Please share your bedtime routines, we need another one

[Annie Mac]

LO is just about 10 months. Nursing to sleep is no longer cutting it. She can *sometimes* be rocked to sleep, or at least rocked to the point of lying down still and nursing, but not always. She was up to this point a very good sleeper. I'd just tuck her in with me, nurse, and voila. But now, even if she's tired, she tries to crawl away, climb up the bed frame, use me for mountain climbing practice, etc -- in short, playing. Obviously, I need to change something. I was wondering what you all do?

[lucy_v]

Hugs, mama, I'm in the same boat with my 11 mo DD. I could use help as well! But what seems to work, although I don't love doing it, is to cradle her tightly in my arms. She'll fight and struggle---and she is STRONG!---and protest crying, but then she (usually) quickly dozes off, or at least settles enough to continue nursing to sleep. I guess I'm sort of swaddling her with my arms (an actual swaddle never worked for her, no matter how tight!). She started walking at 9 months, and she's gotten progressively less interested in sleep as she's gotten more mobile. But I feel that this isn't a good long-term solution... It's just the only thing I can figure out right now. I tried an earlier bedtime last night, which seemed like it was going well. But then she pooped and was full of energy again! I'm off to the library today to take the No Cry Sleep Solution out... Again!

[Tattooed Hand]

My DD began walking at 10 months and we started having some similar problems. So around 11 months we re-read the No Cry sleep solution (which made way more sense than the first time I read it when DD was 5 months old and just nursed to sleep) and instituted it strictly for 3-4 weeks. Now it works like a charm and we can deviate on an as needed basis (like if we are going somewhere and need to go to bed later and abbreviate the routine or if she has a tiring day and needs to sleep a bit sooner).

Firstly, DD just won't sleep more than 11 hours a night unless there are some extraordinary circumstances. So we made target bedtime around 7-7:30. We have a family dinner, sometimes a little running around post dinner, but never more than 10 minutes. Then bathtime (usually around 15 minutes) and then putting on clothes and carrying her around the house and dimming lights and lowering shades. From bathtime onward we also play some soothing music (always Indian Ragas) that specifically means SLEEP. Our bedroom (we cosleep) is darkened and white noise machine turned on. I then nurse her. Sometimes she falls asleep this way (though I unlatch her before she truly passes out). And sometimes, I call DH in to walk and hum her. We have this lullaby that we sing and then he hums as he walks her.

DD was a HORRIBLE sleeper and often it would take us up to 2-3 hours to get her to sleep. Within a couple of weeks of this routine, the time between when I would take her in the room and when she was asleep was no more than a half hour, usually way less, like 10 minutes. She still wakes at night, but it's only 1-2 times and I'm fine with it.

We didn't do things like read books because we do that all day and she associates that with playtime. We made our routine out of stuff that only happens at bedtime/sleep time.

HTH

[lucy_v]

Tattooed Hand, thanks for your suggestions and inspiration! We've changed our bedtime routine to be similar to yours, and so far, it seems to be making a big difference! It seems obvious now, but we were definitely getting DD too wound up too close to bedtime. We still have to work on naps, and sleeping longer eventually, but getting her to sleep in 15 minutes the last few nights has been amazing--and, she even went down into her crib awake and rolled over to sleep! Sometimes I have to pick her up, rock her a little and put her back down, but she's not fighting and fussing like she had been. I definitely have to finish reading the NCSS for more ideas. Thanks again!