What are your nap time and bedtime routines?

Thistledown · Apr 14th, 2012, 00:22 AM

What sorts of things do you do before nap times and bedtimes for your little ones? I really need to start a proper routine for both for my LO (I was just letting LO fall asleep whenever for naps until recently when she stopped doing it on her own! and bedtime I would just sing to her while I changed her diaper and put on her pj's, and take her to bed). My brain is completely on vacation lately, and I just can't think what to do for routines, especially for before naps! I've started to read to LO before bed as well, but I feel like the bed routine isn't long enough. (I don't really want to add a bath to the routine just now - her skin gets a bit dry, so I don't want to bath her every day... plus she tends to get excited after a bath)

RunnerGirl · Apr 14th, 2012, 08:54 AM

For naps, we go into her room and don't turn on the overhead light. We use the dim lamp over her changing pad. Change diaper, turn on fan (white noise), change clothes if she has spit up, put her in her sleep sack, go to recliner and rock for up to 5 minutes, then in the crib. In my mind, she associates dim room with sleep. Other times when we go in her room to play, we have the bright light on.

For night, it is bath, pajamas, nursing, and book if she is still awake, which is most nights. My LO needs a bath every night, she gets pretty gross (spit up, food, sunscreen, etc.).

Good luck. I still hate naps, although they are better than when she was a bit younger.

Kaede351 · Apr 14th, 2012, 09:07 AM

We don't have a routine for naptime, I just let him sleep when he's ready.

Bedtime we do massage (sometimes), bath time, bottle then a story if he's still awake and then he's put down in his cot.

XxX

ValentinesGal · Apr 14th, 2012, 09:31 AM

We do a bath every 2-3 days before our normal routine. Bedtime routine is diaper change, lavender lotion, pj's, book, then we turn off the light and have just a night light and then bottle, burp and in bed with his crib aquarium playing ocean sounds. Before we would rock a little bit after the bottle until he was drowsy, but recently he's not wanted to be rocked, but just put him in bed with his paci and little stuffed bunny.

Naps were kinda similiar. We have a blanket over the window to make it nice and dark. We'd change his diaper, give him a bottle, rock until drowsy and into bed with the aquarium going. Again, recently he's been doing fantastic and we just change his diaper and pop him into bed with a paci, rabbit and aqaurium and he's been going on his own.

I don't think a routine necessarily has to be long for bed, but consistent so that they know what to expect and have enough time to wind down, but that's JMO xxx

ValentinesGal · Apr 14th, 2012, 09:32 AM

Oh and we go to bed between 7:30-8:00p every night, but nap times are baby led.

mistyscott · Apr 14th, 2012, 10:37 AM

We don't bath every night and a good alternative is to have no nappy time on a towel

Thistledown · Apr 14th, 2012, 11:18 AM

Kaede351, that's what I used to do for naps, and I sort of regret now that I didn't start some kind of routine back when she used to sleep so easily on her own.

mistyscott, I like the no nappy time alternative to a bath, I might try that!

mrs.amillian · Apr 14th, 2012, 11:20 AM

We are trying really hard to impliment a routine between 8pm an 8.30 bath time, feed and story (Daddy reads).

I wasn't sure it was working but yesteday we had a really busy day and she barely napped about an hour max, and in the evening we had our NCT reunion and she was completely miserable.
But as soon as they left I took her upstairs and started our routine, she was so happy, and fell asleep straight away and slept really well last night.

So I think I'm gonna keep it up

jenniferttc1 · Apr 14th, 2012, 12:34 PM

We wake up usually around 8am for good. He takes a nap around 11am, and 3pm. Some days he sleeps more and somedays he doesnt. But we always go to bed at 10:30pm and sleep to 8am now that we co-sleep. If we don't co-sleep he's up at 10, 12,2,4,6,and 8 for feeding :0

_Elizabeth_ · Apr 15th, 2012, 19:34 PM

Claire is 3 months now but for the last month her routine has been the same. Up at 8:30am for the day. Nap at 10;00 for a half hour to an hour. Nap again at 2:00 for 2 and a half hours. cat nap at 7;00 and then bedtime routine is bath,lotion,pjs,bottle and bed at 9 or 930pm

Apr 14th, 2012, 00:22 AM	#1
Thistledown Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 548	What are your nap time and bedtime routines? What sorts of things do you do before nap times and bedtimes for your little ones? I really need to start a proper routine for both for my LO (I was just letting LO fall asleep whenever for naps until recently when she stopped doing it on her own! and bedtime I would just sing to her while I changed her diaper and put on her pj's, and take her to bed). My brain is completely on vacation lately, and I just can't think what to do for routines, especially for before naps! I've started to read to LO before bed as well, but I feel like the bed routine isn't long enough. (I don't really want to add a bath to the routine just now - her skin gets a bit dry, so I don't want to bath her every day... plus she tends to get excited after a bath)

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Apr 14th, 2012, 08:54 AM	#2
RunnerGirl Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Beautiful SW Michigan Posts: 235	For naps, we go into her room and don't turn on the overhead light. We use the dim lamp over her changing pad. Change diaper, turn on fan (white noise), change clothes if she has spit up, put her in her sleep sack, go to recliner and rock for up to 5 minutes, then in the crib. In my mind, she associates dim room with sleep. Other times when we go in her room to play, we have the bright light on. For night, it is bath, pajamas, nursing, and book if she is still awake, which is most nights. My LO needs a bath every night, she gets pretty gross (spit up, food, sunscreen, etc.). Good luck. I still hate naps, although they are better than when she was a bit younger.

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Apr 14th, 2012, 09:07 AM	#3
Kaede351 Trying to conceive (TTC) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: County Durham Posts: 8,041	We don't have a routine for naptime, I just let him sleep when he's ready. Bedtime we do massage (sometimes), bath time, bottle then a story if he's still awake and then he's put down in his cot. XxX

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Apr 14th, 2012, 09:31 AM	#4
ValentinesGal Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Indiana, US Posts: 1,552	We do a bath every 2-3 days before our normal routine. Bedtime routine is diaper change, lavender lotion, pj's, book, then we turn off the light and have just a night light and then bottle, burp and in bed with his crib aquarium playing ocean sounds. Before we would rock a little bit after the bottle until he was drowsy, but recently he's not wanted to be rocked, but just put him in bed with his paci and little stuffed bunny. Naps were kinda similiar. We have a blanket over the window to make it nice and dark. We'd change his diaper, give him a bottle, rock until drowsy and into bed with the aquarium going. Again, recently he's been doing fantastic and we just change his diaper and pop him into bed with a paci, rabbit and aqaurium and he's been going on his own. I don't think a routine necessarily has to be long for bed, but consistent so that they know what to expect and have enough time to wind down, but that's JMO xxx

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Apr 14th, 2012, 09:32 AM	#5
ValentinesGal Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Indiana, US Posts: 1,552	Oh and we go to bed between 7:30-8:00p every night, but nap times are baby led.

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Apr 14th, 2012, 10:37 AM	#6
mistyscott Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Norwich, UK Posts: 1,861	We don't bath every night and a good alternative is to have no nappy time on a towel

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Apr 14th, 2012, 11:18 AM	#7
Thistledown Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 548	Kaede351, that's what I used to do for naps, and I sort of regret now that I didn't start some kind of routine back when she used to sleep so easily on her own. mistyscott, I like the no nappy time alternative to a bath, I might try that!

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Apr 14th, 2012, 11:20 AM	#8
mrs.amillian Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Basingstoke Posts: 1,415	We are trying really hard to impliment a routine between 8pm an 8.30 bath time, feed and story (Daddy reads). I wasn't sure it was working but yesteday we had a really busy day and she barely napped about an hour max, and in the evening we had our NCT reunion and she was completely miserable. But as soon as they left I took her upstairs and started our routine, she was so happy, and fell asleep straight away and slept really well last night. So I think I'm gonna keep it up

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 12:34 PM	#9
jenniferttc1 Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: US Posts: 10,838	We wake up usually around 8am for good. He takes a nap around 11am, and 3pm. Some days he sleeps more and somedays he doesnt. But we always go to bed at 10:30pm and sleep to 8am now that we co-sleep. If we don't co-sleep he's up at 10, 12,2,4,6,and 8 for feeding :0

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Apr 15th, 2012, 19:34 PM	#10
_Elizabeth_ Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 129	Claire is 3 months now but for the last month her routine has been the same. Up at 8:30am for the day. Nap at 10;00 for a half hour to an hour. Nap again at 2:00 for 2 and a half hours. cat nap at 7;00 and then bedtime routine is bath,lotion,pjs,bottle and bed at 9 or 930pm

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