What is a Good Bedtime Routine for Babies?
Why Follow a Bedtime Routine?
Did you know that a healthy bedtime routine for babies yields several more benefits than just helping babies wind down for a good night’s sleep? Honestly, getting long nights of sleep is more than enough! But research shows that a good bedtime routine for babies facilitates their development in multiple ways:
Emotional regulation: The bedtime routine involved in the structured practices of families who have sleep trained their babies has been shown to facilitate emotional and behavioral regulation of their babies.
Improved learning skills: Studies have shown that having a consistent bedtime in early childhood helps children perform better in school as they get older. In contrast, later bedtimes for infants have been shown to result in worse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Language development & literacy: Studies show that the bedtime routine involved in sleep training regimes has resulted in improved language development and literacy for children as they grow. Good bedtime routines include reading, and the benefits of reading to your baby are much more profound than you might think.
Bonding: Multiple studies show increased attachment and bonding between parents and their babies after sleep training. The bedtime routine involved helps to strengthen the bond between parent and child.
Better sleep at night: The bedtime routine is a powerful series of distinctive cues that trigger your baby to wind down and prepare for a long night of sleep.
Staples of a Healthy Bedtime Routine
Create a distinctive series of cues that relaxes your baby and prepares him/her for a long night of sleep. Keep your bedtime cues in the same order and remain consistent daily. A healthy bedtime routine should include the following:
Dim lighting: Dim the lights to encourage the natural release of melatonin, which induces drowsiness.
Soft music: Create a distinctive atmosphere so that babies understand that it’s not nap time, but bedtime. Soothing music is a great way to create a relaxing ambiance.
Something hygiene-related: Pediatricians recommend bathing babies only three times maximum per week. When a bath is not needed, caregivers can wash their baby’s face or give their baby a lotion massage.
Reading: Reading is a staple of healthy bedtime routines because it encourages engagement and bonding between parents and their babies, and it develops language, literacy, and learning.
Words of affirmation: Bedtime is an ideal moment for parents to speak life-giving, affirming words to their babies. Words are powerful, and they should be used strategically. Parents should tell their babies all the things they appreciate about them and all the wonderful qualities that they hope they will possess. For example, “You are kind, wise beyond your years, mature, responsible, obedient, and destined for greatness!”
Feeding: A hearty feeding, without distractions and without extreme drowsiness, is essential for a long night of sleep for infants. Infants under 12 months old need at least 24-32 ounces of milk daily.
Gas relief: If newborns are struggling with gas, caregivers should allow the baby to be upright for at least 10 minutes after the bedtime feeding to allow the gas to be processed before swaddling. Parents can massage their baby's back in an upward motion during this time.
Swaddling: For newborns 0-12 weeks old, proper and safe swaddling is incredibly helpful to prepare for a long night of sleep.
Prayer: For people of faith, bedtime is a wonderful moment for parents to pray for their babies. Prayer releases dopamine and serotonin, which lead to feelings of happiness and well-being. Prayer invokes peace, promotes bonding, and introduces faith to children.
Parents should enjoy the bedtime routine with their baby. Relax, bond, and prepare for much-needed sleep. Babies need 11-12 hours of sleep each night. If babies are waking up multiples times at night, parents should consider getting help. Hire a baby sleep consultant or utilize an online program that is safety-approved and with a proven process. Parents and their babies need long, restorative nights of sleep.
