how long does your toddler take to wind down and what do you do...

[Sterla]

We have our bedtime routine - tea, bath/shower, dressed for bed... then we read books for about half an hour (depending on how tired DS seems), then he goes to bed. He might talk/move around for 5-10 minutes, but will then drift off on his own.

I think reading books is a big part of why he goes to bed so well - it's a quiet activity, and he sits on my knee so he gets lots of nice close contact before bed for the night. Also, because it's part of the routine, I've noticed he actually starts getting noticeably sleepier after a few books.

Definitely worth a try .

[Olive]

thanks everyone!
our routine thats been the same since she was 3 weeks old is currently
5.30 dinner
6.00 bath
then book boob and bed...
though im weaning off the boob and maybe thats when things took a little turn mmmmm

am going to try the same but after boob. i'll read some books with her while DH plays with DD1 and see how we go
am also going to try out a special CD a special person gave me

[Sterla]

What time are you getting her to bed?

DS doesn't go to bed till 8.30pm most nights because we found he just wasn't ready for bed before that. Plus, it's so light outside still at night - I think he was having trouble getting to sleep earlier.

[Miss.September]

We have a bedtime wind-down that took us so long to get, but I just love it. After dinner, she has a play. 7.30 she's in the bath, splash around for half an hour or so. Then it's a cup of warm milk, and into bed. Three stories and it's lights out. She knows this and lies down herself (after sitting down while stories are being read). Then I sing in a whisper "Hoot's lullaby" and firmly tell her "Goodnight, I love you, it's time to go to sleep." She always tosses around a bit to get comfy (don't we all?!) but always now between 5 and 15 minutes later, she's asleep.

The BEST advice that I got on here, and it worked for us, was to not break the routine you want her to be in for two solid weeks. Before we did that, she'd go to bed between 11-11.30 each night. She'd get past it and just keep playing. By enforcing her bedtime, and doing the same thing every night, even if we have people over, it works. We've even found that if we're out, by 9pm, she's saying "tired" and "sleep". GL.

[Olive]

sterla she goes to bed at 6.30 usually asleepby around 7.10 but thats after alot of stuffing around.
have thought about her going to bed later and after DD1, but im worried thats going to cause issues with DD1

[Santosha]

We have a nice little bit in our routine which is working really well for DD in terms of laying still and unwinding...

We snuggle up together and do a bit of a debrief of our day. This essentially means that I give a blow-by-blow description of everything we did from the moment we got up - what she had for breakfast, where we went, who we saw... I throw in my own commentary on things to reinforce behaviours or experiences I want to highlight or that build self-esteem ("you were very helpful/brave/clever when you..." or "you ate lots of yummy broccoli at dinner"). I only focus on the positive things that happen, unless I think I can help to resolve an issue that she's still stuck with. DD really loves this and hangs on every word! It's like the story of her, and it's all recent enough that she can re-live it and smile at the bits she enjoyed. I just try and keep a very quiet, soft voice too so she has to really settle down and be quiet herself to be able to hear me. Finally, I talk about what is going to happen now (I hope) "now we're going to put your music on, you're going to lie down, give Pinky (toy) a big cuddle and tell her all about your lovely day, then you'll close your eyes and go to sleep".

I can't say it's 'magic' - we still have probably 3 in 7 nights when she's up bouncing around for an hour or more, but if we've timed bed time right and she's had bath, books, milk and then "Ivy's day" story... mostly she chats to Pinky for 5 -10 mins or so and then she's out.

GL - hope you find what works for your gorgeous girl!

[Olive]

thanks BR and Santosha!!

i tried the books in bed and taking her baby to bed etc... it still took as long to go to sleep but hoping it will improve, though the huge success for the night was that for the first time since shes been born i put her to bed without boobie if im home to do bedtime i have to feed her, she'll go down for others ok but if im there it has to be boob, so success #1 was weaning off the pre bed feed!