Anyone NOT have a bedtime routine...

that works?

DD is 8 1.2 mths and she basically does whatever she likes when it comes to bedtime!! We have been following the exact same routine since she was born, bath, book, feed but now she is crawling and standing up she insists on getting down onto the floor to play and this makes her more hyper and her bedtime drags on and on and on...until its well after 9pm when she finally gives in and falls asleep.

Its not like she just sits on the floor and plays she whines so I know she is tired and she goes nuts if I leave the room to do anything so I am held hostage in the LR until she goes to sleep.

My evening is shot, by the time she falls asleep I Am ready for sleep too so DH and I have zero alone time and its really getting to me.

Any advice on how to get a very hyper 8 1/2 mth old to fall asleep sooner?

BTW she still wakes several times a night and is in our bed my 1am every night!!

Re: Anyone NOT have a bedtime routine...

First off I am sorry. My DD is also the same age and lam lucky. I just put her down and thats tht.......for now. I am sure it will change . Anyway, first thing stop putting her in your bed. It might take a few nights of not sleeping but you have to stop the habit now before she gets older. When it comes to bedtime I would try putting her in her crib with soft music and walking out. Let her cry a bit. I also put some stuffed animals in Sara's crib - soft little ones. She cuddles them and plays withthen and falls asleep. Like I said I dont have much advice but this imight help.

Re: Anyone NOT have a bedtime routine...

When DD started to stand & crawl, her bedtime routine got shorter... As soon as she get's wiggly during storytime, I put her down. It seems to work.

Re: Anyone NOT have a bedtime routine...

See I cannot just put her down or she throws a fit..I know pathethic she is a baby and ruling the house...rule #1 broken!!

I made the mistake unknown to myself of feeding her to sleep when she was little. She has been EBF since she was born and she always used to fall asleep after feeding, so she doesnt know how to fall asleep by herself. My fault not hers.

We tried a modified version of CIO one evening but neither my hubbie or I could stand it ....

So unless I do CIO am I totally screwed?

Re: Anyone NOT have a bedtime routine...

I have the same problem DD wakes up and wont go back into her crib I get her to sleep in my arms and when I try to put her down she freaks out. LAst night I did CIO and she threw up nd kept crying I couldn't do it any longer. Please tell me this is just a phase cause Im gonna lose it soon

Re: Anyone NOT have a bedtime routine...

Wow am I tired. I read that thinking "I take out my contacts & fall asleep with my laptop on my lap.."

Re: Anyone NOT have a bedtime routine...

Our bedtime routine is bath, bottle, bed...but now that Dr. Evil is almost 10 months old, he is a lot more active and we have added some playtime in between the bath and bottle time. It seems to be working really well because he used to cry himself to sleep, now he doesn't do that anymore!

Good Luck!