Out in the evenings with babies

This week we've had some family events that we've taken the babies to. We put them down for naps during the day and leave the event so they can get home and to bed around their usual bedtime (around 8 pm). The problem is that they are falling asleep in the car. Even if they sleep for just 15 minutes they usually don't want to got to bed when we get home. I sat in between them and tried to keep them awake, but it was a lost cause. Do you . . .

a) Come home for the usual bedtime and hope they don't fall asleep in the car. If they are wide awake when you get home, do you leave them in their cribs wide awake or let them stay up and get tired again?

b) Put them down for the night at someone else's house and try to get them home and into bed without disturbing them too much. (I've never tried this). Does this work? It would allow us to stay out later if it works.

c) Don't go anywhere in the evenings to avoid this problem.

 

I'm curious to hear this answer. We have been missing out because of the rush to get back for bedtime routine.

 

I hate to sound like a total wuss but at that age, DH and I did not take the babies out too late in the evenings just so we did not mess up bedtime. As they got older and more active (started crawling, etc), we began to take them out a little later in the evenings because then they would not fall asleep in the car (by that point they were on a consistent two nap schedule) and we would do short trips just to ensure we were not in the car long enough for them to go to sleep.

 

:hi: Total wuss here too! We never went anywhere in the evening and almost still dont :blush:

 

We take the babies everywhere! We keep a pack and play in our trunk just for such an occasion. When they get sleepy, we lay them down! I don't know if I just have very sleepy babies, but they'll wake up for a second when we put them in their carseats to go home, and then wake up when we take them out to put them in bed when they get home and 9 times out of 10 they'll go right back to sleep. On the rare occasion that they don't we just cuddle with them til they fall back asleep. I'd give it a shot on a night that you know you won't have to be up too early the next day, or if you do, know that you can take a nap

 

We take the babies everywhere as well! We always come home before their bedtime routine starts and they always fall asleep in the car. I just let them fall asleep. The nap in the car isn't that long and they almost always wake up right away as soon as we walk in the door. They fall into their night routine nicely and it has never interfered with their night sleeping.

 

We do B We take their night stuff right down to the lotion and do their regular night time routine (minus bath, we just wipe them down with wipees) and feed them and cuddle them and let them sleep in people's arms for awhile...then we put them in the carseat and come home

One night we were really brave and actually busted out the stroller and took them to the grocery store too!!! Yay freedom! However I've yet to take them to the store by myself...I'm still scared of that one :blush:

 

QUOTE(DATJMom @ Jun 15 2009, 12:42 PM) [snapback]1355047[/snapback]
:hi: Total wuss here too! We never went anywhere in the evening and almost still dont :blush:


Glad to know we aren't the only ones- yes add one more family to the wuss column.

 

We try to avoid going out around bedtime but on the occasions when it can't be helped like going to the emergancy drs or day trips they snooze in the car, depending on how they are when they wake we either just feed and send to bed or if they are in good spirits and not hungry we do bath bottle bed. We always do bedtime 1hr30m after waking but not counting snoozes in the car.

 

We take the girls everywhere with us. We usually get them to sleep wherever we are or leave when we know they are falling asleep so they fall asleep in the car. On more than one occasion they have slept in their carseats all night.

 

We always brought their jammies with us for events that went into the evening (still do). They would fall asleep and we would transport them home. All my kids pretty much stay asleep when I move them from the car to the bed (still do at 4 and 2).

 

We tried to make it back home in time for bedtime on most occasions. But, if not, my girls would fall asleep on the way home and I would just go ahead and put them to bed. I would take their jammies with us and change their diapers and clothes before we left, that way we could lay them straight down when we got home. Even if they were a little awake after taking them out of the car, we still laid them down anyway, since it was their bedtime.

 

QUOTE(Utopia122 @ Jun 16 2009, 09:20 AM) [snapback]1356184[/snapback]
We tried to make it back home in time for bedtime on most occasions. But, if not, my girls would fall asleep on the way home and I would just go ahead and put them to bed. I would take their jammies with us and change their diapers and clothes before we left, that way we could lay them straight down when we got home. Even if they were a little awake after taking them out of the car, we still laid them down anyway, since it was their bedtime.


Us too. We tried to make it back on time, but there will be some occasions where it's impossible. I personally think it's ok that they're off their routine once in a while so that when you REALLY can't make it home on time, they won't get freak out.