Starting a bedtime routine for your baby seems easy enough. You give them a bath, put on pajamas, feed them and they go to sleep. But what happens when your baby fights falling asleep, screams during their bedtime routine or wakes all night long?
Did you know that the activities you include in your baby’s bedtime routine (and the order in which you do them) determine whether your baby falls asleep easily and sleeps well at night? It’s true!
As a baby sleep consultant, the first advice I give parents is how to start a bedtime routine. It’s the first step we take to improve your little one’s sleep. So if you’re looking for my best baby bedtime routine tips, you’re in the right place!
This post may contain affiliate links.
What is a bedtime routine?
A bedtime routine is a sequence of activities you do every night to help your baby relax and fall asleep easily.
Babies and young toddlers have limited comprehension. They can’t understand us saying “It’s time to go to sleep now.” (And toddlers don’t listen anyway!) So we have to use behavioral cues that are proven to relax babies, so they accept falling asleep.
It’s a way to relax your baby without them realising it, so they fuss less and are able to sleep easily every night. It takes about 15-30 minutes and typically becomes parents’ favorite part of the day!
When you create a bedtime routine for your little one and you do it at the same time every night, you’re sending signals to their brain and body that it’s time to sleep. And over time you’ll see your baby relax on cue. He’ll yawn when you put on his sleep sack. She’ll rub her eyes while you read her favorite bedtime book. And you’ll feel so proud of the peaceful, relaxing time you’ve created for them.
Why is a bedtime routine so important?
Check this out-> A 2009 study of 400 infants and toddlers showed that starting a consistent bedtime routine helped children fall asleep quicker, wake less often at night and improved maternal mood.
Bedtime routines have been proven to help children fall asleep easier, sleep better at night AND make moms happier. What more do you need to know?!
As a parent of little ones, the days are LONG. And it’s nice to have a relaxing ritual to look forward to every evening. An activity that marks the end of the day, and a way to connect with your baby every evening as they wind down, become drowsy and fall asleep easily.
No one wants to end their day with a cranky baby that refuses to sleep.
So if you’re struggling hard every evening trying to get your baby to sleep, my Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit is the answer! It gives you ALL the details of what to do to help your baby relax easily and sleep well every night and includes cute printable routines you can hang on the wall!
What’s the best age to begin a bedtime routine?
Most newborns sleep around the clock quite easily. So, unless you’re a routine-lover you don’t need to start a bedtime routine right away.
Instead, 2-3 months is a great age to introduce a bedtime routine, because this is when your baby is learning to distinguish night versus day. If you have an older baby or toddler, it’s never too late to begin a relaxing evening ritual, as children of all ages will benefit.
Testimonials of my bedtime routine, the Peaceful Nightly Ritual (PNR):
“The PNR changed our lives! Ewan knows the routine so well that he even prompts the next steps by pointing to his books and laying down to help put his sleep sack on. We do a family hug and then he’s done, meaning if the hugs go on longer than he likes, he tries to escape and lay down on his own, haha. Bedtime used to be so stressful, but now it’s a calm, loving family time.”
“I’ve been doing the PNR for 2 weeks and it has made such a massive difference from the very first 3 days. My 9 month old already has made so much progress not only sleep-wise, but with her milestones as well. It’s like she is developing her skills overnight!”
“The PNR, changing bedtime and being aware of awake times changed my life! I now lay my son down in his bed with confidence and have my life back at night to enjoy with my husband. I absolutely dreaded bedtime, now I look forward to it.”
What are the benefits of a bedtime routine?
In addition to helping babies and toddlers fall asleep easily and sleep better at night, here are other big benefits:
Benefit #1: Helps with bonding
As a mom of two, I know how busy and chaotic our days can be.
Although we usually find time to sit down together and do a puzzle or game (for like 3 minutes which is as long as my toddler can sit these days), our bedtime routine is truly the favorite part of my day.
That’s because I get to snuggle my little ones, sniff their freshly washed hair, read books, and sing songs before they happily go into their beds and fall asleep.
I’ve struggled with cranky babies that fight falling asleep, and let me tell you, this is so much better. Ending our days on a peaceful note makes me a happier mom, and helps me enjoy my kids more.
Plus, research shows that a peaceful bedtime routine improves the bond between parents and children, click here to read more!
Benefit #2: Baby easily relaxes on cue every night.
The first time you see your baby yawn and rub their eyes on cue is pure magic! Babies and toddlers thrive on routine and consistency, and within a few nights most little ones settle into their bedtime routine and fall asleep easier.
The best part is, your baby knows exactly what’s happening when you do the same activities every day. So they fight sleep less and fall asleep easier. It’s a win-win for parents and babies!
It’s best to start your baby’s bedtime routine the right way and my Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit walks you through exactly what to do from the first night. It includes other helpful guides too like how to dress your baby for sleep and how to help your sick baby sleep well.
Benefit #3: Parents get downtime!
When your bedtime routine is over, and you’ve put your baby down for the night, you know the night is over. Cha-ching!
Even if your baby isn’t sleep trained, you should still see an improvement in their nighttime sleep. Most babies get their longest stretch of sleep after their bedtime routine.
This gives YOU quiet downtime to do whatever you want! Have a glass of wine, catch up on Netflix, reconnect with your partner, have dinner in one sitting – the evening is yours. All parents deserve this.
Ready to start your peaceful bedtime routine tonight? Get my Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit here!
Baby bedtime routine do’s and don’ts
Here are my do’s and don’ts for parents creating a bedtime routine for their little ones.
Dos:
Do the same activities everyday.
Channel your inner planner and get very specific with how you handle bedtime. In the first days of starting a bedtime routine, read the same 1-2 books and sing the same lullaby every night. Have your baby sleep in the same sleep sack every night. Remember, you’re showing your baby the activities that precede sleep, so the fewer inconsistencies the better!
Same time & order every night
The order of your bedtime routine matters a lot. I go into this in detail in my Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit and lay out the exact steps to take. For example, you want to avoid feeding your baby to sleep, as that can perpetuate night wakings.
Get other people involved.
Include different caregivers like Dad, grandma, and the babysitter so they get the chance to bond with your baby during this sweet time. Getting your baby used to other people handling their bedtime routine also gives parents a break and enables you get out for a date night!
Don’ts:
No last minute visitors
Grandma popping over to say hello or Uncle Ted dropping by for an impromptu wrestling match will surely excite your little one, making it harder to fall asleep at bedtime. Kindly request no visitors in the hour or two before bedtime to ensure your baby’s bedtime routine stays peaceful.
No bedtime dance parties
Cranking up the music and dancing with your little ones is a great way to beat late afternoon grumpiness or boredom. Just make sure to leave enough time for the adrenaline to wear off after your dance party. A good tip is to get the wiggles out, then have dinner and a warm bath to relax your kiddo before sleep.
Don’t repeat your bedtime routine at midnight
Knowing that the bedtime routine is a great way to relax babies has caused many parents to turn on the lights and start reading books when their baby wakes in the middle of the night. I don’t recommend this as turning on the lights and engaging with your baby will probably end up exciting them more than relaxing them.
Instead, if you’re struggling with a baby that wakes at night (and is 5 months or older) teach them to sleep independently, so they can learn to sleep through the night!
My proven sleep training program shows you exactly how to do this and is customizable for your baby’s age, personality, energy levels and your parenting style. It’s helped thousands of babies learn to sleep through the night, without crying it out! You can get all the details here.
Hopefully I’ve convinced you of the importance of starting a peaceful bedtime routine. It’s never too late, children of all ages benefit from a relaxing routine every evening.
Think of it as laying the foundation for healthy sleep habits for your child’s lifetime. If you’d like help getting a routine started, check out my Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit here.
Hi mam I need a suggestion… My baby is one year old… In early months she prefered to sleep by holding her in my arms and singing lullabies. But now she never prefer that… When she wished to sleep she comes close to me have breast milk… Meanwhile she will sleep… Problem is that this method she follows during day time also… So nobody else can make her to sleep… If I’m not there in home, she never sleep even though she felt sleepy.
How can solve this
Hello Devapriya,
Thank you so much for your message! Definitely check out our 1 year old sleep guide for helpful tips. My best advice is to teach your LO how to fall asleep independently. This means removing all sleep associations such as rocking or nursing to sleep. We cover all of this in our program if you are looking for step by step guidance. Including the link below if you want to check it out!
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/1-year-old-sleep-tips-toddler
Best,
Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
Hello!
5 month old boy who was recently sleeping through the night suddenly stopped. He is fuss sometimes when we try to get him down for naps and bed time. We recently had to transition him to his crib because he has out grown his bassinet. He transitioned great for a week, and boom no sleep. I started to try a bed time routine because he previously didn’t really have one, he just nursed and went to sleep or had a bottle with Dad and eventually fell asleep. We have now started a routine of a warm bath, lotion (massage), jammies, book, and feeding. Sometimes we get through the hole routine and he’s exhausted and goes right to sleep but will only sleep for about an hour before he wakes up crying. Then he’s up almost every hour. He’s not hungry, he just wants held. He will cry and once we pick him up he closes his eyes and goes to sleep. I can sometimes get him back in his bed for an hour and sometimes he wakes up the second I put him down. I do not want to co-sleep but I did break down the other night and got in our spare bed with him at 4am and he slept in there with me til 10am. I don’t know what do to. I think this is a regression but do we try and just make it through then sleep train or should we try breaking bad habits like nursing him to sleep. I know co sleep is a bad habit and am really fighting to not do it again but it was the only way he slept. We are first time parents and at a loss because he has been such a great sleeper until now.
Help!
Dear Ali,
this is not a regression but normal behavior. What I mean is that if you help your baby fall asleep at bedtime (feeding, holding, rocking), he will need that same situation to fall back to sleep during the night. His sleep patterns have recently changed so this might be the reason why he started waking up. Also, remember that at 5mo most babies still need night feeds so check with your doctor.
Breastfeeding to sleep is natural and completely normal. In fact, it’s not a problem until it “becomes a problem” and you’re having to get up and feed your baby back to sleep many times at night.
Once your baby reaches 5-6 months, it’s possible to teach them to self-settle to sleep. THIS will lead to long stretches of sleep and STTN when your baby is developmentally ready.
It won’t necessarily be “easy” in that your little one may get upset learning a new way of falling asleep, BUT a few days of teaching independent sleep habits will lead to YEARS of peaceful and happy sleep for everyone.
There are several ways of teaching your LO a new way of falling asleep. The best approach will depend on your LO’s temperament and your parenting preferences. This is what we help parents do every day in our program, 21 Days to Peace & Quiet.
We’d love to have you join our step-by-step program here: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Micaela BSMS Support Team
Hello we have been sleep training for 3 weeks now the ferber method my LO is almost 11months. We have a routine where we bathe him, lotion, pjs and then feed him a bottle. Then I take him and rock him a little put him down fairly quickly and he doesn’t cry as much anymore. However my problem is that he wont sleep through the night last night he was crying over 2 hours and we kept being consistent with the check ins but I cant hear him cry like that every night. Everywhere I read it says sleep training takes about a week. We are on week 3 and still not sleeping. Any advice would be appreciated .
Hello Georgie, the way your baby falls asleep at bedtime is the way he’ll need to fall back to sleep during the night when he wakes. so if you are placing him in the crib drowsy, this might be the reason why. If you want our daily support, we help clients every day with issues like this and we would also have a look at your daily schedule to make sure there is nothing there that needs to be tweaked to help improve the situation 😉
I’m confident we can get you and your baby sleeping great.
Happy to answer any other questions you have about the program. Here are all the details: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Micaela BSMS Support Team
I’m having trouble finding help with my situation! My baby goes to bed wide awake and falls asleep without any help, but then wakes up every 3 hours! I have a 5.5 month old who used to sleep for long 7-9 hour stretches, and then experienced a terrible sleep regression just after she turned 4 months. She hasn’t slept longer than a 3 hour stretch since. The problem I’m having is that she wakes up 4-5 times a night screaming crying, and will not go back to sleep until I feed her. She cannot settle herself. However, she is a great daytime napper, and puts herself to sleep at nap and at bedtime. She goes down in her crib completely awake and falls asleep without a fuss! But then she can’t do that during the night. She goes down around 7:30pm, and then is up crying until she gets a feed at 10:30, 1:30, 4:30, and up for the day at 6:30. Help!!
Hi there Caitlyn. Thank you for your message.
Sorry to hear you’re struggling. How much does your baby sleep during the day? Do you follow awake times?
Please check out our 5 month old sleep guide here –> https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/sleep-training-5-month-old-baby-tips
This will help you understand what to expect from your LO’s sleep at this age, plus it’s got many tips on how to get them sleeping better at night.
Also, if you haven’t already, you can sign up for our free Exhausted Mom’s Survival Kit, a step by step guide that will help you create healthy sleep habits for your baby, create a bedtime routine, set the right bedtime and help your LO sleep better day & night, overall.
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
Try implementing these tips for a few days and then let us know how things work out. Good luck. Panagiota, BSMS Support Team
Hello,
My 13 week old son suffers from pretty bad reflux issues and our pediatrician told us that we have to hold him upright for a minimum of 30 minutes after each feeding. When trying to implement this nighttime routine, I’ve found that two or three booksIs definitely closer to ten minutes than 30, and my son falls asleep in my arms well before I can get him into the bassinet. He usually didn’t wake when I transfer him, but the recommendation is for him to be drowsy but not asleep. If I keep him awake he gets overtired and riles up and cries a ton, and if I wake him before settling him in the bassinet he also turns to crying. Do you have any tips on how to navigate so he learns to fall asleep in his sleeping area instead of on me and waking up later in his bassinet?
Hi there Amanda. Sorry to hear about the reflux. Hope your little guy gets better soon. Yes, the best thing is for your LO to be placed into the crib drowsy, but you don’t have to wake him before putting him in there.
It’s true that reflux can complicate sleep a bit. If your baby struggles with reflux, feed him earlier in his PNR- right before or after bath time.Then, keep baby upright for 15-30 minutes.Baby can sit upright in a tubby chair during bath time. Or if you feed him after the bath, do a modified massage with him propped up on a pillow. Then keep baby upright while you read 1-2 bedtime books. Feeding early in the PNR should minimize reflux affecting baby’s sleep.
Also if his night sleep is good, even if not put in the crib drowsy, you don’t need to change the fact that he’s already asleep when put there since your baby is still young. Hope this helps. Panagiota, BSMS Support Team
Our 15 week old son started sleeping through the night (10pm-8pm) at 7 weeks old! Consistent routine was play eat sleep during the day then we started bedtime around 9pm with a bath, then bottle and rock to sleep. We would put him down sleeping then wake him up a bit after he got swaddled in his pack and play and was fine. I could hear him every so often in the night grunting and making noises but would settle himself to sleep. The past week he has been waking up once a night around 2-3am to eat 4-6 ounces then goes back to sleep for another 4-5 hours. Any advice? He also won’t go to sleep unless he has the bottle in his mouth while being rocked, ive tried putting him down drowsy and when I see the sleepy signals (yawning, eyes closing or rubbing eyes) but it doesn’t work for him. Help!
Hello Kara,
Thanks so much for your post. It is great your LO is sleeping so well at night. It is normal for your LO to still need some assistance with falling asleep since your LO is still in that “fourth trimester” phase. We often see LO’s ready to fall asleep independently around 5/6 months of age. I would recommend checking out our 4 month old sleep guides (since your LO is super close to that age) for helpful sleep tips! Alyssa, BSMS Support Team
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/4-month-old-not-sleeping
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/4-month-sleep-regression-tips-video
I introduced a bedtime routine (similar but not 3xactlt thus one) at 2M and baby goes down to bed easily at night, even in the midst of 4M regression (baby is now 4.5M) but still needs to be breastfed to sleep. In one of ur videos you say not to proper sleep train before 6M or during a regression and in the routine shown here the baby must be put down awake which results in cries for us here. What should I do?
Hi Jessie! Sorry to hear about your struggle, the regression can be quite a turnado sometimes! I will link Jilly’s 4 months guides for your to look at, it answers your questions and adds a few key tips 🙂 We usually recommend sleep training around 5-6 months old, because there are major developmental leaps that happen before that age that could disrupt the process. So if you can, I’d recommend hanging tight for a little while longer before you start sleep training. However there are still tips and routines that you can implement right now. Wait no more! Here is a link to our FREE EXHAUSTED MOM’s SURVIVAL KIT and a general sleep guide for your little one’s age. It will help you understand your LO’s current developmental stage and the affect on sleep and what you can expect from your LO right now.
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/4-month-sleep-regression-tips-video
Best of luck! Leena, BSMS Support Team
My baby has a bedtime routine that involves bath and then i an breastfeeding him about whole 1 hour. Then i put dress In a sleep sack. I talk to him whispering at the sme time and then put White noise on and turn Light of. I keep him In My arms until he relax. He is now 4 month and the sleep regression has arrived. Is is ok that the bedtime routine includes so long feeding?
He has always done that. When he was newborn it took 2-3 hours To breastfeed him.
Hi Aliisa! Hi! You can breastfeed on demand but try to keep your baby awake while feeding. Once baby’s feeding pattern slows and her eyes start to close, gently remove him from the breast and burp him. Then place him down to fall asleep. It’s ok if he’s drowsy going into the bed. Many babies younger than 5 months need to be helped to a drowsy state.
Implement tthe tips on the guides below for 2 weeks and you should see improvement.
4 MONTH SLEEP GUIDE:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/4-month-old-not-sleeping
4 MONTH SLEEP REGRESSION:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/4-month-sleep-regression-tips-video
Also starting 5 months, you can begin “formal sleep training” gently.
Our program, 21 Days to Peace & Quiet. We offer 4 different step-by-step methods for you to choose from (from super gentle & gradual to quick & efficient.) Each step of the way you get advice based on your baby’s developmental stage, energy levels, and temperament.
You enroll on this page: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Hope this helps! Good luck mama! / Leena, BSMS Support Team
This is a really great idea. toddlers need to learn their bedtime routine so that they will not cry when they are sleepy at night.
Hi Bianca! Thank you for your comment, glad you like the article! For any additional questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us again!
Make sure you share the tips you like to family and friends and like us on Facebook to see inspiring posts and more tips&tricks!
Have a great autumn! / Leena, BSMS Support Team
Hi, I’m a new mom for 8 weeks old. I’m trying to give her sleep schedule but she’s awake whole night and sleeping most likely whole day. How to fix that?
Hi! Yay, congratulations on your newborn! It is actually quite normal for sleep to be all over the place at this age, as your baby is still so very young. The idea is to gently guide your LO towards a schedule with consistency and a healthy sleep routine and sleep environment. The bedtime routine above will help you of course, but I’ll link some other guides that could be of help 🙂 / Leena, BSMS Support Team
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/how-to-help-2-month-old-baby-sleep-well
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
How loud should the White noise be? Can it be too quiet? I find it difficult To set the right volume. At the moment i have used it about 40db what sounds like someone is whispering next To you.
Hi Aliisa! It can be quite loud actually. This way it will overpower outside noises. Jilly’s FREE Exhausted Mom’s Survival Kit has a lot of tips regarding the quite noise machine. You can get it here :): https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
/ Leena, BSMS Support Team
Hello Jill, my baby is 4 months now and we are going through the regression :/ the main problem is that she will
Cry for us to come and replace the pacifier every hour. Should we start sleep training to wean it off? What is your advice regarding the pacifier at this moment? Thank you! Tired mom!
Hi and thank you for your message!
It can be exhausting to keep going back and forth with the pacifier. We usually recommend sleep training around 5-6 months old,
because there are major developmental leaps that happen before that age that could disrupt the process.
Usually around 7 months, babies develop the so called pincer grasp and that’s when they might be able to pick the pacifier up independently.
If however the constant running around multiple times a night is exhausting the entire family, it could be a good thing to wean out from now. You can choose to either go “cold turkey” or take it away earlier each night so baby can learn to settle more on her own. Here is a guide for your 4 month old, it covers the big developmental changes your LO is most likely going through right now, causing sleep disturbances.
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/4-month-sleep-regression-tips-video
If and when you are interested in starting sleep training, we offer 4 different step-by-step methods for you to choose from (from super gentle & gradual to quick & efficient.) Each step of the way you get advice based on your baby’s developmental stage, energy levels, and temperament. For more information on the program, please don’t hesitate to ask, here is the link to it:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Best of luck/ Leena, BSMS Support Team
At the moment our 6 month old’s bedtime routine looks like this – dimmed lights for an hour before bedtime, upstairs for nappy change and into pjs and sleeping bag. Bottle feed sat in his darkened nursery, then a cuddle and into his cot. Some nights he is almost asleep after the feed so I try to wake him before putting him into bed. More recently he has had nights where he is quite alert after the feed and cries when put into his cot. If I shush and pat his tummy he eventually settles to sleep. I’d like to bring his bottle feed earlier so that there is a gap before bed (say 20 mins) but he is very energetic and baths and books both excite him. I’ve tried baby massage but he gets very wiggly. Any other suggestions to fill those 20 mins without getting him too excited? I sing twinkle twinkle to him before putting him in his cot but this only takes a few minutes.
Hi Vicky,
You’re right, putting more time between his bottle and falling asleep is the right way to go.
My free Exhausted Mom’s Survival Kit gives expanded tips on creating a peaceful nightly ritual for your baby and how to best separate feeding and falling asleep. You can sign up for it here:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit
Hello, I am grandma to 5 month old twin boys. My daughter, who is also a fraternal twin, is having a heck of a hard time because they are waking every 1 to 3 hours a night. (I can offer little advice on how to get them to sleep through because she and her brother began sleeping through the night at around 2 months without any purposeful help from me or dad). Sometimes they will take 2-4 ounces each time they wake, other times they won’t. I know they just need to learn to self soothe, but it is hard when they set each other off. And separate rooms is not an option.
My daughter is exhausted. She does have a semi-bedtime routine which includes changing their diapers, rocking and feeding. Dad is not terribly good with infants so doesn’t help as much as I feel he should and so my daughter is in charge of getting the boys to bed and taking care of them at night. So, any suggestions, for basically a single mom of twins, for getting them to sleep through the night?
Hi Denise,
You’re such a wonderful grandma to be actively looking for help for your daughter!
It can be a lot of work getting twins sleeping well, but I’ve helped many families do this.
First, my 5 month old sleep guide has specific tips to help the twins start sleeping better: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/sleep-training-5-month-old-baby-tips
The great news is that at 5 months old babies can start learning to settle themselves to sleep and sleep long stretches at night. It’s when I believe you can officially start sleep training.
After about a week of implementing the tips from my 5 month old guide, sleep training can begin! (First you want to set a healthy and consistent sleep foundation for the babies. It helps sleep training go easier.)
If you’re willing to help, that can make sleep training go a lot easier.
I have a step-by-step program where I walk you through all the steps of getting your babies sleeping great at night here:
https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program
Once the babies are sleeping through the night, mom can get her energy back so she can handle the full days with them (and enjoy it!)
I’m happy to answer any other questions you have.
All the best,
Jilly
Hi Jill,
Super helpful article, exactly what I was looking for so thank you! My baby is 13 weeks and we are wanting to start a consistent bed time routine that’s calm but she often gets so upset and it takes a while to get her settled. Two things, she absolutely hates having her clothes changed, nappy change she can cope with but once I have to move her arms in and out of clothes it’s complete meltdown! (She has some issues with her shoulder we’re having treated) so that means bath time & massage aren’t really an option right now. I think the overtired thing you mentioned to Alex above might be part of it because she’s not a great napper during the day, they are more catnaps than a solid hour etc. But wondering if you have other tips or should we simply stick to the other 4 steps for now?
Hi Niamh,
I’m happy you enjoyed this article.
Many babies hate getting dressed and undressed. Just try to do it as quickly as you can, given her shoulder issue.
I wouldn’t skip the bath and massage, though. Those can be really relaxing for babies and help him unwind so they can relax and fall asleep.
You can dress her in pajamas after that, and if she cries just keep it quick and offer a feed after (which should help calm her.)
Keeping her well rested can also help with crying during the bedtime routine, so make sure to follow the age-based sleep recommendations I give here on my website (click the top menu for your baby’s age.)
I hope this helps and good luck,
Jilly
Hello Jilly, I need some help/advise to get my 3 month old to sleep during the day and help with settling her not by rocking her like I have been every sleep to get her to sleep. Would like to teach her to self settle.
I’ve noticed durin* the day she’s not linking her sleep cycles so I’m not sure why that maybe..
please help!!
Hi Samantha,
Here’s my sleep guide for 3 month olds: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/3-month-old-sleep-problems
Many babies don’t have the ability to self-settle until they reach 5 months. You can certainly try (once a day) but if baby refuses/cries every single time, you may want to wait until she’s 5 months.
The above guide has specific nap tips to help her nap well without having to be rocked.
Good luck!
Jilly
Hi! Thank you for all of your wonderful posts! I am going to be a first time mom, baby is due July 5th! I have a question about sleeping, since July-Sept tend to be warmer months.
In your post you wrote to put baby in pajamas and then swaddle or sleep sack. Do you find that a zipup onesie and a sleep sack/swaddle are too much? Is diaper and swaddle or sleep sack enough?
Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
Congratulations on your pregnancy!! A summer baby!
Yes, you want to keep baby in a swaddle blanket until they can roll and then a traditional sleep sack- every night for every sleep. You adjust the clothing under the sleep sack rather than not use a sleep sack if it’s hot.
On warm nights baby can even be in a sleeveless onesie and no pants under the sleep sack. Find a summer sleep sack with a TOG (insulation) level of 0.5-1.
If you use AC at night, remember we all cool off during the night while we sleep so you’ll dress baby warmer.
I found it was reassuring to have a thermometer in baby’s bedroom so I could also check the temp, then check a guide on how to dress baby under the sleep sack. Most sleep sacks come with a guide, but here’s a link to a general one: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/sleep-sack-pajama-guide-small.png
I hope this helps!
Jilly
My baby wakes up fully, the moment I put her in her bed. How can I stop this? She’s going to be 11 weeks old in 3 days
This is SO common. Young babies want to be soothed to sleep. If this is the only way your baby will fall asleep, that’s ok. You can work on teaching her to settle herself to sleep when she’s closer to 5 months old.
All the best,
Jilly
Our 3.5month old goes down for her naps very easily and we have begun to be able to put her down in her crib drowsy but awake and she generally puts herself to sleep, sometimes with a bit of a helping pat. Her naps vary greatly day to day from 3-4naps of 2 hours to 45mins). Therefore her bedtime can change greatly (we try to put her to bed 2 hours after she wakes from the last nap usually between 7-8.30). Bedtime however is a real battle. I usually Breast feed her 1 hour prior to bedtime then 30mins before bedtime she has a calm bath & we read her a book. However as soon as we zip her into her sleep suit and start trying to help her fall asleep she becomes very unsettled (often gets hysterical whilst in our arms) . It often takes 20-30mins of this before she falls asleep. She the almost ALWAYS wakes 30mins later and we have to do the whole process again! She seems like she wakes wanting one more feed and will sometimes fall asleep while I give this to her after she re-awakes, although she doesn’t feed to sleep at any other times of the day. Any suggestions how we can make bedtime easier & calmer for all?
Hi Alex,
When babies regularly cry at bedtime it’s because they’re tired and just want to go to sleep! I’d start your bedtime routine 15-20 mins earlier so she can get used to it without crying through it.
Bedtime is the time of the day when baby is the most tired, so this explains why she wants to nurse to sleep then.
Keep awake times at 1.5-2 hours all day, this can help her sleep longer after bedtime.
I hope this helps,
Jilly
Love this video! Need to get the survival kit. Sleep to do list for my 4 mo old (started sleep regression): Wean pacifier (she will cry without it every time), wean swaddle, start bedtime routine. She’s not fully rolling over. So. Do I do one at a time? All at once? In bassinet? In crib? She sleeps beside me currently but will outgrow it in a couple months.
Hi Amanda,
If your baby isn’t yet rolling I would:
A.) Start bedtime routine
B.) Wean swaddle and out of bassinet when she shows signs of trying to roll
C.) Wean off pacifier IF she needs you to replace it many times each night.
Good luck!
Jilly
That what I did to my baby. By having a bedtime routine, my baby will know that it is time to go to sleep.
Thanks for your comment, Megan.
Yes you’re right. A bedtime routine is a great behavioral cue for kids to relax and settle for sleep.
I love this bedtime routine, especially the warm bath. We did something similar when our babies were little. They are now 8 and 4 and I still read to them before tucking the in bed
Thanks Lacy!
It’s great that your kids enjoy being read to at bedtime. Reading is a great way to relax your mind enough to fall asleep.