Bedtime routine ...

Tatiana191084

Please share your best practices when putting your LO to bed. My 3 months old will only fall asleep if I rock him and then place him in the carriage!!! The second I put him in his crib he is wide awake. Once he is deep asleep in his carriage I carry him upstairs to his room where he sleeps for the most of the night in his crib. Occasionally, we bed share. Just wondering what your challenges are when putting your LO to sleep and what are you doing. 

Kattank12

I give him a bath (every other night is bath), then breastfeed (I only BF morning and night because he's a very slow eater therefore to maintain my sanity I decided to go with using formula), and then offer a formula bottle (sometimes he wants it, sometimes he doesn't). He'll usually fall asleep during eating or right after. I then put him down. I've yet to put him down while he's still wide awake.

besu-chan

We always tried to put the girls down drowsy but awake, even from day 1, but it was kindof a gradual transition for us from being basically asleep when we put them down to now being awake when we put them down. At about 2 months old I started rocking them until their eyes started to droop and then quickly put them down before their eyes completely closed. Then a few weeks later I rocked them until their body would relax in my arms but their eyes were still open. Now I just rock them for a few seconds and make sure they're calm before I set them down. Maybe you could try something gradual like that? The key is to catch them before they get fussy (overtired). If I let them stay up past when they first start to get drowsy then it takes much longer and they cry when I set them down.

kes487

I usually give DD a bath before bed, allowing her to soak for a minute (she loves the water).  I bathe her with the Johnson&Johnson Bedtime Bath and Aveeno Lavender baby lotion afterwards.  Then I dim the lights in her bedroom and turn on Baby Einstein lullaby music softly, and feed her a bottle.  She's usually fast asleep before she even finishes eating.

sweetky_06

Our little guy is usually asleep by the time we set him down at this point, but DH and I each have our own ways of putting him to sleep, which I think is important.

Right now, whether it's a nap or bedtime, I read one book, draw the shades, say goodbye to the sun, swaddle, then walk around while I pat his back and sing 2 songs - (don't laugh) - first I sing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and then I sing "Rock a bye baby" over and over until he falls asleep or is extremely drowsy. Then I set him down, no problem. Don't ask me where "Leaving on a Jet Plane" came from - it's just happened : )

What I'm noticing is that over time, the # of times I need to sing Rock a Bye Baby is generally declining - last night it was only 3 times. I'm hoping in the next month that I can do the routine but without the walking around part, then remove the patting part, then I can sing as part of the routine but not to get him to sleep, etc.

eklanger

sweetky_06:

Our little guy is usually asleep by the time we set him down at this point, but DH and I each have our own ways of putting him to sleep, which I think is important.

Right now, whether it's a nap or bedtime, I read one book, draw the shades, say goodbye to the sun, swaddle, then walk around while I pat his back and sing 2 songs - (don't laugh) - first I sing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and then I sing "Rock a bye baby" over and over until he falls asleep or is extremely drowsy. Then I set him down, no problem. Don't ask me where "Leaving on a Jet Plane" came from - it's just happened : )

What I'm noticing is that over time, the # of times I need to sing Rock a Bye Baby is generally declining - last night it was only 3 times. I'm hoping in the next month that I can do the routine but without the walking around part, then remove the patting part, then I can sing as part of the routine but not to get him to sleep, etc.

That is a sweet ritual.

I usually wait until DD is drowsy before putting her down.  First we brush teeth (gum stimulator) then I change and swaddle. Then we sit in the rocking chair for one book and a little milk--at this point she only takes a little if anything and then I just hold her until she is asleep.  I read my own book while I wait and when I am ready to set her down, she goes in her PnP. The only times I have trouble setting her down is if she is not saddled or breaks out of her swaddle. 

megaloo27

I rock her until she is mostly asleep then put her in the crib. Her eyes usually pop right open and she gets wiggly. So then I stand there and rub her tummy until she settles down again. She also uses a pacifier, so when she does sleep it falls out and I move it away from her face. She still needs me to calm her down, an I wish I had been more diligent about getting her to self sooth. She does sleep in her crib so I guess I didn't completely fail my goals  

raefre

I normally don't get home until 930pm.  By that time, DH has already fed LO and I get to hold and snuggle him until he starts getting wiggly/cranky.  Once the wiggly act starts, off to bed he goes. I keep the light on in the hallway but turn off his bedroom light; it gives me enough light to see by in order to wrap him up in his swaddle.  We only wrap his waist and legs, leaving his arms free. And somehow, lots of kisses are involved. I shut the door, look for cats and shoo them out, and then off to sleep he goes.

We then wake him up one more time before going to bed, where we feed and change him. 

 It is not really that much of a bedtime routine but I absolutely love coming home to hold and snuggle and talk to LO about my day.

Jess084

LO gets a bath at about 8. We only use soap every other night. Then he nurses and is generally in bed about 9. Sounds simple and boring, and it is. But it works for us.