Happy Bedtimes and Fun Wakeups – Fake It ‘Til You Make It

bedtime routineWhen you’re putting your little one to bed, the right attitude can be a big piece of the sleep puzzle. I realize that sounds a little over-simplistic, but it really is important. When you’re practicing putting your newborn down in the crib drowsy, but awake, or when you’re starting sleep training, it can be stressful. Most babies will initially protest, and you may also be anticipating them getting upset, but I encourage you to try to take yourself to a zen place as you finish up the bedtime routine. Even the youngest of babies pick up on our emotions and take cues from our facial expressions. If you’re feeling nervous, stressed, or anxious at bedtime, I want you to focus on having a relaxed face with a gentle smile. Fake it ‘til you make it, baby.

Something I strongly recommend is incorporating a song to conclude your bedtime routine as you walk towards the crib with your little one. I don’t make this recommendation lightly because I personally can’t carry a tune to save my life.  But it’s such a great tool and sleep cue that I sing to my girls nightly. So far both my girls happily anticipate this final sleep cue, they both become very relaxed during their song (one likes Rock-a-Bye Baby and the other Twinkle Twinkle Little Star), and, to-date, they haven’t complained about my terrible singing voice.

If you consistently sing a song every night (I recommend always singing the same) to wrap-up the bedtime routine, it will ultimately become the final cue to their body that it’s time to sleep. When babies are just learning to go down drowsy, but awake, it’s not uncommon for them to start protesting as soon as you walk towards the crib. Continue singing your song softly and then place them in their crib on their back. They’ll be looking at (and maybe screaming in) your face when you lay them down. Try to have that relaxed, soft smile as you shush them a bit and tell them it’s time to go night-night. This may feel unnatural and weird, but it will get better.

Once your child gains some confidence around falling asleep on their own and you no longer feel like you need to creep (or run) out of their room after putting them down, you can even be a little silly as your child goes into their crib. For example, after I put her down, I often smother my 2 year old’s hand in kisses as I say, “I want you to get lots of good sleepy, sleepy, sleepy!” You probably think I’m a weirdo – she thinks it’s hilarious and goes down without a fight every night!

In the morning, I like to do a fun or dramatic wakeup. This provides your little one with a clear sign that the night is over and you coming in when it’s okay to get up is different than you coming in at any other point during the night (for a feeding or to address a wakeup, for example). In the morning, I come in to my 2 year old’s room with a smile on my face, say it’s time to wake up in a silly voice, smother her in kisses, and sing a “Good Morning to You” song as I dance her around the room.

Ending the bedtime routine and starting the morning with a happy or silly attitude can really help mold how your child feels about sleep. So, give it a shot, and, if you need to, fake it ‘til you make it!

Leave a Comment