Let’s talk about night time routines!
One thing I refused to lose was sleep when I became a mom. I am not a person who functions well on little sleep. Darrin and I made a decision from the very beginning to form a night time routine that would keep our bed to ourselves and our under eye bags as small as possible.
Now I know certain aspects of night time routines can be pretty controversial, so let me just put a disclaimer out — this is what worked for me and my family. I, in now way, am saying this is the only way or the RIGHT way to do this.
What I have learned about babies and behavior is that it is all about the long game. I couldn’t expect for a routine to immediately work. I had to have faith that with consistency I was setting a pattern that would in turn make my life easier over time.
So let’s get to the tips:
Bringing your baby home from the hospital as a first time parent is a little intimidating. I was not aware of the term, 4th trimester, but when I look back on it – it was definitely a time of learning and growing for both baby and I.
Sleep training didn’t start then, but I did however work towards understanding my daughters habits and rhythm throughout the day. I used an excel spreadsheet that I made to track diaper changes, feedings, baby’s mood and breast milk. I also included a note section that I could jot down outings and visitors.
I know this seems incredibly type A – it is. I am aware. But during a time where I was exhausted I needed something to look at and spell it out for me.
I could look at it and say, okay today she was fussy, what could be the cause?
Another thing that I did from the very start was put baby in her crib. I can count on one hand the times we co slept. Each time, Cassidy has been sick.
What happened next?
When Cassidy started to roll over we switched her from a swaddle to a sleep sack. I tried a few and the Merlin Magic Sleep Suit (here) was her favorite.
After making that adjustment, we moved on to the Cry It Out method. To each their own, but again, this worked for us. When I first started it, Cassidy was between 7-8 months old. She wasn’t ready yet. We kept her routine exactly the same. This was also the same time we transitioned her out of the sleep suit.
At a year old, we tried again. This time it clicked for her. It took approximately a week for her to be completely on board. From there we worked on setting the stage for bedtime: dinner, bath, books & bed.
The most important tip is to start developing a routine that works for everybody from the very start. DONT abandon the plan when things do not work out. Stay consistent!
What tips do you have for getting the perfect your night time routine?
I’ve connected with some amazing Bloggers to share some tip themed blogs with you. Head to each of their blogs to check out what they are sharing.
Cheyenne
Jessica
Lori
Ashley
Josephine
Taylor
Demetria
5 comments
I love the comment about staying consistent! It’s so key when creating routines and habits for littles
Ohh I love this. I’ve always struggled in the beginning but I love the way you do it!
Not every evening is the same, so we try to stick to schedule as much as possible without being too strict since its the summer. Go with the flow while being on a schedule lol.
These are such great tips! Thank you for sharing!
Consistency is really such a great point! Also the hardest but so worth sticking to! Thanks for the tips!