How do you cope with placing a baby and toddler to sleep at the same time? It’s a common question. Just when you think you got it with your first amazing sleeper, then you need to consider how to juggle two tired children at bedtime at the same time.
I have some suggestions to help. This might not be what you do, so if it doesn’t feel right for your family then don’t worry, but it might give you some helpful tips…
- Firstly, implement some after dinner play for your toddler. They always go a bit crazy and run around after dinner, so allow them to let off steam! I often put on some music so we can have a dance around the lounge whilst tidying up (so I don’t have much to do later, that’s my chill time!).
- Make sure you have plenty of time for your wind down routine, try to stay relaxed and stress free. Consistency and staying calm will help, you may have one child who will get upset nearer bedtime, so give yourself some praise and make sure you remember that you are doing the best job you can.
- Be organised with everything you need in advance. PJ’s, nappies, towels, toys etc. The key is being prepared. Run a bath sing a song and make it fun.
- I would recommend bathing your toddler first while you safely lay baby on a towel on the bathroom floor. Once toddler is in the bath, I would lower baby into the bath with a bath support. You can gently get your toddler involved with washing the baby’s feet first. Praise them for how gentle and helpful they were with bathing his/her baby brother or sister.
- Baby out first (only really need a quick dip at this age). While you are dressing baby for bed, give the toddler his/her favorite toy to play with and perhaps sing a fun song together. Once baby is dressed leave him/her safely on the playmat while you get toddler out of bath into pj’s. This may be the most challenging point where its possible that your baby may get upset as they are ready for their feed, but if they have to wait a few seconds, don’t panic, just make sure baby is lying in a safe position and return when you have finished dressing your toddler.
- Into toddler’s bedroom with you carrying the baby, if bottle feeding make sure this is prepared and ready to take with you. Ask toddler to pick up some books while you get comfy with baby. Make sure you have some water close by, take deep breaths and get comfortable before starting the feed. With the toddler understanding a few words now, I would recommend saying its feed and read time, with the two words sounding similar he/she can then relate to both and understand this is “quiet time” before bed.
- If your baby is content, I would suggest reading a book to both before the feed, or if baby can’t wait then begin the bedtime feed while you read to your toddler. If you don’t have enough hands then get toddler in bed and tell them a silly make-up story.
- Once the story is over, I would take baby into the room where they are sleeping and settle them down to bed. Advise your toddler that you will be back in 1 minute and to either wait in bed, or pick an extra book for you to read together.
- If your baby takes a while to settle and your toddler self-settles easy with zero fuss, you could consider reading just the 1 book with both, kiss your toddler goodnight and then settle baby afterwards. Whatever works best for you and the family.
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Happy Sleeping
Stephanie x
