What's your sleep routine?

AlyssaRoseKeane · September 2012

My son was always one to nurse to sleep, and since switching over to the bottle, has always had a bottle to fall asleep. I switched it to water once he got teeth, but now that he's getting older I'm trying to get rid of the bottle!

He's pretty good during the day about not needing a bottle, but he WILL NOT go to sleep without it. I've tried reading, but he hates being read to, even when he's wide awake. I've tried rocking him, but he won't sit still without a bottle. I don't know how to get rid of this bottle Sad

clineak · September 2012

This is probably not much help, but we read a quick story, then turn out the light. I hold her (although she wiggles all over and tries to get down), say prayers, and sing to her. If she continues being super wiggly, I tell her that she needs to settle down, or I'll put her in her crib. She's usually pretty good about getting calm, but sometimes she's not, or she leans in toward her bed, so I just put her in. I give her her blanket, and then walk out. Oh! During the story/singing, she has a sippy of milk (although she rarely drinks any).

My guess is that, no matter what you do, you'll get some resistance. You just have to set up a routine that works for you, and stick to it. Even still, if for some reason she's crying after I leave the room, I check on her after 5 minutes, 7 minutes, etc.

dairygirl19 · September 2012

We do bath, naked time in the crib while I pick up her room/pack the diaper bag and review our day, feed the fish, brush teeth, comb hair, pjs and story.

Then I lay her down, say prayers and leave.

This is where I'm no help though. Child still goes to bed with a sippy.

TBH it's not a battle I choose to fight. It won't her her and she's such a great sleeper I don't want to screw with it. She throws it out when she's done anyways, so it's not like she sucks it all night or anything.

And I sound like I have the longest routine on the planet..lol. It really takes less than a 1/2 hour bath included.

lucylea · September 2012

We have a bedtime snack, go upstairs and get jammies on, nurse, brush teeth while singing Twinkle Twinkle, and then into the crib he goes. He does have a sippy full of water in the crib that he usually takes a few big gulps of before falling asleep and then periodically sips on throughout the night if he wakes up.

Like a PP, I think no matter what you are going to face resistance in getting rid of the bottle. If he drinks well from a sippy during the day you could try a sippy of water instead. Honestly, though, I don't think a bottle of water in the crib overnight is that big of a deal at all. Its unlikely he is keeping it in his mouth all night long so his tooth formation shouldn't be bothered. Of course, I personally think ditching bottles at 12 months as a hard and fast rule is kind of silly so take what I say with a grain of salt.

AmandaP678 · September 2012

I wouldn't get too discouraged about the short attention span for book reading. It's totally normal at this age. My oldest is just now getting a better attention span to read longer books.

Mason&Mama · September 2012

We used to have bedtime routine a very long time involving bath, story, jammies, etc.

Now, our "routine" pretty much consists of going to sleep sometime between 7pm and 9pm (whenever he starts to show signs of being tired).

Sometimes we do jammies, sometimes he sleeps in a diaper only, and sometimes he wears a diaper and the T-shirt he wore all day.

I pick him up, kiss him goodnight, put him in the crib with his blanket, turn on his sound machine. And that's that.

So, no real routine anymore.

sharonstevens85 · September 2012

We have a pretty boring sleep routine. It will stay this way until he can sit through at least half a story, lol.

Sleep routine starts at 6:45pm. He gets Jammie's on, pablum, cup of milk, teeth brushed and in bed by 7:00-7:10. I don't rock him to sleep, I just lay him in the crib, turn his fisher price aquarium on and off to dream land he goes.

Kara03 · September 2012

We do a bath, naked time, jammies and lotion, bottle then in her crib awake. I still give her a bottle before bed, she dropped all the daytime bottles. We will try to drop the night time bottle again in another month or two. For now ,if she needs it I am fine giving it to her.

Mommy2CB · September 2012

I don't plan on ditching the bottle/sippy at night for a while. I am in the process of switching from bottle to sippy and then hope to transition from milk to water. I feel like 12 months is too young but everyone is different. GL!