Today: March 18, 2024 11:36 pm

Our Bedtime Routine

I am no expect when it comes to getting your child to sleep, we had hell with my daughter for her first 2 years, she just wouldn’t sleep…at all!

A long came my son and he just slept, no training just figured it all out for himself, I don’t know what I would have done if he came first. I would have started to think this motherhood thing was a breeze. We tried everything with CC and the only thing that worked was co-sleeping but she is such a mover while asleep, I rarely got a full night without having a foot kick me in the face!

One night, pregnant with Cassi she kicked me hard in her sleep in my stomach and with my anxiety high that I may lose another baby I had to take action. We “cried it out” and after 3 days she was sleeping all night in her own bed and we haven’t looked back though she does like to have a “cuddle” in the night, which I am happy to give. I think she was just old enough to understand it all and that’s why it worked. With Cassi, he just loved sleeping.

Is it a boy thing or is it a second child thing, I just don’t know but he was happy to go down in his own bed and sleep. He did have a dummy, something Cora would never take (oh god we tried!) and he was bottle fed while Cora was breast. (My nipples were actually black and about to fall off after 12 hours feeding Cass myself, even the midwives told me to stop.) Anyway, with the hell we had with CC, I was going to be prepared for sleep this time and I learned a few things I will share with you.

The Purflo sleep nest – £59.99

purflo sleep nest - green

This is the best thing I ever bought and I wish I had it when we had CC! Most people who have one will also swear by this little nest of dreams at helping settle your baby for their sleeps.The nest keeps them snuggle and feeling secure as after months of being cosy inside the womb, the big bad world can make them feel very unsafe. So the constant waking and need for security from mum is reduced, though nothing replaces cuddles this will help your baby adjust to sleeping after being born. Cassi is now 17 months and we still have the sleep nest in his cot, he loves it and he sleeps so well. It unzips so it has grown with him.

Dummy – prices varied

we use Avent 6- 8 months – £4.99 for 2

Now these aren’t for everyone and if you are breastfeeding, dummies can confuse baby in the first few weeks of life. Though this isn’t always the case, every baby is different after all. Cassi had one as soon as we switched to bottles and he would have the bloody thing in his mouth all day if we let him but we limit to sleep times and for comfort if unwell/sad. We tried so hard for Cora to take one as we thought it may help her sleep and it didn’t. She just didnt like them, I tried every make and model, even purchasing some fancy American ones that cost a small fortune…nope she didn’t want them. If it works great and don’t worry about the dummy shamers…have you ever seena 16 year old taking their dummy to school?

Grobag

grobag

I swear by these! They are great for aiding sleep safety (no tangled blankets) and you can use different Togs for different seasons so baby doesn’t overheat or get cold. They allow baby to have a snuggly feel of security again and I have also found great for stopping him climbing over his cot bars. Many brands and designs available – easy to wash and long lasting.

Supper

girl with hot chocolate

This is something I think is pasted down from my grandparents and something my mum and dad also did, supper! This would be something carby to keep us through the night and both my parents swear by this. This could be small bowl porridge, toast, cheese and oatcakes or on a Friday night it would be more exciting like crumpets and sometimes a cheeky chocolate digestive. I am sure your kids are the same as mine and eat constantly so a wee snack before bath will be much appreciated by them.

Blackout blinds….and curtains

We have both! The room is in darkness so no matter what time of year when my children go into their room after bath its dark enough to sleep.

White Noise

Cass has had this since the day he was born. I was too scared to stop using it as on the odd night it has stopped, he has woken. We just used an app on my Kindle – it was free and its worked for us. We were also kindly gifted the Myhummy bear to try and though it did the job, the batteries would run out very quickly.
We stopped using white noise a few weeks ago and he has been sleeping without it just great.

Dinner, wind down, bath, pjs, story and bed. This way my children know the drill and we have never had any meltdowns as they know what is happening. I swear, I say to my 4 year old its time for bed and she says night and goes and staying in it, even if she doesn’t fall asleep.Cassi will also just relax quietly in his cot till he falls asleep. Find something that works for you and the rest of the family.
This works for us as we now get time in the evening to ourselves, I don’t believe this is selfish teaching my children that now its mummy and daddy time, it teaches them respect for others and also how to relax on there own.

As i said, I am no expert but since I have done this both of my children sleep like a dream and we get a big shock if we get a broken sleep. We are up from 6am/7am but this is fine if we have a uninterrupted sleep.

Do you struggle with bedtimes and sleeping through?

Happy to answer any questions about what we do in the bedtime routine or any other questions, so feel free to drop me a line.

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