Bedtime routine for newborns and toddlers

You think you’re a sleep expert now that your baby is a toddler, and then…your newborn arrives. How do you handle two or more children at bedtime? Do you let them sleep at the same time or at different times?

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Every new mother knows that one of the first things a new mother must adjust to is lack of sleep. It would seem that her baby never sleeps or only sleeps during the day and she is bright as an owl at night. She’s read all the parenting books, she’s done everything she can to adjust her baby’s time so she sleeps through the night (if that’s even possible!). You even tried to sleep when the baby sleeps.

Finally, your baby is a toddler and you thought you had your and your baby’s sleeping patterns figured out and then your newborn comes into the picture. What are you doing now? How do you handle a newborn and a toddler at the same time during bedtime? Do you let them have the same bedtime or a different bedtime?

Should the newborn sleep first and then the toddler?

With anything related to parenting, the best rule of thumb is “What works best for your family is the best rule.” You can read all the parenting books in the world and listen to all the advice from wise relatives and friends, but at the end of the day, you have to find what works best for you. What are your family circumstances? Do you and your partner work? What time do you get home from work?

After you’ve got all of that figured out, the next thing to ask yourself is whether you should let the kids have a joint or different bedtime. A newborn and a toddler have different needs and are at different stages of development. However, even though they are at different stages of development and whether you choose to have the same or a different bedtime for them, one thing remains the same.

Bedtime routines for both newborn and toddler should be the same, even if they have different sleep times.

Whether you choose to go to bed earlier for the newborn and later for the toddler, one thing is the same. The bedtime routine for both the newborn and the toddler should be the same.

• a warm bath
• Getting ready for bed – (brush teeth, put on pajamas etc. – older child can do this with some help and you can do it for baby)
• A bedtime story (it’s never too early to read to a child)
• A calming process: Take time for you and your child to cool down after the day.
• lights off

I sew the same bedtime for my kids. I found that it worked perfectly for me because I would nurse the baby while she chatted with the toddler. We would read nursery rhymes and sing together or I would read him a story. This way, when the baby is done nursing, the toddler will have enough sleep to go to sleep at the same time. I’ve also found that having the same bedtime allows me to spend more time with my spouse after the kids are asleep. I don’t have to repeat the process with the toddler after the baby is asleep and the toddler will also have more time to bond with the baby.

Of course, it may not always work so perfectly, as the baby could wake up as soon as you put him to bed, but I think being consistent with your bedtime routine helps. In fact, I still have the same bedtime routine for the kids who are much older now.

If you’re reading this, you could be planning to welcome your new baby or overtired from lack of sleep from a baby who never sleeps and a hyperactive toddler at bedtime.

• Find something that works for your family and your circumstances.
• Stick to the same bedtime routine even if you choose a different time for your children.
• stay consistent
• Don’t be too hard on yourself or get too frustrated if routines don’t work out as planned.
• take a break from time to time

Congratulations on the new addition to your family, and good luck establishing a peaceful sleep routine.