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One of my most surprising parenting challenges has been helping my kids learn how to fall and stay asleep. I knew those early newborn days would be filled with sleepless nights, but I did not expect to be continuing to wake up in the middle of the night as we entered that second year of life. In fact, it wasn’t until I weaned each of my children that I was truly able to focus my efforts on that blissful ambition of sleeping through the night.
Through my years of experience as a parent, I learned that each of my children fall asleep differently and that establishing a routine was an integral part of the process. Even with school-aged children, consistency ensures that my children fall asleep and wake up at nearly the same time each night. While simple, here is our bedtime routine for helping our kids fall and stay asleep:
1. A consistent bedtime: I’ve learned that in order for my kids to wake up rested and ready for a new day of learning, they require at least 10 hours of sleep each night, so I set their bedtime and wake time appropriately. Since we’ve only been in school about a week, we’re all adjusting to the earlier sleep and wake times, so consistency and communication have been instrumental in helping my children get back on a regular schedule.
2. A soothing sleep environment: When I’m traveling and “out of my element,” I have a very difficult time falling asleep. From room temperature and brightness to the softness of my pillow, an inconsistency in any of these factors can make for a sleepless night. Along with ensuring their room is quiet, comfortable and dark, each of my children sleep with a stuffed animal which soothes them for bedtime.
3. A relaxing approach to bedtime: Our bedtime routine begins right after dinner. Everything we do leading up to bedtime is meant to calm them so that by the time their head hits the pillow, it’s only a matter of minutes until they fall asleep. After their baths, we brush teeth together and then put on their pajamas before I tuck them into their beds. I’ve learned that story time is optimally conducted at this time since it is a quiet way to prepare them for the night’s sleep.
As part of our bedtime routine, we’ve been incorporating Johnson’s Bedtime Bath and Lotion to help soothe their senses. My kids have come to love bath time, and very often I have to be the one to pull the plug (literally) on their nightly aquatic adventures. Johnson’s Bedtime Bath and Lotion features a special blend of calming aromas designed to help children sleep better and I personally like the inclusion of a bit of aromatherapy into their routine. When my kids were younger, I actually spent time each night giving them a massage, since part of my nursing background included the study of infant massage. Not only is this a wonderful way to bond with your baby, it has important physical and emotional benefits that help relax even the tiniest of babies. If you aren’t sure how to begin, I recommend checking out Johnson’s Baby Massage Guides. The last step in Johnson’s Baby Bedtime Routine is to spend some quiet time with your child reading, singing, or nursing (if applicable).
If you are still looking for additional advice and tools to help your kids stay and fall asleep, I highly recommend downloading Johnson’s Baby Bedtime app, which is free on iTunes and Google Play. The app will allow you to track your baby’s sleep sessions to share with anyone who cares for your baby and features soothing lullabies and ambient sounds to help your baby fall asleep.
Lastly, if you still have questions about your baby’s nighttime habits, Johnson’s offers a free, customized sleep profile for infants and children under 36 months of age. This sleep profile will include information about the quality of your child’s sleep and personalized advice from 2 world-renowned sleep experts on how to improve it.
You can find Johnson’s Baby Bedtime products at your local Walmart. Be sure to download your coupon for $2 off any 2 Johnson’s Baby Bedtime products here.
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