Baby Bedtime Routine

How I get him to sleep 11 hours at night!

When IV was around 2 months we started him on a bed time routine.  His first 6 weeks, he was nursing 2-3 times every night and I was averaging about 4 hours of sleep at night. I remember sitting up late and night whispering to myself "I cant wait until you don’t need to nurse at night."  He was a tiny little guy only weighing 5lbs 1oz at birth and was slow to gain weight. I had to introduce formula to him early on around 6 weeks due to his slow weight gain.   At 6 weeks he had a 4 ounce bottle at night instead of being nursed and he slept 9 hours. Needless to say I haven't nursed him to bed since!  

 He has just moved out of his bassinet in our room to his crib and is averaging 11 hours of sleep.  It was NOT easy but I am proud of him and I feel much more rested!  Here are my tips for developing a Bedtime routine and getting your baby to sleep through the night! 

1.Be consistent

IV's grandparents  probably thought I was crazy when they would call at 6:30pm and I would say "can't talk, getting the baby ready for bed."  I was just shy of anal when it came to starting his routine at the same time night after night.  This might be the only time I say there was one small positive thing about Covid. We couldn’t really go anywhere so establishing a routine that started the same time daily was easy! Babies learn routines by repetition! By 3 months he knew his bed time was near every night and even showed signs he was ready for bed.  

 2. Sleep in their own bassinet or crib

I can count on my hands how many times he ended up in bed with me.  I was very adamant to not let him get comfortable co-sleeping.  Him being able to sleep on his own without someone next to him was a priority not only for my peace of mind but mostly for his safety! By sleeping in his bassinet he knew this was his sleep space.  We rented The Snoo by Happiest Baby and he slept there from 8 days to 6 months. I can not sing enough praises about The Snoo because his first night in it, he had a 5 hour stretch. He was swaddled and snug as a bug in a rug with the auto rocking that is controlled by The Snoo App on your phone.  Around 4 months we introduced the crib to him by putting him in his crib in his room for every nap in his sleep sack.  We also played, read, nursed and hung out in his room so he was used to his surroundings and would be ready to sleep in his crib when it was time to transition.  His first night in his own room in his crib he slept 9 hours! 

 3. The 5 B's

Bath, Baby Massage, Bottle, Book, Bed.  In That Order…EVERY NIGHT.  

Bath Time might be our favorite time of day.  He loves to hang out in the tub babbling away and playing with foam letters while I sing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes to him.  We use Tubby Todd's Lavender and Rosemary hair and body wash.  After bath is his baby massage with Tubby Todd All Over Ointment which allows him to unwind and relax. If we don’t do a bath a night, he gets a wipe down with a wet cloth.  He is up to 8 ounces of formula at night followed by a book and bed.  He is sleep between 7:45-8:00 every night and wakes up around 7:30 am.  

The most important thing I learned while establishing his sleep routine was to be patient. Some nights were harder than others and some nights I thought I was going to have a breakdown.  He went through a 4 month sleep regression and was up every 90 minutes for 4 weeks.  We never deterred from the routine and he started sleeping 11 hours every night.   

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Thanks for reading Fam!