Working moms & late bedtimes?

I am trying to set Ryan's schedule so that I can see him in the evening (even though it won't be long). The earliest I can get home from Manhattan is 7:30PM, so I've been trying to do his schedule so he gets a bath at 8PM (I know I don't need to bath him daily but it seems to settle him and I like having a routine), then he eats and off to be by 8:45/9 latest.
But, I feel like he is tired sooner and I just hope I am not torturing him by making such a late bedtime.
Any body else do this and did your little one adjust? I wonder if I should try to get him to take a late nap (right now we really have no nap schedule but I want to work on it over the summer).
I will be going back to work in July & August 3 days a week - my mom or husband will have him those days so I have a good support team to help him with the schedule over the summer. He will be in daycare starting mid-September when he is about 6 months. Do you think such a schedule is doable and within this timeframe? Am I just being naive ?

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

I am not a working mom but we were trying to do this for my husband to see Jack.

He gets home at 6:30 so we thought we could at least keep him up till 7:30 - that way my DH could hang with him and put him to sleep.

We did this for about 6 months or so - and then I realized I was literally torturing him to keep him up. He was miserable and cranky - so it wasn't even fun for DH. That's when we decided that we would put him to bed by 6:30 and luckily DH comes home for lunch to see him.

But - Jack goes loony when he's tired...if your child is good he will easily adapt I'm sure. It sounds like a good timeframe for a baby so I wouldn't worry!

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

So if you put Ryan down at 8:45 - he sleeps through the night????

Megan also doesn't have a routine nap schedule- I'm trying to implement the feed, activity then nap idea but sometimes she falls asleep while feeding and others she is alert and then falls asleep. You just inspired me to start keeping track!

DH gets home from manhattan between 6:30 and 7. She usually is feeding or has just eaten when he gets home - she usually naps sometime before her next feeding between 9 and 10 and then we put her down for the night after she's eaten...Hows that for a late bedtime? She still wakes roughly every 3-4 hours to eat - miracle blanket or not- very rarely will she sleep longer than 4 hours...wish I could figure out the secret.

I go back to work in July full time as well- dd is going to daycare.

Message edited 6/4/2008 8:30:17 AM.

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

I pick DD up from daycare usually around 6:20. We are usually home by 6:45. I feed her cereal, DH bathes her, we give her a bottle, play with her and then she goes to bed around 8pm.

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

Honestly, I have found the earlier DD goes to bed, the better she sleeps and the happier she is.

I know it stinks - the hardest adjustment for me with going back to work has also been having such limited time with her at night. But, if I don't get her down by 8pm - she is a nightmare!!!

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

I get DS around 6:15. I like to have a few hours with him so his bedtime is 9pm. He could probably go down earlier but now he is so used to 9 that at 8:15 he gets fidgity, we give him a bottle (we also "top" him off) and then he goes to bed by 9. Then generally he wakes up at 7 so I get an hour with him in the AM as well!

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

well I dont consider DS bedtime late. It is normal for us. I think bedtime at 6pm is just too early. I get home around 6pm. We have dinner around 6:45/7pm, then bath, bottle, we spend some time together reading, playing watching tv and DS goes to bed around 8/8:30pm. When he was younger he would go to bed at 9pm. You have to do what works for you and your DC.

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

My sons have always have a late bedtime of 9/930ish. Similar reasons to you as I use to work and the earliest I got home was 7 and now that I am home - DH gets home at 7 and we like to have family dinners for as long as possible. It was never an issue for me and it works for my family.

My little one takes late naps and still has no issues sleeping thru the night. For the longest time he'd take a 30 min nap 6ish and then go to bed at 9/930ish. That was when he do three naps a day. Lately he is moving to 2 naps (depends if he wakes up early or not - he is teething and getting up earlier than usual). He does a morning nap and then often naps for 1-1.5 hours which start usually between 330-430pm. He is 10 months. I did similar with my first. He pretty much dictated the nap schedule but never had an issue with a 9pm bedtime.

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

I have the same schedule almost. I get home by 8pm. Get DS a bath by 8:30pm and have him in the bed by 9 or 9:30pm. He likes this schedule and it doesnt seem to bother him. he takes like 2-3 naps at daycare per day. He goes to bed at 9pm and wakes up at 7:15am. I think that is enough sleep.

Re: Working moms & late bedtimes?

Our schedule is similar. It's actually gotten a little earlier since I went back to work. After we pick DD up from the babysitter we get home anywhere between 7 and 7:30. Then we feed her (half a bottle and cereal), bathe her if it's a bath day although with the summer coming that will be every day, put on pjs, read a story and give her the rest of her bottle. She's in her crib by 8:30 and asleep within 15 minutes.

When I was still home I was putting her to bed between 9 and 9:30 but I found she goes to sleep easier if we do it earlier.