Bedtime Routine with a Toddler and a Newborn
Taking on bedtime with a toddler and a newborn has the potential to feel like a marathon, especially if you’re doing it alone! I have four babies of my own, so I’ve done this a time or two! I wanted to share some tips that help make bedtime easier on all of us.
1. Feed your baby while toddler plays nearby. This helps your toddler feel like you are still there with them, even while you are taking care of the baby.
2. Bathe them together, at the same time. If you have a newborn, make sure you use a bath seat and keep a hand on their chest at all times. This helps separate them enough to keep baby safe while making sure you are not pulled in two different directions at once!
3. Get them dressed at the same time on the floor next to each other. Encourage your toddler to sing songs or make a silly face at their baby sibling, so they feel like they are bonding with baby while you are getting their jammies on.
4. This part is the most important part, in my opinion! Include the toddler in the bedtime routine and help them feel like they are helping in so many ways. Let your toddler sing a song to the newborn, let them help turn on the sound machine, turn the lights off, etc. This helps fill their cup and help them feel important, which can make a big difference in their willingness to go to bed easily for you:)
The biggest takeaway I want you to get from this is to help your toddler feel like they are seen, heard and important. Having a new baby is hard for everyone, but I find it’s especially hard for the toddler who had 100% of your attention until baby arrived! Including them in small ways like this can make the biggest difference:)
If you want to hear me dive into this topic in more detail, head to The Sleep Fairy Way Podcast HERE.
You’re doing a really good job, mama!