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Home › Articles › Sleep Issues › Bedtime Rituals

Bedtime Rituals

Routines Help Babies Slip into Quiet Slumber

By Beth Hering

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Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician and co-author of the book Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2005), encourages all parents to start routines such as these as early as possible. "The earlier the better," Dr. Shu says. "Old habits die hard, so establish healthy bedtime habits as soon as possible, such as when a baby starts having some awake time and isn't just eating and sleeping all day and night anymore."

The Four Bs of Bedtime

Dr. Shu recommends following the four Bs of Bedtime: Bath, Book, Brush (teeth) and Bed. "Notice that breast and bottle-feeding have been completely left out," Dr. Shu says. "That's because if a child learns to fall asleep while feeding, he will want to feed when he wakes up in the middle of the night."

For many families, evening is the perfect time to give the baby a bath. Not only does a bath get the child clean after a day of activity, it can be a calming experience. Many babies enjoy the feeling of being in water and the loving touch of a caretaker washing them. Some babies respond well to bath products containing lavender and other calming scents. Putting on pajamas afterwards serves as a distinct cue that daytime wakefulness is expected to be over soon.


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