Bedtime with a baby & almost 3 year old

[tootsieglitterballs]

How do you handle bedtime with a toddler (almost 3 year old) and a baby on your own?

Any tricks / tips / amazing ideas of how to do it?!

DS1 goes to bed at 7 (getting ready for bed and stories from about 6.30pm). DS2 is due in 4 weeks. DH works all day and evening so it’s just me for bedtime.

Do you take baby with you to do toddler bedtime? Do you try and put baby down first knowing bedtime takes longer?

I’m keen to try and establish a good bedtime routine as early as possible (as is reasonable) because of it just being me for bedtime.

Thanks In advance for any suggestions!

If DS1 goes to bed at 7 I’d take baby with you and make a big deal of it being cuddles altogether. You may want to start a routine early as poss (for obvious reasons!) but as I’m sure you know newborns feed and sleep frequently the first few weeks so it’s unlikely he/she will go down before 7 for the night. Then maybe re-evaluate once baby is a couple of months old?

Thanks @crazycatlady5 , I thought that would be the best way for the first few weeks, and I think our son would enjoy that Too.

DS1 started to get into a routine a few weeks in, and slept through from 9 weeks (we were very lucky and very aware this probably won’t happen this time!) so I’d like to attempt some form of routine after a few weeks.

In the early days, DS was in the sling/bouncy chair whilst I did bath and stories with DD (21 mo gap). Then I’d take DS downstairs for cluster feeding time.

It gradually evolved so DS would have a bath with DD, feed during stories and then we’d go downstairs and then DS would have a bath, feed during stores and then into our room.

You’ll find what works for you. I just wouldn’t get too hung up on a pre-planned routine until you’re a few weeks into it. Don’t give yourself too much extra stress and worry!

I have a 9 & 3 year old and a 10 week old dd's, only now baby is starting to establish a routine for bed time as since she been born she feeds every hour or two bf baby, so I found bathing my eldest two first then bath baby & had my older two join in me bathing her then did supper for girls & fed baby whilst girls had supper, then I'd put baby down to sleep in moses basket downstairs while I'd settle my other two down for sleep, whilst baby was sleeping I'd grab a quick bath myself feed baby again put her back in moses basket downstairs & would square up do what needed to be done then about 10/half 10 baby would wake again so we would go uptogeather she have a feed & once asleep I'd put her in her crib for night & go to bed myself, I tried plenty if other sciniros but found baby would wake the ithers, my three year old wouldn't settle with baby there etc... & this was what worked best for us, now baby s sleeping much better & longer periods between feeds its much better & bit more relaxed to get each thing done

I struggle with this and get very anxious when my DH is on late shifts. In the early days my newborn would sleep/nap in bouncer around the time I would put DD (3) to bed. But when DS(now 4 months) stopped napping so well at around 8 weeks I had to put in place a routine so my DD knew what to expect as well as me. I would allow DD to play games on iPad wth biscuits whilst I fed and out DS to bed, this can take up to 25 mins. But DD is very sensible and fine with this. I then went downstairs and had some alone time with DD before starting her bedtime. DS would be in bed first between 6-6:30 and the DD around 7. It's still hard but I know it'll get easier once DS can resettle

DD2 was very reluctant to be put down for naps in the evenings, so a stretchy wrap saved the day. I could pop her in it and she'd sleep while I did bedtime. Luckil dd1 was old enough to climb in and out of the bath with minimal help.

Our eldest was 20 months when youngest was born and we tried to keep his routine as stable as possible and the baby fitted around that. After a few months we could bath them together and then at 6 months put them to bed at the same time. Then go downstairs and open the wine

I have found this bit of having two really tough!

Still do and I have a almost 3 year old and a 7 month old (today!). To be honest I don't bath the little one when I'm on my own and the eldest has to watch more TV than I would like - they both cry out and I seem to run from one room to the next until one finally goes to sleep!

I have found two quite hard at times when I'm on my own but hopefully you will be more chilled than I am!
X

I have DS1 just turned two and DS2 six months. The only time I've done it by myself it was TV and milk for the eldest whilst I breastfed the little one to sleep and carried him upstairs to cot. Then TV off and books and bed for the eldest. I know people say it's not ideal, but maybe I introduce half an hour of TV to bedtime routine before you start the books bit now then it's established for when baby comes along if you need it?
In the early days hopefully you'll be able to get baby down in a moses basket whilst the TV is on for long enough to get the oldests bedtime routine in after?
Good luck!! :-)

My DS2 (1) simply accompanies me as I put DS1 (3) to bed. He actually helps now which is quite funny.

Thanks for all the advice! It’s the bit of having 2 I’m most apprehensive about!