Can You Push Back Your Child’s Bedtime? What Parents Need to Know
August 25, 2025
Can You Push Back Bedtime Without Ruining Sleep? Expert Advice
As a pediatric sleep consultant, one of the most common questions I get from parents is: “Can we push back bedtime to fit our schedule?”
Recently, while going over a sleep plan with a client, she asked if bedtime could be shifted later during the week because her family’s work schedule made the earlier bedtime I recommended difficult.
My answer? Of course you can.
But here’s the important part: pushing bedtime later may come with some challenges, and understanding what’s happening with your little one’s sleep makes all the difference.
What Happens When Bedtime Is Too Late?
When babies and toddlers stay awake past their ideal wake window, they can become overtired. Overtired children often:
- Take longer to fall asleep at bedtime
- Wake more frequently during the night
- Cry more at bedtime or during overnight wake-ups
Will this happen every single night? Probably not. But it’s more likely when your child consistently stays up past their sleep needs. And as parents, it’s important to recognize that this is a normal response
to overtiredness.
The good news? Once your child learns to fall asleep independently, even those tough nights become easier to manage, and over time, the crying and wake-ups decrease significantly.
My Daughter’s Story: When Sleep Needs Aren’t Fully Met
This reminded me of our own experience with my daughter.
She started daycare at 3 months old and once she became more alert and more mobile she didn’t sleep well
there (classic FOMO—she didn’t want to miss a thing!). Then at 12 months of age she moved into the 1-year-old classroom and shifted to one nap a day and it was a struggle.
Some days she napped only 30 minutes. If we were lucky, she would fall asleep for 15 minutes in the car on the way home.
By bedtime, she was pooped!
Note: For most babies, 12 months of age is too early to shift to one nap a day.
From about 12 to 16 months, bedtime often included 3 to 5 minutes of crying before she settled. Sometimes she cried out briefly overnight before putting herself back to sleep. And on rare occasions, when she was really overtired, she would wake in the middle of the night upset and difficult to console.
Here’s what I want you to hear: my daughter had been an independent sleeper since 4 months of age and was a great sleeper overall. But during this stage, we simply couldn’t meet her daily sleep needs
because of daycare and work schedules.
The Silver Lining
Even though we couldn’t give her perfect sleep every day, three things made a huge difference:
- Independent sleep skills. Because she could fall asleep on her own, she got the best possible rest given her schedule. It also meant we could sleep better.
- Sleep needs change over time. Babies won’t always need 14 to 15 hours of sleep or short wake windows. As your child grows, their sleep needs lessen, and the bedtime struggles often improve naturally.
- Weekends were our reset. On weekends, we shifted her back to a two-nap schedule at home, and she slept beautifully. Those catch-up days mattered.
What This Means for Your Family
Your child’s sleep is shaped by many factors. Some you can
control, and some you can’t
(like daycare schedules or work demands). That’s okay!
The goal isn’t perfect sleep every night. The goal is to:
- Build healthy, independent sleep habits
- Stay consistent with bedtime routines
- Make adjustments when needed (such as earlier bedtimes or extra naps on weekends)
Every family is different, and so are your priorities and schedules. What matters most is setting your child up for success with the right foundation.
Final Thoughts
If you need to push bedtime back, you absolutely can but know it may come with some extra challenges. The key is creating consistency
and giving your child the tools they need to sleep independently
so they can handle those overtired nights better.
At the end of the day, it’s not about perfection. It’s about helping your child (and you!) get the best sleep possible in your current situation.
Want personalized support?
Book your free 30-minute consultation
today, and let’s talk about how I can help bring sleep back to your home.
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Lacy's Lullabies - Pediatric Sleep Consultant
Newborn sleep rarely goes as planned. Learn how to manage expectations, understand newborn cries, and set your baby up for healthy sleep habits.
Every baby’s sleep journey is unique. Learn how I helped two children with completely different personalities become independent sleepers using patience, consistency, and proven sleep training strategies.
