How to Create a Soothing Bedtime Routine
A soothing bedtime routine can often make a huge difference to how quickly your little one will fall asleep. Think about it - you probably have a bedtime routine yourself, every night without fail mine consists of brushing my teeth, washing my face and reading a few pages of a book before turing off the lights.
As a mum of two and a child sleep consultant, I have seen first-hand how bedtime wind-downs make all the difference to help your child to get better sleep. Adding the following elements to your bedtime routine will help your child to wind down from their busy day and help them to sleep longer through the night:
Bottle / breast - For younger babies I recommend giving the last feed of the day before the bath. This gives them time to digest and the bath is a good place for them to be if they are spitting up!
Bath - A relaxing bath will reduce your baby’s core body temperature. This sends a signal to their brain that sleep is coming. Our bodies temperatures also follow a circadian rhythm - the body’s 24 hour clock and a reduction in core body temperature helps to prepare our bodies for sleep.
Brush teeth - This can be really soothing for teething babies and is a great habit to start early on in your little ones life.
Book - Read one or two books together. This is my favorite part of bedtime, I cherish these moments with my little guys!
Bed - I like to sing a song before placing them into their cot or their bed.
Parents of toddlers and older children will know that bedtime can often be drawn out be delay tactics and demands for more stories or songs. Keeping a consistent bedtime routine will help to minimise this as much as possible.
✨😴 Bonus tip for bedtime battlers✨💕 - Keep to a two book maximum and keep firm on your boundaries. Toddlers and young children will push boundaries to exert their independence but their brains crave consistency and routine. Holding strong to your boundaries will lead to much more pleasant bedtimes.
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