Babies
don't sleep through the night right away but earlier rather than later is a much better time to get your baby on the fast track to a
normal bedtime schedule. The first months are sketchy time-wise, but by the time your baby is about 5 to 8 months old, you should have a basic
bedtime routine set up.
Think early: Earlier is better for a baby bedtime because the point is to get your little sweetie into bed before he's super tired and cranky and thus less likely to fall asleep peacefully. If your baby is mostly sleeping through the night, somewhere around 7:30 pm and 9 pm is a good range.
Think habitual: Most babies respond well to a bedtime that involves the same 3 or 4 steps nightly. This means set a
bedtime routine. Give junior a
soothing bath, read to him, place him in bed, sing a song and then lights out. This is just one idea for a schedule, but whatever you do is not as big a deal as doing it the same each and every night.
Think chill: Playing with a baby right before bed is a bad idea because one, it may excite him too much or two, tire him out too much. In spite of what sounds reasonable, you do not want him TOO tired because it'll be harder for him to fall asleep. Think relaxing and calming activities before bed.
