Establishing a good bedtime routine for your baby

WHERE TO START The first step in establishing a calm and settled bedtime routine is to identify the objects and habits that help to soothe your baby. Does he have favourite music, a special blanket or an interesting mobile that have a calming effect on him? Does he like to hear voices as he drifts off, or is he happier in a quieter environment? Organise yourself and decide on a structure that should begin with bath time, progress to some quiet time and a feed, and end with putting your baby down, still awake, in his bed. Remember to encourage your baby to fall asleep on his own, as he needs to develop this ability in order to be able to eventually manage the night alone. Give him the time and space to find his own particular methods of self-soothing, even if this means enduring a period of crying before he nods off. And resist the temptation to jump out of bed and rush to him at the first whimper during the night. You will only be teaching him that he needs your help to go back to sleep, and he won't learn to do so on his own.