Establishing a bedtime routine

The way to improve the chances of your baby sleeping well through the night is to establish a good bedtime routine for him from very early on.

Babies, like all children, need to know their boundaries – it helps them to feel secure. Even a very young baby will benefit from having a (reasonably) fixed schedule of events at bedtime, as it’ll teach him to relax and wind down in anticipation of sleep.

Start the process of settling your baby down for the night at a similar time each evening. For example, at 6pm you could prepare a bath for him. Bathing your infant on a daily basis will relax him and prepare him for bed and it’s also a good opportunity for some one-on-one bonding, especially for dad. Ensure that the room you’ll be using is warm enough and wrap him up in a soft, warm towel after his bath. Dry him carefully and put on a fresh diaper – you could also use this time to give him a massage.

Put on his sleeper and make sure his room isn’t too hot or too cold, as either could hamper his efforts to sleep – around 65-68 degrees is ideal. Dim the lights slightly and check you won’t be disturbed by too much noise from anywhere in the house. All things in moderation though, even peace and quiet – it can be a real hindrance if your baby needs complete silence to sleep, especially during the daytime, and some moms swear by a healthy dose of background noise so their baby will learn to sleep without being disturbed by activity elsewhere in the house.

Now, you can give your baby his last feed of the evening. Often babies will fall asleep when they have this feed but in order not to build up an association between the two things, rouse him slightly before you lay him down in his crib – otherwise, he could wake up and cry for the missing comfort of his breast or bottle. His learning how to settle is also the key to him being able to do it without your comfort if he wakes in the night.

At this stage, most experts believe a crib is the best place for your baby to sleep. Instances of crib death have been linked to babies being placed on their stomach to sleep even though this was the advice given to new moms in the not so distant past, so make sure your baby is lying on his back with his feet at the foot of the crib and his blankets tucked under his arms so he can’t wriggle under them. Better yet, use a baby sleeping bag and do without blankets altogether.

Try to be flexible about the routine – otherwise you might limit your own life unnecessarily. If you plan on visiting friends or having a social life that takes place without a late afternoon curfew, try to accept that sometimes the bedtime ritual won’t be able to take place in exactly the same way. Your baby won’t suffer if you both have the odd night off.

Summary of bedtime routine:

1. Pick a time to start the wind-down before bed. Make sure the room your baby is going to sleep in is warm and that the lights are dimmed.

2. Run your baby a bath – the warm water will help to soothe him.

3. Wrap him up a soft towel and lay him on a changing mat or bed in the room he’ll be sleeping in. Dry him thoroughly and put on a fresh diaper.

4. Give him a massage before you dress him for bed. Don’t forget to talk to him and tell him what you’re doing – even young babies like to hear their parents talking to them. They might not understand the words, but they understand the tone and are comforted by your voice.

5. Give him his final feed and don’t forget to wind him.

6. Finally, lay him on his back in his crib while he’s still awake.

Do have a look at our video guide to establishing a bedtime routine to see these tips put into action.

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The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.