How Bedtime Routine Evolves with Age
Bedtime routines are a consistent, repetitive set of activities that happen right before your child goes to bed. The bedtime routine helps prepare your child for sleep. Having a predictable and consistent routine before bed is one of the most important parts in a healthy sleep foundation! (Even adults benefit from bedtime routines).
Research around bedtime routines prove that children are more likely to go to sleep earlier, sleep longer, take less time falling asleep and wake up less during the night.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, “Sleep associations are incredibly strong. The repetitive nature of a parent’s exact actions before bed—like: talking in a soft voice, my son saying “goodnight”, closing the bedroom door, closing the blinds, and turning on the sound machine in the same order every night—is very powerful. "
Bedtime routines not only should be consistent and repetitive but they should be sustainable, something you can repeat over and over, even as they get older! These routines can start as early as newborns and are used until adulthood! I have a routine before bed every night! Do you?
When should you start a bedtime routine?
According to Secrets of Baby Behavior, “by six to eight weeks, babies show clear signs that they can predict what will happen during feeding, social, and naptime routines!”
That means, you can start routines very early on and see the benefits pay off.
Below I will list different examples of sleep routines and how they evolve from newborn to toddlers. You will notice they have a lot of the same components, including white noise. White noise is a huge sleep cue for most babies. You’ll want to be as consistent as possible with your routine.
Babies accept sleep more when they know it is coming!
Newborn bedtime routine:
Should be super short because their wake times are so short we do not want to have any risk of them becoming over tired.
- Feeding (nursing or bottle)
- Diaper Change
- Massage with lotion
- Pajamas & Swaddle
- Turn on white noise
- Sing and rock until calm and lay them down with a heavy hand and shhing/rocking motion with your hand
(Or put them to sleep however you would like, but feeding earlier on can ensure they are awake enough to take in a fuller feeding).
As they grow out of the newborn stage, you can add a few things like reading a short book or saying good night to objects in the room. Try to keep your routine to about 15-20 minutes (after feeding). Like for example….
6 month old Bedtime routine:
- Diaper Change
- Massage with Lotion
- Pajamas and Sleep Sack
- Book
- Turn on white noise
- Sing song and put babe in crib
18 month old Bedtime routine:
- Diaper Change
- Massage with Lotion
- Pajamas and Sleep Sack
- 2 books.
- Say goodnight to objects in the room
- Say prayers
- Turn on white noise
- Sing & cuddle and put babe in crib
3 year old Bedtime routine
- Go to the bathroom
- Pull up or underwear / pajamas
- 2 books
- Say prayers / talk about best part of the day
- Turn on white noise
- Sing, kiss and cuddle goodnight
Around 18 months is when they start to test the routines, wanting more books, wanting to turn off the lights, wanting to be part of it.
To help keep your routine concise, create a visual checklist for your child to go through, have them be part of it, for example, let them choose their pajamas but give them a choice from 2. Let them pick the books, but you pick out 5 and let them only choose 2.
Some control is great but make sure you’re okay with one of the two choices. For example, “do you want a bath or not?” isn’t really an option for them because they probably need the bath. “Do you want a bath or shower? or “Do you want mom or dad to give you a bath?” is a better way to offer those kind of choices!
If you’re struggling with any aspect of your routine, make sure you schedule a basic chat to help iron it all out!
