Moms of Toddlers - Bedtime

Esbi25

Hi ladies,

For those with other young kids, what are the logistics of your bedtime routine? What times are your bedtimes and who watches who during bath time, etc?

My DS1 is 2 years old and DS2 is 5 weeks tomorrow. I'm starting to feel overwhelmed like I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to bedtime. I'm sure a lot of it comes from the fact that we have no real routine. I'm terrible at sticking to one and tend to let DS1 stay up later sometimes.

At the moment, I am rocking DS2 in the rock n play in the bathroom while bathing DS1. He's sleeping but was crying when I tried to leave him in his crib. I'm just hoping to get some ideas from you ladies and get a feel for what works for most people.

Thank you!

ksyknelvr73

We have kept our toddler's routine the same as it was before and we are trying to adapt the baby around his to be honest. DS1 goes to bed between 7:30-8:00 (he's 3 in case you can't see my siggy). We do a bath around 7:15 or so, then he gets in his pj's and I tuck him in. I mostly hold DS2 while he takes a bath but when I need both my hands, I put DS2 down either in his crib, RNP, or just on the floor on his play mat. He might cry but honestly, I know he's fine so as long as he's not hysterical I will leave him while I take care of DS1. Luckily, DS1 is really great about his bedtime routine so it isn't a drawn out process. I tuck him in after all of that and then I get DS2 again, and by that point it's usually time for his last bottle and then he will go to sleep as well.

ns1

We have a good routine with DD1 and stick with that and do DS2s routine after. DH gives DD a bath. Then DH watches the baby while I put DD to bed. After that I begin bedtime with DS... or I didwhen he still agreed to sleep when set down.

danabsd

We do our best to keep Beb on her normal routine bath, teeth, lotion, bed so we take care of her and put her down first then do the baby. Qbeezy just hangs in her bouncy seat while we do Beb.
Eventually I hope to bath them together. I haven't considered the logistics of getting everyone into bed when that time come. Yikes.

bossyferg

I have been strugglung with the bedtime routine. I try to maintain DD (2.5) routine but sometimes DS (4 weeks) is just crying like his cranky time DH is normally not home by then so i go it alone. Bedtime can drag out to over an hour process with crying baby then a toddler who wants attention and gets hyper. Hoping to maintain DD regular routine once i can get DS to start sleeping for longer stretches. Sometimes i try to do storytime while feeding baby so hes content although bottle feeding and turning pages is quite the task! Good luck. Hope you find a routine quick : )

cnbean

We also have a solid routine with DS1 that we just adapt the baby around. Usually we start around 7:40 with the bath and then jammies, snack, teeth, stories and bed. So far DS2 tends to be asleep at that time so it doesn't disrupt the normal flow. But on the days when he has been up I usually take care of him while DH gets DS1 into bed. Then I come in for prayers and tuck him in. I need to start getting DS2 a bedtime routine, but haven't quite figured out when will be a good time in the evening to shoot for.

jenb_99

danabsd said:

We do our best to keep Beb on her normal routine bath, teeth, lotion, bed so we take care of her and put her down first then do the baby. Qbeezy just hangs in her bouncy seat while we do Beb.
Eventually I hope to bath them together. I haven't considered the logistics of getting everyone into bed when that time come. Yikes.

This is us too. Toddler first on normal schedule, then baby. I won't worry about establishing a specific bedtime for DD till she's about 3 months old. At that time DH and I will probably split up the evening routine.

Esbi25

Thanks for the replies! It sounds like everyone lets the baby hang out while keeping with the toddlers schedule. I think we will try to get back to a more consistent routine for DS1 and stick with it.

I was starting to wonder if the poor baby should be in bed by the time I bathe DS1 and if I was depriving him good sleep. But, he just isn't ready to be down for the night at that point and it's easier to keep him with us during the bedtime routine.

I know things will continue to change so much with DS2, as well, so our routine will have to continue to adapt anyway. But I'm glad to know we seem to have a similar strategy as everyone else. I just need to work on a more consistent timing for DS1's sake. We had a pretty good thing going before baby brother arrived.

spinsoffresonance

Before DD2 was born DH and I would both take part in DD1 bedtime routine. I would do bath then snuggle for 10 min, then DH would read a story and put her to bed. Now DD2 cluster feeds between 7-10pm so I nurse while DH does DD1's bedtime routine by himself. We haven't started any kind of routine for DD2 yet. I usually pass out from exhaustion while she's nursing and she ends up going to sleep too. Bed sharing for now until things get a little easier

yepyepsms

We have kept LO1's routine the same (he's two). His routine is brush teeth, bath or washcloth, story, pjs, bed. We start his routine around 7 and he's in bed by 7:30ish. I used to always do his routine with him but now DH does it. LO2 has crazy colic from 6-9ish so I tend to her and he tends to our son.

IBackBevo

My husband gets my toddler ready for bed (bath, etc.) and I get our infant ready for bed. I don't know what I would do if I had to deal with both.

pistolpackinmomma

DS1 (16 months) has been getting baths whenever I feel like DS2 will sleep/be content long enough. DS1's routine is pretty simple, nighttime diaper, pjs, then bed. Sometimes DS2 cries while I work on getting DS1 to bed. Not ideal but it's just me so it is what it is. After he goes down (anywhere from 7:30-8:30) then DS2 gets his bath and swaddled for bed.

vszapp

IBackBevo said:

My husband gets my toddler ready for bed (bath, etc.) and I get our infant ready for bed. I don't know what I would do if I had to deal with both.

This for us too.

MissLadyTay

So many hugs. Bedtime has been a disaster since DS2 was born 8 weeks ago. The baby cluster feeds in the evening so I am always nursing when DS1 needs to get his bath and book and bed. MH does it but that leads to DS1 wanting only me, screams and struggles, etc.

On the nights when I'm alone I put DS2 in the RNP and drag him from the bathroom to DS1's room. I rock him with my foot while I read and get DS1 dressed for bed. We often skip baths when I have them both because I need to focus exclusively on the kid in the water and I don't always feel like I can do that with two to handle.

Ziegeficker

lica001 said:

Before DD2 was born DH and I would both take part in DD1 bedtime routine. I would do bath then snuggle for 10 min, then DH would read a story and put her to bed. Now DD2 cluster feeds between 7-10pm so I nurse while DH does DD1's bedtime routine by himself. We haven't started any kind of routine for DD2 yet. I usually pass out from exhaustion while she's nursing and she ends up going to sleep too. Bed sharing for now until things get a little easier

This exactly. DS has kept the same routine, it's just that DH now handles his bedtime (and morning) routine, and I handle DD's.

Esbi25

MissLadyTay said:

So many hugs. Bedtime has been a disaster since DS2 was born 8 weeks ago. The baby cluster feeds in the evening so I am always nursing when DS1 needs to get his bath and book and bed. MH does it but that leads to DS1 wanting only me, screams and struggles, etc.

Yeah, this is my main problem. DS1 is a TOTAL mama's boy and he gets absolutely hysterical if DH does his bedtime. He screams for mommy and I just can't handle it!! But the baby does a little cluster feeding and gets kind of cranky in the evenings so I feel bad leaving him with DH, so I've just said screw it and I do everything

Sometimes DH will have the baby, though, while I actually put DS1 in bed and wait for him to fall asleep because this can take up to 45 min these days. He is getting better, but prefers someone to stay with him while he falls asleep. We will sometimes leave and let him cry a little so he takes it seriously but I hate that so I've gone back to waiting for him to fall asleep. I hate thinking he may feel abandoned by mommy because of the new baby.

Xath

We do bath time together.  When I do it, I lay DS2 down and scrub DS1 while the tub is filling.  Then he plays with toys in the bath tub while I bathe DS2.  I get the baby out, dried, and diapered, while DS1 is playing, and then I take DS1 out.  

When we do bath together, DS1 plays in the tub while I bathe DS2.  He "helps" keep DS2 warm by dumping cups of water on him.  Once I finish with the baby, H comes in and bathes the toddler.  Then he does toddler bedtime routine while I feed DS2.  We sing our goodnight song together as a family, and then put the boys down.  DS1's routine stays pretty consistent.  Sometimes the baby goes down; sometimes he doesn't.  

I got this bath chair to do bath time together.  The baby tub we had took up too much room, but this is small enough that they both have plenty of space in the big tub.