When to start establishing a bedtime routine?

SJBride05 · November 2010

Is this something I should start thinking about now? We're still going by Dovey's cues, but I figure I should have something started by the time I go back to work in a couple of months.

SarahCee · November 2010

We started with a bedtime routine really early w/ LO. I definitely think that it is somehting that you should start establishing now/soon. For us, he started sleeping much better at night once the routine was established.

NCSW · November 2010

We started at 1 month. It definitely can't hurt to start now.

I think it (eventually) really helped Madison know that it was time for that long first stretch of sleep for the night.

altreu · November 2010

We didn't really start with our bedtime routine until O was around three months. He just wasn't consistent enough for us to try. Once we started it, though, he picked it up right away. I would say it took less than a week for him to understand that it was bedtime. Even on days when he's really wound up, or napped late, once we get through the routine, he's ready for sleep! *We are really lucky, though!*

MrsEmm · November 2010

routines are great imo! we do bath, stories & bedtime starting around 6pm. Theyre all in bed by 7/730 usually. Its nice because then everyone knows what to expect. B was on a routine by 6 weeks & D by about 3 mos but we also just followed their cues mostly, realizing that they were like clockwork most days!