Does my newborn need a bedtime routine?
Those newborn weeks can feel NUTS. We are living in the land of a massive life change, suddenly responsible for the cutest little baby on earth, with naps all over the place, sleep all over the place, cluster feeds here and there, and allllll sorts of developmental leaps.
Sleep can be especially tricky with newborns. Their wake windows are 45-60 minutes, they nap anywhere from 4-6 times a day, and naps can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours.
This is where the magic of the bedtime routine comes in. Bedtime routines - the way we understand our journeys to sleep - are the most important tool you have in communicating sleep to your little one.
And yes - you CAN start a bedtime routine with your newborn.
Here are the perks of a newborn bedtime routine:
It signals that it is time for their longest stretch of sleep.
This is key for newborns, because their bodies are trying to figure out their circadian rhythm. The activities we do in our child’s bedtime routine become cues for sleep, signalling to our littles that this next stretch of sleep is the big one.
It diminishes crying.
A confused baby cries. A bedtime routine is consistent. It doesn’t fluctuate here, there, and everywhere. A baby with a consistent bedtime routine feels less anxious going into sleepy time because they know what to expect.
It provides connection with their safe person.
This is connection time before their longest stretch without you. The bedtime routine helps your newborn bond with you during a key part of their day - the end of it!
What does a great bedtime routine look like?
A great bedtime routine is 20-25 minutes long.
1️⃣ Give your newborn a bath, massage, OR warm wipe down with a cloth.
2️⃣ Diaper change and pajama time!
3️⃣ Ready a story and sing a song.
4️⃣ Give baby a full feed, swaddle if preferred, and lay them down in bed. If you have questions about feeding your newborn, this is a terrific video to check out featuring myself and Baby Feeding Expert / Speech and Language Pathologist, Karlie Hudon.
5️⃣ Turn on the sound machine and turn off the light.
Now, of course, the bedtime routine won’t stay the same forever. It will transform as your little one develops into infanthood, and as bedtime eventually is extended. However, its importance does not fade with age.
For more helpful tips on newborn sleep, check out our Sleep Series on YouTube for 0-4 week babies
and 5-12 weeks babies.
Sleep sweetly,
Anna