Any tips on managing bedtime routine with a baby and two year old?

[Highlove]

DD1 is 2.8. Baby is 3 months. Cluster feeding is settling down and DD2's now starting to settle for the evening between 7 and 8pm. So I'd like to start introducing a bedtime and getting her down in the crib rather than sleeping on us, but don't know how to combine bedtime for both girls at basically the same time. It's fine if DH is here but often he's not. So - any bright ideas? Can you talk me through how you do it when there's only one parent about?

It's hard, and I have to do it on my own too. I stick to the toddlers bedtime and routine. So we go upstairs and run the bath, I get them both ready. I put baby on the bath seat outside the bath, put toddler in the bath then baby and bath seat into the bath. Wash baby and get baby out and into a towel. Bath seat out and baby wrapped in towel into the seat. Wash toddler and then him play while I hold baby and keep baby warm. Then get toddler out, wrap in a towel and take both to the bedroom.

Dress baby while toddler runs around with no clothes on! Dress toddler then into our bed for a story.

I bf baby while reading a million stories then when toddler is shattered I pop baby down on the bed, take toddler to bed, quickly say goodnight then back to baby asap to feed to sleep and put down when fast asleep. Takes ages but it's as easy as I can manage,
Would live to hear what others do!

It depends really on the nature of your children and your current routine with the elder one, but I did much the same as the pp.
I quickly ditched the bath most evenings though, as they were just getting hyped up in there together. We eventually fell into putting pjs on and doing teeth downstairs, then upstairs for stories in my bed - with a feed for baby, then crib for baby, story for DS, then back to baby if necessary.
Good luck, I'm sure you'll find your own rhythm.

I did similar (also ditching the bath) until dd2 hit 5-6 months. Now she's soooo distracted by any noise/movement/sound she wont BF with dd1 around so it's a nightmare if DH isn't home

DD is almost 3 and DS is 5 weeks.
Now that DH has gone back to work I'll be doing most bedtimes on my own.
So far I've bathed them separately (DD sometimes on an afternoon while DS is napping and DS later when she's in bed)
Then I've stuck to DDs bedtime routine, fed DS just before so he's sleepy and taken the bouncy chair up then either popped him in there or if he wants to be held them I've recited a few bedtime stories off the top of my head! It might get a bit more tricky once DS has a routine of his own though as he's still only little.

Agree it's hard. Here is how i do it by myself, though try to get help if at all possible as much easier.

Make sure everything (towels, moisturiser, Nappies, pjs, toothbrush etc) is ready in bathroom before you go up and any milk/dummies etc come upstairs all at once as its almost imposssible to go back down. Make sure youve closed curtains, got clothes out for next day etc at some point in the day before then. Start 30 mins earlier than you used to and get them in one room and take clothes off while they play - your dd2 will start needing a much earlier bedtime soon and I've found getting my dd2s clothes off strings her out for longer. Run bath and bathe together using a bath support for dd2. Get dd2 out, changed and lyig on changing mat whilst dd1 in the bath. Either get dd1 out and changed or feed dd2 while dd1 stays in bath depending on dd2's mood/hunger level. bring everyone into dd1 's room and get dd1 changed and use whatever means necessary to keep dd1 occupied while you.get dd2 down (my oldest is only 22 months and youngest 6 months so may be easier for you, but I use a dummy and ipad cartoon or books combination - hate the fact I use a cartoon but otherwise she comes wandering in shouting and it's a nightmare). Once dd2 down read books etc till bedtime for dd1, use a monitor and run between rooms reinserting dummy if necessary.

Once dd1 down, quickly tidy etc, grab tea and a shower (brush teeth in shower to save time) whilst watching monitors and get an early night!

It does kinda depend how well your eldest goes to bed. My DD is 2.3 and (currently) goes to bed like a dream thankfully. Jammies, teeth, bed, tucked in and I can leave her. Normally asleep within minutes.
DS is 12 weeks. So basically he gets jammies and bottle (whenever he wants his bottle, 7.30 tonight for example) whilst DD watches TV, and then DD goes to bed as close to 8pm as poss. Only reason it would be much later is if actually still giving bottle at 8. If DS is crying when I'm putting DD to bed then so be it, but I appreciate that only works because she goes down so well and I can get back to him quickly. Plus DS is in Moses basket in living room and DH moves him through to bedroom when he comes to bed.

I guess I'm saying similar to other posters about sticking to older ones routine. Babies at this age should be more flexible.

Oh and we only bath them once a week

Bit older but my DS1 is 3.5 and DS2 is 5 months. Depending on last nap DS2 will be fed to sleep in the living room while DS1 watches tv and then carries through to cot or if he is happy and awake then he comes through to DS1s room for stories and while I tuck him in. DS2 really likes lying in bed with DS1 for stories! Then back to our room to get DS2 to sleep.
I never attempt baths on my own, too much hassle! The most tricky bit is doing wee/teeth for Ds1 as I usually leave baby in his bouncy chair in the living room which he usually isn't happy about!

This is brilliant, thank you so much. This has been really playing on my mind, so this is all really helpful. Think I just need to embrace the fact it's going to hideous and just go with it!

I put DD1 in front of the TV while I put DD2 to sleep. Then DD1 to bed. That did mean I BFd DD2 to sleep for longer than ideal (so as to ensure a quick and peaceful bedtime for her so I could get to DD) and the TV at bedtime is not ideal either. But needs must and it did mean relatively little screaming.

I did bath them together from about 10-12 weeks (always with a bath support or seat for the little one) - yes they got a bit hyper but they loved it so much!

Then nappies and PJs for both, in the bathroom. Little one out first. The key is to make sure you have everything you need in the bathroom before you start.