[ Bedtime ] Routine ?

I have always strongly believed babies do best with structure and I plan to enforce this in the future. In my babysitting days, it was so easy to tell those babies and kids who were in a steady routine compared to those who ran wild and didn't have any consistency - - eating dinner at random times, consuming way too much junk food, having full control of the TV and not having a bedtime routine.  Trust me when I say I could tell by their behavior if they lacked consistency in their lives.

You might think a routine is only important for older kids, but that's not true.  By having a schedule, even if it's occasionally a touch on the loose side, there are not as many surprises.  This is especially the case in when establishing a bedtime routine  (insert : trying to get a screaming, overtired baby to sleep or dealing your crabby first grader who was up until after10:30PM instead of going to sleep at 8:30PM).

I think the key to having success in establishing a routine is by starting early!  Surprise!  Literally, you can start having a routine the day baby comes home from the hospital.  By having a sleep routine, you teach baby that certain events will be followed by going to bed and they are much more observant than you think.  In time, they will know exactly what to expect because they will pick up on your cues... the fresh scent following their bath, the dimming of lights, the rocking and snuggling in the glider. They will become relaxed, physically and mentally, and will be prepared to fall asleep.

I've read over and over again that by putting baby to bed earlier, they are able to sleep better and longer.  Literally, there are 100s of blog posts where moms have sworn by this and attested that their kids stayed up until 8:30PM, when in reality their first signs of sleepiness showed at 7:30PM.  When they tried earlier bedtimes, their kids actually slept more deeply and longer the following morning.

If nursing (or giving a bottle, if that's your thing), I've always been told that feeding should always initiate the bedtime routine, not end it.  This makes sense to me because if you end the routine with nursing, baby will become dependent on the comfort of nursing to fall asleep.  Obviously I am speaking in general, as sometimes baby will want to comfort nurse, especially when teething, approaching a growth spurt or preparing for a milestone. Baby's nourishment is always most important, so you must understand growth spurts and cognitive leaps during their first few years.  With these things come increased wakefulness and fussiness and a desire to eat around the clock, be soothed and snuggled.

I believe there are some elements of a bedtime routine which if done consistently, can aide in establishing a routine you'll want to follow.  The basic steps I plan to follow are :

• bath
• nursing
• burping
• clean diaper
• sleepy clothes
• rocking and/or soothing, accompanied by a book
• room and crib

I also plan to use a sound machine, low music on the radio or a fan for some "white noise."  I don't remember having any of these things, which I honestly believe is why I am such a light sleeper and once I'm awake, I can never fall back asleep.

That's it for now.  I'm looking forward to the day when I can let others know if these steps are "tried and true."