If you have ever gone looking for some help with getting your baby to sleep through the night. You have probably seen reference to the importance of a baby bedtime routine.

In this post I will be reviewing why a bedtime routine is so important for babies. Plus, I will share the simple and quick routine we used in our house when our children were infants.

Please note, there are affiliate links in this post. Read my disclosure policy to learn more.

What Is A Baby Bedtime Routine?

A bedtime routine for your baby means that you have certain things you do every single night before putting your baby in her crib.

It’s really as simple as that. Just remember the importance of consistency, and making sure you do the same thing every single night.

By doing this, your baby will start to understand that the things you are doing before bed, are signals that it’s time for sleep.

Why Is A Bedtime Routine So Important?

By starting a bedtime routine from the time your baby is a newborn, you are helping set up good sleeping habits for your baby.

Should you expect a newborn baby to sleep through the night? Absolutely not!

Most newborn babies are not capable of sleeping in long stretches because they need to eat small amounts of milk every couple of hours.

However, by instilling a good routine from the start, and having the right baby sleep schedule expectations, when your baby is developmentally capable of sleeping through the night, it will be more likely that she does it for you.

The quick and easy bedtime routine outlined below can also be used before nap time. Another reason why it’s good to have routine that’s so easy to do.

how to create a 5 minute baby bedtime routine

I’ve Started A Routine, Now What?

Once you start using a bedtime routine, it will take at least a few days to a week for your baby to start understanding these are the signs it’s bedtime.

A bedtime routine is a very important factor in getting your baby to sleep through the night.

But, what if you are using this routine and your baby is still not sleeping well?

In this case, if your baby is younger than 6 months old, I recommend trying some of these baby sleep through the night tips to help your baby sleep without being held.

If your baby is older than 6 months, then she is old enough for sleep training.

At 6 months old, between a good bedtime routine, the right baby sleep gear, and sleep training, your baby should be close to, if not already, sleeping through the night.

Example 5 Minute Baby Bedtime Routine

A bedtime routine sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? I have seen a lot of suggestions to include your baby’s bath as part of her bedtime routine.

This takes up so much precious time, plus, your baby does not need a bath every single day.

My point is, a bedtime routine for your baby does not have to be long. We always used a simple 5 minute bedtime routine in our house and it worked like a charm.

Check out the example 5 minute routine below and feel free to grab your FREE, printable pdf version of it too.

  1. Change baby’s diaper in nursery
  2. Put baby’s pajamas on in the nursery
  3. Swaddle or put a sleep sack on your baby
  4. Sing a song and rock your baby
  5. Put baby in crib, turn on sound machine and/or crib mobile, and leave the room.

Grab your 5 minute baby bedtime routine, FREE printable pdf here!

So, it’s as simple as that. The key is to do the same thing in the same order every single night.

Now you know how to start a bedtime routine for your baby and why it is so important.

Whether you have a newborn or an older baby, get working on that bedtime routine and I wish you lots and lots of good-night sleeps in your future.

If you found this post helpful, please follow our Facebook page or save it on Pinterest.

5 minute baby bedtime routine

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *