Nurture night-time strategies

[greenfingers]

Thanks so much for joining me for this topic, which is very close to my heart! As many of you know from following my account, I'm obsessed with sleep - especially when it comes to ways we can help our little ones (and ourselves!) get the best rest possible.

I firmly believe that a great nighttime routine can make all the difference for everyone in the house. A few simple strategies can really help set the stage for some awesome Zzz's! I'll go first - I'd love to hear your go-to strategies and rituals too.

For us, it's all about keeping things calm and consistent. We focus a lot on creating a really soothing environment with some key elements: minimal distractions, comfortable temperatures, and a few relaxing activities that signal it's time to wind down. Think soft lighting, some gentle stretches or yoga before bath time, quiet reading, and calming essential oils. The goal is to have Arlo (our little one) associate these rituals with getting ready for a great night's rest.

What about you? Any quick, simple strategies that help your littles ones prep for bed and sleep soundly through the night? I'm all ears - and will be taking notes!

 

[sunnydays]

A massive part of our nighttime routine is making sure the house is super calm before bed. We dim the lights right down an hour before bedtime and keep the TV off during this wind-down period.

We also focus on a soothing bath routine. The warmth of the bath relaxes muscles, and we add calming bubble bath to help them associate the scent with sleep time - it really helps our little ones relax.

After baths, we go straight into pyjamas and brush teeth. We read three stories in bed - this is their favourite part! - then kiss goodnight and leave the room with a night light on.

Would love to hear more about these rituals people have - they're so sweet and special!

 

[stargazer]

We do something similar with calming down an hour before bed, although it's more of a gradual process over two hours, with lights lowered progressively earlier each night - which seems to help prepare their bodies for sleep.

A warm bath with calming lavender oil helps relax and wind them down, and like you, we find the routine of pjs and teeth-brushing right after helps signal to them that bedtime is coming. We also make sure to avoid any energetic play or loud/exciting activities in the hour before bed - keeping things gentle and quiet.

Our little ones love snuggling down under their blankets with a story, so we try and have a big pile of new and old favorites on hand. We've also started doing some simple meditation exercises - just some basic breathing techniques really - which seems to help them settle.

Nightlights are a must in our house too!

 

[wisdom]

That's a great idea, lowering the lights earlier each night. It's amazing how effective such a simple thing can be in preparing them for bedtime!

We also do the calming down routine an hour before, with baths and then story time. I love the idea of adding lavender oil to the bath - I'll have to try that! Meditation and breathing exercises are brilliant too; we've found that teaching our little one how to breathe deeply and slowly is a great way to relax and settle.

We've found nightlights to be popular too - especially fun designs, like animals or characters they love. It's amazing the difference it makes to have some gentle light in the room.

 

[joyful]

That's a great idea, lowering the lights earlier each night. It's amazing how effective such a simple thing can be in preparing them for bedtime!

We also do the calming down routine an hour before, with baths and then story time. I love the idea of adding lavender oil to the bath - I'll have to try that! Meditation and breathing exercises are brilliant too; we've found that teaching our little one how to breathe deeply and slowly is a great way to relax and settle.

We've found nightlights to be popular too - especially fun designs, like animals or characters they love. It's amazing the difference it makes to have some gentle light in the room.

Simple and subtle changes make a huge difference in creating a soothing environment! Nightlights with fun designs add a bit of excitement to an otherwise mundane object and are great distractions from any fears of the dark too.

 

[bananarama]

That's a great idea, lowering the lights earlier each night. It's amazing how effective such a simple thing can be in preparing them for bedtime!

We also do the calming down routine an hour before, with baths and then story time. I love the idea of adding lavender oil to the bath - I'll have to try that! Meditation and breathing exercises are brilliant too; we've found that teaching our little one how to breathe deeply and slowly is a great way to relax and settle.

We've found nightlights to be popular too - especially fun designs, like animals or characters they love. It's amazing the difference it makes to have some gentle light in the room.

Yes it's fascinating how these tiny changes can make such a big difference! It's great to discover these little hacks as parents.lavender oil does wonders and is such an easy add-on to the bath routine - very relaxing.

Fun nightlights are a cute touch! There are so many awesome, quirky designs these days. Something tell me you're one of those super prepared parents . Do you have any other secrets up your sleeve?

 

[wellness]

Yes it's fascinating how these tiny changes can make such a big difference! It's great to discover these little hacks as parents.lavender oil does wonders and is such an easy add-on to the bath routine - very relaxing.

Fun nightlights are a cute touch! There are so many awesome, quirky designs these days. Something tell me you're one of those super prepared parents . Do you have any other secrets up your sleeve?

Oh gosh, not really, haha! I certainly try to be as prepared as possible but most of the time, it's more like making things up as we go along It's a learning curve for sure!

I do keep a packed diaper bag stashed away with essentials - extra clothes, diapers, and wipes. You never know when you might need to make an abrupt exit from the house, so it's nice to have a bag ready to grab and go! And of course, having some snacks hidden in there for mum and dad doesn't hurt.

What about you? Any parent hacks you care to share?

 

[sunnydays]

I make sure I always have a fully charged spare phone battery - because sometimes the baby will only settle for someone who isn't the primary caregiver, and if that person's phone is about to die, it can cause a lot of stress!

Also, keeping the change table stocked with nappy cream, clean singlets/onesies and bags for dirty nappies is so helpful - otherwise you're always rummaging through drawers at 2am!

 

[lioness]

That's a great point about having a charged phone battery - and a good reminder to have some emergency backups on hand too (another charger, portable battery, etc). Having everything you need within arm's reach is so important when you're tired; I make sure we always have a stock of fresh change table pads too because there's nothing worse than realizing you have none left when you've got a poo explosion!

 

[nature]

That's a great point about having a charged phone battery - and a good reminder to have some emergency backups on hand too (another charger, portable battery, etc). Having everything you need within arm's reach is so important when you're tired; I make sure we always have a stock of fresh change table pads too because there's nothing worse than realizing you have none left when you've got a poo explosion!

You are very prepared. Most first-time moms would have learned that lesson the hard way and only start keeping spares after running out during those stressful situations.

For me, an absolute essential is a carrier or sling. My little one loved being worn, and it left my hands free to get things done - or just survive the grocery shopping trip! Also great for when they're comforted by your closeness but you need to get on with things.

 

[greenfingers]

That's so true, a carrier or sling was a lifesaver for me too! I think it really helps with bonding as well because baby is close enough to see and interact with you, while you have freedom to move around. It's a win-win!

 

[techsavvy]

I totally agree - carriers are amazing for bonding and convenience! I found that using a carrier allowed me to keep my baby close while going about my day and my chores - it definitely made those early days easier and helped us bond too.

 

[mamamia]

Using a carrier is a great idea! They are so helpful for parents to keep their little ones close by and snuggly while being hands-free to do other things. It's a great bonding strategy and certainly makes life easier, especially in those early weeks when you're establishing that bond. I found it a godsend as it made my baby feel secure and allowed him to settle so easily.

 

[chickadee]

That's wonderful to hear! It's great how carriers offer that special snuggle time while also being functional for multi-tasking - a win-win situation! The bonding and sense of security it fosters is really heartwarming, isn't it? Did you find it helpful in managing those middle-of-the-night wakings too or was it mainly during the day?

 

[luciana]

The carrier was a godsend for those overnight wakeful periods! Being hands-free allowed me to tend to my little one without having to fully wake up myself, which was especially useful when sleepwalking through feedings and diaper changes. Knowing they were content snuggled close made it easier to settle them back into their crib afterward too. It really was a game-changer for our routine and helped make those night hours much more manageable.