometimes we go to "linner" lunch/dinner" at 3ish. Now DD has started screeching so we're not sure if we can go at all soon. So far it's been ok. After she goes to bed we can have an after-dinner drink and dessert.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

I think at that age you do worry about routine, but once she is a little bit earlier, you will be able to keep her up a little bit later and she won't be a crankymonster...

I love bedtime too!!!

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

We've been going out to dinner every month since about 3 months old. It's getting more difficult now that she wants to crawl, but we still go. Here's what we do:

We go to dinner around 5pm and only go to loud places (so I'm not concerned with a little whining or yelling.) I bring a ton of small handheld toys. As soon as we get there I put her in the booster and see if she'll take a toy. Most of the time she'll play for a few minutes while we get settled. I tell DH what I want to order and then I feed her.

After her meal she gets a tray full of Cheerios which keeps her busy eating (or playing) for awhile. Then I start the toy rotation, one toy at a time (as she drops them she gets a new one), straws keep her really busy too, etc.

It probably sounds like I spend half the time dealing with her but not really. She plays independently with the Cheerios and straws for a realitively long time. We still try to get her home and in bed by 7:30, but it's usually closer to 8pm.

We do, on occassion, stay out with friends late. I bring the the stroller for when she gets cranky and that generally calms her down. She'll sleep in the car and still go down when we get home.


ETA we even do sleepovers now!!! We went away and she slept like a champ in the PNP, she NEVER naps in it, so I was shocked!!! Now we stay over our friends house and play cards all night!!
I hope it gets better

Message edited 9/6/2007 11:00:49 AM.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

My DS goes to bed around 8 ish and I have to rock him to sleep still. So we just make plans for after 8pm. Sometimes it sux, but that is just the way it is for now. Sometimes if I dont give him a nap AT ALL all day, he will go down as early as 6:45, which is nice, but getting to 6:45 is HORRIFYING!!! So i try not to do that too often. People tell me i need to stop the rocking and just let him CIO. I will not. It takes 10 min for him to fall asleep with the rocking, and he sleeps all night. So we either make plans for later on, or we dont go out at all.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

DS loves his bedtime routine also..he goes to bed between 6:30-7. But from the very beginning, I never revolved our lives/plans around his schedule. If we are out and it's his naptime, he naps. If we are out and it's his bedtime, he will fall asleep or just stay up becaue he is so occupied by what we are doing.

Thankfully, DS adjusts very well to change

I am sure once she gets older, it will be easier for you

ETA: if you are out at your family/friends house, bring her pack/play. When it gets close to her bedtime, continue with your routine and place her in the pack/play. I keep one in my truck at all times~

Message edited 9/6/2007 10:39:30 AM.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

At night, and all day. Marron is 16 months old and will only sleep in her crib. Occasionally if we go out for the day I'll bring her Pack n Play and she will sleep in that, but she won't sleep in the stroller at all!!! I can't wait til she transitions to 1 nap a day. Then maybe I can be freed a little.

Re: Do any of you feel kind of like a prisoner at night when it comes to bedtime.

Kind of but I figure where am I going on a week nite. BUT the weekends I am considering getting a sitter.