Outnumbered at Bedtime?
Here are my TOP 10 tips when you are outnumbered at bedtime. After my second child, I had two under two and I remember being daunted by the task of putting them both to bed. Here are a few things I learned from my experience. Remember, there is no perfect, you will muddle through until it gets easier and these tips should help you along the way.
Top Tips
Eat something with the children - There is nothing worse than being hungry and trying to manage two or more children’s bedtimes!
Take a play mat or bouncy baby chair or sling upstairs with you - it helps to have somewhere safe you can place the baby whilst attending to your toddler.
Timing: Time your baby’s milk feeds for when your toddler is contained, ie. in the bath or in their bedroom with the door closed, so he/she can’t run off whilst you are restricted.
Brush teeth in the bath - as your toddler is contained and already in the bathroom
Avoid moving between rooms with both children - it just makes things harder for you. For example, ensure you have anything they will need before going into the bathroom (their towels/nappies/pj’s). Then do everything you need to do in the bathroom so you don’t need to come back.
Synchronise their routines - This may not be possible in the early days but it doesn’t take long before you can bath them together and brush teeth together (when relevant for the baby).
Don’t be afraid to alternate books between children - ie. one book for your toddler and then one book for the baby. You can get the toddler involved in the baby’s book allowing him to name the animals, open the flaps and help teach his sibling.
Allow extra time for bedtime when you are on your own - Everything takes longer, especially if the children decide to be difficult and you don’t want to feel rushed.
Put the easier child down first - If you know that the baby is going to need extra attention to go to sleep but your toddler can be put to bed and left to fall asleep alone, then put the toddler down first so you have time to attend to the baby. There are no rules as to which child should have a later bedtime.
Try to avoid screens just before bed - A lot of parents will give the older child a tablet to watch whilst they put down the baby. This can work really well for some families, however technology emits blue light, which inhibits melatonin and can mess with a child’s natural circadian rhythm (some children can be very sensitive to this). I personally would avoid giving them screen time in the last two hours before bed. Hopefully you won’t need to if you follow the tips above.
You will at some point have a bedtime where both children are crying and you feel totally overwhelmed. It’s nothing you’ve done wrong. Everyone has had it. Just stay as calm as you can, take a moment for yourself if you need it and continue to move through the steps.
Try to remember…this phase does get easier!
Happy Evenings!
Katie Venn
