Bedtime Rituals

Routines Help Babies Slip into Quiet Slumber

By Beth Hering

My last half-hour before I go to bed each night looks something like this: I brush my teeth and wash my face, put on my pajamas, watch a little television or do some light reading, check that all the doors in the house are locked, look in on my sleeping son, crawl into bed with my husband, give him a goodnight kiss, say a prayer and fall asleep. The routine gives closure to the day and gives me the peace of mind to drift off into slumber.

Adults, however, are not the only ones who benefit from such nighttime schedules. By introducing your baby to a predictable bedtime routine, you can promote an easier transition from wakefulness to sleep (for both you and him!) and establish good habits that will serve him well in years to come.

Melissa Durante, a mother of three from Bartlett, Ill., has had a bedtime routine for each of her children since they were newborns. "It's pretty standard: a short movie, bath, book and bed," she says. "Sometimes the older ones will put on a little show or sing right before we read. We all get onto one bed, snuggle up and each of them gets to pick a book. Sometimes after we read we will talk about our day a little. Then we say a goodnight prayer, and hopefully sleep follows shortly thereafter."

In the Cox household in Scottsdale, Ariz., 20-month-old Heather starts her bedtime routine with a warm bath after 7 p.m. "We try to read or play quietly on the floor with the lights out (with a nightlight on)," says mom Lisa Cox. "This usually lasts for a few minutes until she puts her head down and sings or talks herself to sleep. I've also found that putting the ceiling fan on the lowest setting provides enough white noise to soothe her."

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• Talk about it!