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Baby nighttime routines can be a lifesaver when getting the little ones off to sleep. Some children can be a handful and have a ton of energy, seemingly all day. But a routine can help prepare their little minds for the night ahead. Just like adults, toddlers will have the sleep signal sent to their brain for melatonin production when they know it is nearly time for bed. From feeding them before bed to light entertainment, here are some useful parenting ideas.
A Cuddle and a Kiss
The most obvious part of a baby’s nighttime routine is actually putting them down to sleep. A comforting act of connection, a cuddle, and a kiss should be done when the baby is drowsy but awake. This can help them learn to fall asleep on their own without too much assistance from parents. Of course, choosing a mattress for your child to sleep on is a vital part of bedtime. A comfy and warm space for drifting off as those sheep go by will help them stay asleep.
Baby Nighttime Routines for Feeding
Children should be fed their main meals between 1 and 2 hours before bedtime. However, they might still get a bit hungry, and a hungry kid is no joke. Healthy snacks are a great way to give them a bit extra until morning, but it is best to offer this long before the final sleep step:
Something small, like an apple or sugar-free fruit roll-up, can be enough for a toddler.
Avoid foods and drinks with high concentrations of sugar and preservatives.
Ensure they go to the bathroom after eating and drinking, and before the final step.
A Warm and Gentle Bath
A bath isn't just relaxing; it can help send a signal to the baby that the day is nearly over. As part of the usual bedtime routine, using a bath or shower can help induce melatonin production for children, which makes it more likely they will become sleepy and stay asleep during the night. Also, the drop in body temperature after getting out of the water further enhances the body’s ability to feel sleepy when the time is right, and a cooler body helps kids drift off quickly.
An Infant Massage
Do you love a massage? So do babies! Skin-to-skin contact is a powerful way to bond with a newborn baby and a toddler. This sends out electrical signals you both feel as touch, but also stimulates other senses such as smell and sight. When babies sense their parents, they are calmer and are more likely to fall asleep. You can enhance their sense of calm with a gentle massage of their little hands and feet, and even by rubbing their tummies as they drift off.
Baby Nighttime Routines on the Potty
Potty training is different for every child, but usually takes between a few months and 1.5 years. Nighttime routines for toddlers and babies will help you manage home and get them used to what they need to do, and a well-run home adds comfort to daily life for everyone living there.
The double potty tip
A bedtime routine for a child can take a while. So, make potty trips a part of the experience. You can take a potty trip as the first step in the routine and then just before as the second to last.
Limit fluids
Some babies can handle a small drink before bedtime. However, others have smaller or weaker bladders. If your toddler wets the bed, then don’t give them a drink as part of the routine.
Keep things calm
Children crave stability, and a routine will help with this. When things are calm and predictable, your toddler is more likely to use the potty when directed and drift off to sleep more easily.
Changing Into PJs
There’s probably no greater signal that it's time to count sheep than changing into PJs. Children love getting into their pajamas as they are comfier and fun when they are themed. However, they can make any bedtime routine much easier as the kids know it's time for bed when it’s PJ time. This is a very strong sleep cue as their minds become programmed to accept that it's time for bed when the PJs go on, but PJs also help children regulate their temperature.
Brushing Their Teeth
Most people, never mind kids, don’t like sticking things in their mouths and moving them around. However, dental care is absolutely vital for a healthy bedtime routine. Children won’t brush their teeth if they have a choice about it, but a clean mouth helps anyone feel much better about themselves. Also, like PJs, brushing teeth is a strong signal that the day is over, and it helps establish a healthy routine that children are more likely to stick to as they get older.
Entertaining Baby Nighttime Routines
Children love it when you entertain them before bedtime. Today, however, 60% of parents feel guilty about their kids' screen time. Going back to tradition can help with their bedtime routine and become a ritual that they will look forward to for bonding before they drift off to sleep:
Storytelling, either from the imagination of a children’s book, is a beloved tradition.
Children also love to be entertained by a little light puppetry if you have the voices!
A puzzle will engage their little brains and will help tire them out before bedtime.
A Gentle Lullaby
There aren’t many things as comforting as the gentle sounds of singing from a parent to a child. As a final act of comfort before they drift off, a lullaby or two is soothing to a baby and will help them drift off into a deeper sleep, where they are less likely to awaken. If you can’t sing, then don’t worry. Just the sounds of your voice from a poem, talking to them, and even humming a tune is enough for the baby to feel content with their surroundings while falling asleep.
Summary
A cuddle and a kiss are part of many baby nighttime routines that moms swear by when putting the little ones to bed. Of course, using the potty should also be a part of the routine. And a gentle lullaby can be soothing to a child to promote and encourage a much sounder sleep.