If you've read any of my other posts you will notice that I'm not shy about saying that as first time moms, my wife and I had NO IDEA what we were doing. And you would also know that we are huge supporters of the Moms on Call book series.
In the "Moms on Call" infant book, they talk about the importance of a bedtime routine, as it is the series of events that indirectly signals to your child that it is time to wind down, because rest is coming.
We took this idea and made it our own! Keep scrolling to get the step-by-step on what works best for us.
1. Start Bedtime at the SAME TIME each night.
Rowan runs on a 7/7:30am-7:30pm schedule, meaning that he wakes up between 7:00am and 7:30am each morning and is in bed by 7:30pm each night. That being said, we begin our bedtime routine each night by going up for bath time at 7pm.
When we announce that it's bath time, he gets SO EXCITED and RUNS (actually runs) up the stairs.
Once in the bath, he plays with all of his toys, we sing songs, and just have fun! Now that he's a bit older, he'll tell us when he's "alllllll doneeeee!"
2. Wind Down Time
It's funny that I call this 'wind down time', but for Rowan, it's the exact opposite. It's the time he uses to get rid of all the remaining energy that he has.
Trust me, I try my best to make it a relaxing environment: I play lullabies, sing songs, read books, TRY to snuggle, but no matter what- it always gets rowdy. Check out my sweet, wild man below! If you have a rowdy one, check out my post on Taming the Toddler.
Note that when Ro was an infant, bedtime was a lot more quiet and calm!
Enough about him! For you and your babe, your goal would be to have this time be gentle, relaxing and calm- if you can. But make it your own. Decide what "love routines" are most important to you and insert them here.
3. PJ Time!
By 7;20pm, its PJ time. Which is pretty self-explanatory. We change his diaper, brush his teeth and get him dressed. After that, comes his sleep sack, white noise, and bedtime.
4. Bedtime
Tricia and I rotate who will put him to bed each night. Once he is in his sleep sack, his white noise goes on, lights go off and we sing him a sweet song ('You are my sunshine') before putting him down. We give him a kiss, and lay him down (while awake).
BEDTIME COMPLETE! Where's the wine?!?!
Please note that this is simply what works best for us and was formulated off the guidance of "Moms On Call". We have found that consistency is key, and because of the strong daily routine we hold, the crazy nights aren't so crazy.
For example, if there's a family gathering or an event that keeps us out past bedtime, we can skip the bath and pick right up with a QUICK version of 'Wind Down Time" and he can be in bed, fast asleep in a matter of 15 minutes and wake up the next day as if nothing was ever different.
Being a therapist, I am a huge believer in routine. I have seen routine and structure save people's lives- literally. This is a skill and value that I wanted to give my son and will continue to give all of my future children.
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