[*SamF*]

Have you started one yet?

How long is it taking you to get your LO down?



We shoot for 8pm to start. which means bath if it is a bath night, diaper change and PJ's, last bottle, cleaning his gums and then 1-2 books till he is just about out. Usually takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour to get him down for the night.

[MarieJ]

I've had a long standing bedtime routine for all four kids since birth or coming home. Supper, bath (bath each kid each night), stories, bed, walk out of the room. I've never bottled any of the kids to sleep, and I don't put them to bed asleep, they all go to sleep on their own. The only one I ever rocked to sleep was Nolan, he was swaddled and rocked every night until he was 8 months old, then I figured out to put him in bed on his own awake and never turned back. The twins put themselves to sleep from the first night we had them home, in their own cribs. My kids don't sleep in my bed. I'm also a freak mom, and my kids are all in bed by 6pm. Nolan wakes at 6am regardless of bedtime, so he wakes and comes to watch tv in my room, E and the twins wake at 8 when I get up and shower and we all go down for breakfast. Works great, and I get time to myself for school, or with dh, or for yardwork when they're all in bed early. Works great for our family.

[mum74]

Wow Marie - how great is that with four young kids and it seems to work like clockwork for you!

Sam does CJ wake sleep through the night mostly and what time does he wake up in the morning?

I'm TRYING a bedtime routine with Layla. The time varies from when she wakes from her last day sleep I guess... I guess it's usually around 5pm that I feed and burp, then bath (I do bath every night but mostly just from trying to set this routine up so she knows what to expect, not because she needs a bath every day ) and dress her, have a cuddle with some soft music on in her room and lights off... then try to lay her down awake and go from there. Occasionally it's an easy experience, mostly there's a lot of picking up when she cries and then trying to put her down when she's calm..the dummy sometimes helps though often she doesn't want it. I'd say takes an hour on a normal night to settle her - often takes longer!

[MarieJ]

The twins each have a soother for bed and naps only, and each room has an air purifier for white noise. I also have toys in the twins cribs, and the two preschoolers have toys and books in their beds; its not like I throw them in a dark room and close the doors The big kids share a room and are usually asleep within 10 mins if they haven't napped during the day, they can both get by without naps, hence having to put them to bed after supper. The twins get one nap, usually right after lunch, wake by 3pm, and in bed by 6pm, and usually play for awhile and are asleep within 45 mins. They'll all sleep through the night, unless a twin loses his sucky, or is teething or sick. The two big kids will sleep all night, Noley just wakes at 6am, sneaks down the bunk ladder, closes the door and comes to my room. I also bath all of them every night, I think anyone sitting in a diaper all day needs a bum wash, and since Nolan doesn't wipe, well I'm sure you get the picture, lol!
Tonight they were all quiet in bed by 6pm, dh and I did school work, then at 8pm went outside and planted flowers until now-to bed by midnight.
I'm very lucky, but I've worked very hard at getting a good night routine into them

[*SamF*]

Wow! Marie- you have it down to a science!!

CJ had been sleeping through the night but every once in a while he will wake up around 2 hungry. Then pretty much like clockwork he's up between 5:30 and 6.
I have been laying him down when he is sleepy but not asleep and it's working fine (except for last night the little bugger rolled over on his stomach, got stuck then got mad).

[CaseyM]

So I'll probably catch heck for this (lol), but here's Mat's bedtime routine...We give him is dinner around 6-7...Then relax time til about 8ish. Then it's off to the bath. We use lavender bath bubbles and shampoo, so that helps to relax him too. Then we get out, dry off, play for a few minutes, then it's upstairs. He will usually cuddle with me for a little while then drift off. Then we put him in his bed. He will usually sleep until atleast 6 or so in the morning, which is really good for him. We have put him in his crib awake, but he doesn't seem to sleep as long during the night....But everything has been off lately because of the teeth coming in...The two bottoms are in and the two tops aren't that far behind....

[*SamF*]

Casey- I'm hoping that next month when we introduce solids CJ may start eating a little earlier and not need the bed time feeding. Hard to say. Last night he ate around 6:30 then at bedtime ate about 3oz and slept through the night perfectly. Not sure he really needed those last 3 oz at bedtime or if they were more of a routine thing.

[mum74]

Casey you won't catch heck for your routine! I figure if you're happy to cuddle him off to sleep and he sleeps better than go for it! For me, I guess I get to the end of the day (having 22 months as SAHM as am allowed 2 years off where they have to hold on to my job still), and I look forward to some quiet 'me' time so that's why I'm aiming for Layla going to sleep in bed on her own .

[BeckyM]

I love hearing all your routines!! With us, I guess we're starting some of sorts, but nothing definite yet. In the evenings, DH takes over with him when he gets home @ 5:00pm and I finish dinner & prepare DH's lunch for the next day. After dinner, we usually have playtime or cuddles with Daddy, and also try to get in an evening walk (unless it's unbearably hot & humid here). It was between 9-10 that Mark has been doing his last feed and he'll sleep 5 hours, sometimes 6. Lately, he's been doing this earlier & earlier, and it's now closer to 9, or even in the 8:00 hour. We've not done a bath every night yet, but do a cool sponge bath when we don't do the actual tub. He LOVES that, and then we read some stories. He typically wakes up @ 3am for a midnight feed (and this is typically a short 10 minute feed), and then back to sleep with no problems. He's an early bird like DH & me, so is usually up @ 5/6am and starts his day.