Bedtime Routines? - Silverdale,WA

Updated on November 18, 2010
L.L. asks from Summerville, SC
5 answers

You have been so helpful with my other 2nd babay questions that I thought I would ask another :)

When my oldest was born, I set her up to have her longest sleeping period about the time I was ready to go to bed, and this worked well to maximize my sleep when it was dearly needed. I am now in a quandary with kiddo number 2. Do I do the same thing and put my toddler (who will be about 20 months old at my due date) to bed at her normal time and try to incorporate baby into her bedtime routine, and then put baby down later so I can go to sleep right after I put baby to bed and maximize my sleep. Or, do I put baby to bed, then my toddler with her special mama time, and then go to bed myself, therefore giving up some of my sleeping opportunity for my toddler to keep her routine?

I am really torn on this issue because I feel that it is important for my toddler to have her special time with her mama's attention focused on her, but I will also be doing this alone (hubby will be deploying) so my sleep becomes vital to keeping the munchkins safe during the day. If my hubby was going to be home, I would just let him have daddy-baby time during my toddler's bedtime routine, but the baby down later and it would be a non-issue.

Any advice or personal experiences with this kind of thing?

Thanks!!!!

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Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Keep your eldest child's routine.

With a newborn... there will not be a 'pattern' yet.
So you just have to see.
Regardless... there will be less sleep for you.

KEEP to your eldest child's nap times AND routines as well.
ALWAYS.
Don't change up her routines/special times, just because of baby.

For me, that is what I did. It give the eldest constancy... and comfort. Which they need. NOT being changed up, just because of baby.

BUT... when your newborn naps.... have your eldest nap too. That is what I did... with my Eldest... once I had 2 kids.
"I" also... then napped. Too.

KEEP to your eldest child's routines... as much as possible.

all the best,
Susan

1 mom found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Evansville on

I have a 5 year old and one year old. At the time my 4 yo needed special mommy time. So, I did (and still do) put the baby down earlier. The baby goes to sleep and I read a book with my oldest on the couch and she goes to sleep afterward. It's like 20 minutes apart. Then, I fall into my bed hopefully for my sleep.

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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

My first was 23 months old when my second was born and on a good routine. I didn't change his routine, my toddler was going to sleep before the baby. We still had plenty of special time when the baby was napping. You need to take care of you and get some rest so you can be a better, well rested, mom ;)

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M.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Maximize your OWN sleep! You are going to need it! Your toddler is going to do just fine. You will find plenty of ways to get the 'mommy time' in with her-don't worry. And she doesn't need that as much as you might think either. People are always worried about how the older child will react when the new one arrives....In my experience they always do fine!

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J.P.

answers from Boise on

We kept my 2 yo's routine the same when baby was born. Baby was sometimes awake, sometimes asleep during the routine, and joined us if awake. Brother would give sister a kiss and hug, and go to sleep (or the other way if sister needed a nap first). Even now, at 6 months, the typical routine is for sister to go down for a nap at 6, do bedtime routine with brother, then sister gets up again for one more feeding and waketime before going back down for bed. I found that consistency for the older was more important, even if the cast of people involved changes. And I am hoping that sister will be closer to his routine before he asks - why does she get to stay up later? :)

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