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.
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
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!
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!
Sorry if this has already been mentioned, but is she still having a day sleep? If so it might be worth cutting back on the length of it a bit. DS is about the same age and he is up until 10ish if he has too long a sleep (or a sleep at all) during the day.
Our routine is similar to many of those above - dinner at 6.30, then bath, then read a story, then sing a song, then bed. I do make sure he's not wound up by DH after he gets home, and talk about being sleepy etc LOL
I also have a trick where put him in bed and I sing/rock a doll to "sleep" and then give him the doll to cuddle and say "shhhh baby is sleeping". Keeps him quiet some nights long enough to fall asleep. I'm sure he'll wise up to this soon haha.
Just a thought - we've swapped to Dr Suess books lately - the rhythm of the writing seems to settle him down more than a general book.
Reply With Quote
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!
) she only sleeps for 70 mins so its not a big sleep at all
Bookmarks