Bedtime Routines for Babies
Post by Corri McFadden of corrimcfadden.com and Glitter and Bubbles.
Bedtime with Zelda is one of my favorite hours of the day. There’s nothing like winding down and getting ready for some relaxation time with your babes! For all you Mama’s out there, determining a bedtime routine for your baby is extremely important to develop good sleeping habits. (Moms—we know that a baby with bad sleep is an extremely cranky one!)
A calming routine that follows a pattern every night helps give your little a head up that it’s bedtime, which will help him or her transition more easily. Even more so, bedtime is an amazing way to bond with your babes at the end of a long day. I’ve used some of Zelda’s very favorite Land of Nod products to help put her down at bedtime.
BATH TIME WITH BABES
A soothing bath is great for your little in terms of help calming them down for bedtime. (This totally works for us adults, too!) Make sure the water is warm to the touch and not too cold. This will create a cuddly-like, warm atmosphere that will put your babe in a calm mood. Zelda loves splashing around with her monster rubber duck before we end her bath with a gentle massage to help relax her little muscles.
READY TO READ
Just the sound of your voice can help lull your little one to sleep! Spending time with them while you read one of their favorite books is a great way to bond and help establish a bedtime routine. It also familiarizes them with more words and numbers, so you can totally credit yourself with being a multitasking Mama as you put your babe to bed and lend them a little knowledge. One of Zelda’s favorite books includes The Saggy Baggy Elephant, which she loves to read in her hooded elephant towel right after bath time!
ROCK’N’SLEEP
This is usually my last step before I put Zelda down to bed. Rocking your babe in your arms or a rocking chair is a great soothing technique to lull them to sleep. After I rock Zelda in her favorite rocking chair, I put her down in a dark room, with the exception of a night-light, and secure her in her baby blanket. It’s great to put your little to bed while they are still awake so they know how to soothe themselves to sleep.
I’ve found that each bedtime routine depends on your little’s personality. For example, bath time before bed may turn into a rowdy activity instead of a calming one–once they learn how to splash, there’s no going back! In that case, you’d ditch the tub and skip straight to a massage. It’s all about how you and your babe connect and what methods work best to put them to sleep!
Corri McFadden is the owner and founder of eDrop-Off Luxury Consignment. As a style expert and successful blogger, she hosts a weekly fashion segment on Chicago’s “You and Me This Morning” and features more tips and tricks on her website, Corri McFadden. She also recently launched Glitter and Bubbles, a savvy site for modern-day moms looking for inspiration through fashion, décor and food.