What Happens if Your Baby Doesn’t Have a Consistent Bedtime Routine

Ever lay your baby down in the crib or carry them toward the crib and they start arching their back and crying? Or instead of falling asleep they are fussing and rolling around in the crib? (Especially if they slept fine as newborns!)

Take a look at your baby’s bedtime routine!

Newborns don’t have much of a “schedule”, but the time flies so quickly that parents often don’t realize by the 3-5 month age range that they really need one now.

That’s because around the 3-5 month age range, babies start to become creatures of habit. No longer relying only on their own feelings of sleepiness, they can become accustomed to drowsiness and falling asleep when they are given a consistent and appropriate sleep routine every nap and bedtime!

Babies learn so much at this age - and a lot of what they are learning is patterns, routines, repetition, and cause & effect.

They will learn that when you read a special story, or sing a special song, that what comes next is...they get to have a lovely sleep!

This is why it’s so important to really set aside a good 20-30 minutes for a time of calm connection with your child during bedtime, to help them have an easy transition between daytime activities and going to bed. Always make sure your baby’s bedtime routine is the same every night. They will feel secure and confident in knowing what comes next, and go into the crib happy and calmly!

As a sleep consultant, one small part of what I do is helping you optimize your child’s bedtime routine so it gives your little one the absolute best chance of successfully falling asleep in their own sleeping space. Book a free 15-minute sleep assessment call with me to see if my sleep coaching services are a perfect fit for your family.

Would you like my opinion on your current bedtime routine? Join the conversation over on The Baby Is Asleep Instagram!