This little chunk – baby number three – has been sleeping through the night for quite awhile now. At just 10 months old and almost 30 pounds, he's a force to be reckoned with! I'll admit that I do a little jig when I see his narrowly determined eyes gracefully give in to a gentle sleep after his baby bedtime routine. At that moment, I know that I'm likely headed towards a whole night of catching up on work, Netflixing a few favorite picks and dreaming my own sweet dreams.
Having had some practice with kiddos number one and two, we know a thing or two at this point about getting babies to sleep. Here's how we make it happen time after time.
A Baby Bedtime Routine to KEEP Them Asleep
There are quite a few tricks to get baby to sleep. I've shared them time and time again, talking about everything from humidifiers to swaddling. Whatever method you use at the very end of the evening, starting with a baby bedtime routine can get everyone used to easing into a peaceful night.
It's kind of like Pavlov's dogs, but with babies.
Bath time
First things first, we have bathy bath time! The whole crew piles into a tub barely big enough to contain them for a warm bath to clean off the day and ease those hard-working muscles.
Lavender is your friend
We use a nice lavender-scented bedtime wash and lotion afterwards. Lavender is said to help induce a sense of peace and calm, and I like using lotion because it gives me a chance to bond with them. I really believe that physical affection, hugs and general loving touch between parent and child can help boost their sense of security and instill a positive body image.
Snuggles
Finally, it's quiet time. We read a book or I sing to them, say prayers and have a little cuddle session in bed. Make sure you don't read anything that's even slightly scary! For the older boys, we've found that some of their books start to get into themes that aren't phenomenal for right before bed. Stick to the classic bedtime stories and you'll increase the likelihood that they actually sleep through the night.
White noise
To make extra-sure that they have a good night of sleep, I like to use a white noise machine or an app for ambient sounds to make sure my light sleepers aren't disturbed by my movement around the house at night. I used the same trick when they were in the womb: vacuuming a ton (like usual) so they'd get used to a loud household before being abruptly delivered in one. Lord knows it's impossible to keep things quiet around here, so I don't even bother. I actively combat the sound of silence, and that seems to do the trick to help keep our boys sleeping soundly through the night.
Daylight savings time ends soon! Do you have a baby bedtime routine in place to help you through the transition?