The perfect bedtime routine

The perfect bedtime routine 

Hi all, 

There is no one “perfect” bedtime routine, but here are some elements I find important:  

1. Bath
2. Bottle/ Breast  
3. Books
4. Bed 

Now let me go into a little more detail.  

Bath. I personally like to give my kids a bath as part of the bedtime routine, because I think it’s a good sleep cue, it’s calming, it’s fun, it’s a nice way to bond, and they go to sleep squeaky clean. Plus to be honest that’s what I’m used to from my childhood.     

I know that not everyone does give a bath at bedtime though, and that’s fine.  Instead you can put on night clothes/ pajamas and perhaps do a light massage.  

Bottle/ Breast. Time for the bedtime feed! This is so age-dependent, and so dependent on the family, but I generally recommend that this feed be given about half an hour before bedtime, so that baby isn’t feeding to sleep. It can be done in a room with the lights on. It’s a beautiful time to bond and be cozy and connected and co-regulate with baby. If you have a wee newborn they will probably be feeding to sleep often, but as baby gets older you can plan for them to be awake during this feed.   

Books. After the bedtime feed, you can read books or do any other part of the bedtime routine that you like. This may be chanting, prayers, singing lullabies. For an older child it may be talking about your day, sharing something you’re grateful for. With my own children this has changed with age, but there’s often books, prayers, and snuggles.  

Bed. Then it’s time for bed!  Lights off, white noise on, baby is comfy cozy, snug as a bug.  

So there you have it!  This is just a template for you to personalize as you wish.  

Please share – what’s your favorite part of your bedtime routine?  I love hearing what special traditions families have.  

Sweet dreams,
Kerry Bajaj