Bedtime routines What's your routine like these days? Ours has been evolving every few weeks as Layla's patterns change.…

Maybe the bath stimulates her. You could try ditching that. And a few hours before you start bedtime routine you could make sure no tvs are on and do soothing/quiet activities?

Spencer is also taking an hour or two to wind down before "bed," then I nurse him to sleep and he will sleep for a couple hours until he eats again. We used to be able to rock him/put in his swing/bouncer but those days are long gone haha. It seems to help when we take him for a big walk after dinner and then we play with him for awhile or put him in his exersaucer for awhile. It wears him out.

What time is her last nap? Maybe she's staying sleep too late so she's not tired at bedtime

My routine is solids 5.30.

Bath, massage at 6

Boob at 6.30

Read/ quiet time with Noah and older children.

Then boob again at 7.

Put in bed, turn on white noise very loud. Walk out. He will self settle within a minute or two. Sometimes you need to get them to cry to break a habit.

I think u should try not to nurse/ rock to sleep. It will be exhausting on you later on.

Food around 4-4:30

Play time

Bath around 6

Lotion and pajamas

Book

Bottle around 6:45-7

Laid down and she's out on her own within a couple minutes.

We were in the same boat. I had to nurse our daughter to sleep basically and then she would only sleep for a couple hours and have to be nursed or rocked to sleep again. I literally tried everything and nothing was working. So, when the ped recommended a version of CIO, I decided to try, even though I was originally against it. We put limits on it and didn't make our daughter stop eating "cold turkey" throughout the night but instead eased her into it. Basically, we put her down awake and go back in to comfort her every 10 min until she fell asleep. The first night was the worst - it took 30 min. But it got gradually shorter each night after and by a week later, she fell asleep on her own in about 5 min with no crying (just rolling around to get comfortable). And once she learned how to fall asleep on her own, the awakenings in the rest of the night began to be fewer. The last two nights she's only woken once to nurse and it was after 6 hrs of sleep. That is huge for us after 7 mos of terrible sleep. I know it's not for everyone, but wanted to share cause it really worked for us, and she is happier and a better sleeper because of it. Good luck with whatever you try!

Thank you, ladies! A lot of these routines sound similar to what we do/try to do. She only gets a bath a couple of times a week, so that's not really part of the routine... But maybe her afternoon is too late in the day. It's usually around 3? Although yesterday it got screwed up bc my mother-in-law got her napping weirdly early (12:30pm) so she was tired again around 5 and conked out while I was wearing her on a short walk. I didn't let her sleep past 5:20, but I wonder if that threw her off. I really don't want to keep nursing her to sleep bc I know it's kind of a bad habit to get into, we weren't doing that up until very recently when it seemed to be the only thing that would knock her out (like she was suddenly a newborn again).

I am definitely against CIO but I'm open to gentle training techniques, to help nudge her in a more independent routine, like the one pp described. And what's funny is she falls asleep SO easily and on her own for naps!

Thank you and all of you for sharing your routines/advice. I appreciate it so much!

I was just thinking about asking you how the sleeping was going.We're right there with you! Heaven help us because it's HELL. The screaming and knowing she's so tired but not being about to get her to sleep. I try everything. If I have to bottle fed and rock her as a last resort I do it. I feel like we're doing CIO even tho I'm not trying. We try to comfort her and doing everything to console her. It breaks my heart. We do have times where it only take like 5 mins to get her to sleep or that she rolls on her side and puts herself to sleep with us patting her bum. The screaming and crying is just so hard to watch. She can't get comfortable sometimes and gets upset. It's very stressful and I just feel so bad for her. Even tho I'm doing everything to comfort her and to help her sleep. Plus the two bottom teeth coming in isn't helping. Prays and big hugs

Thanks, Tara. Hugs your way, too. The inconsistency is so tough! I feel like the rare weeks we have a good routine that works down, it only will last a few days and then it all changes.

Thank You Mary! Prayers that sleeping gets easier. Hugs