Awesome Date Night but what about bedtime?

[Mama_of_1]

Hi Mamas!

My DH got us tickets to see a Broadway production at 7:30 on a Sunday evening. He said it was the best he could find and as it was my Mother's Day gift, I'm super excited. We both have to work the next day so it'll be a late night for us anyway, but our DD is going to have to go to bed with a sitter because there's no way she can (or should) stay up until we get home - she will be 10.5 mos old. We cosleep and nurse throughout the night so I'm curious how some of you have gotten around this? It's only one night so should we not sweat it too much? She does sleep well at the sitter's during the day, but I don't want her to have a really bad day because she is so tired.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[ASusan]

I would tell your sitter the routine and the associated times and have her follow it. Give the sitter instructions for what to do if your DD wakes before you come home. She may wake up more frequently or sleep lighter until you come home/join her in bed. Ours did, and still does.

I was/am very explicit with our sitters and tell them that they need to sit with DS until he falls asleep. I tell them they can pat on back, sing, rock, walk in the dark...whatever of those they feel like doing or that DS responds to. I make it clear that we don't leave him to cry to sleep (even at 2.5). I also tell them it's ok if he doesn't go to sleep - that we will put him to sleep when we get home if he needs it. (I don't want them to feel bad if he doesn't sleep for them.) As he got older, I even added "keep reading stories" to the list of activities if he wouldn't settle.

[CliffsideMama]

That previous post made so much sense that I don't have much to add.... just wanted to say enjoy your night out, us busy mamas deserve special times like these.
I've been to three weddings in the past 2.5 years, and those nights have been the only times in DD's short 2.5 years that i haven't nursed her to sleep. She ended up falling asleep on her grandma's chest, but I don't think the 45 min. prior to falling asleep were very pleasant for anyone. She staying sleeping on grandma until we returned!
Have fun!

[Mama_of_1]

Thanks for the suggestions and the reassurances, mamas! I guess I'll just prep everything the best I can and then just enjoy our night out. I really am excited about getting to go out with DH but just don't want to leave DD miserable because she's overtired and can't go to sleep. But, we have to have our time together also.

[lisalu100]

I actually have the same "problem". DD (11 mo) hasn't done too well with sitters in the past, but I've been night-weaning the past three weeks, so I'm hoping maybe it will be better, that at least once she's asleep, she should stay asleep for a few hours. I plan on having the sitter give her plenty of food she really likes, so she isn't hungry, be prepared to let her play outside, take her for a walk, and promise to use the Ergo (she didn't before, and complained that she wouldn't sleep...) I'll have my fingers crossed for us both.