How to do a bedtime with 2 non-Independent sleepers

[Pinkbunny2]

Hi all,

I am sure this question has been asked a million times but how do others manage to put their two kids to bed. Mine are 4 month and 32months ... non of them are able to go to sleep independently plus the baby is still in no routine as such so bedtime varies a lot based on naps etc. The older one still needs one of us to stay with her until she is asleep which can range from 5min to 1 hr on a 'bad' day... not sure how to manage this once my partner goes back to work and I am by myself.

Baby is not really that easy going and needs a lot of close attention and cuddles and doesn't like being left alone for a long time.

Everyone says it does get easier with time but so far I am not seeing it?

Any ideas and words of wisdom?

x

I have a 2 yr 4 month old and a 12 month old. 2 yr old will be put in cot and roll over and sleep, but only after loads of 1-2-1 time cuddles and a bottle. I've had to do bedtime with both a few times and it wasn't ideal but got there in the end ! Mine are close enough in age that they make each other giggle and start jumping about , which is annoying , but you shouldn't have this problem. When baby was smaller I used to get everyone in my bed (next to me crib on one side / toddler bed guard on other) and lie between them. Not ideal but older child would feed herself the bottle whilst watching "Daydreams (bbc)" on tablet and is bf baby". It would take a while but they'd both conk out eventually. If baby conked out first I'd move her into crib and put toddler in own bed.

Sorry - older one would watch daydreams on YouTube (bbc program) whilst I BF baby.

Now they jump about and it's really challenging, I've had to do it a bit differently

I have a just turned 2 yo and a 3 yo (18 months between). I'm two years down he line and neither of them sleep still my husband often works nights. I used to lay with both of them in my bed and bf the youngest while I used the Moshi Twilight sleep stories for my eldest. Now I sit in a rocking chair and rock my youngest while my eldest lays alone in her bed. Sometimes I do lullabies or tell stories, or play Moshi Twilight through an Echo Dot I've put in their room. We have two single beds in their room. They inevitably both sake up by midnight and sprawl across my bed anyway.

I’m still figuring it out with a 6 and 8 year old!

When DS was born, DD has just turned 2 so I bought a baby swing. I would have them both in the bath, get DD2 out and into her towel. Then while getting DS (baby) out, DD would come with me while I got DS ready for bed. He'd go into him baby swing and DD got rest for bed and had a story. Then I'd take DS to bed. If he was crying then I'd feed him while reading DD a story. It's a long slog but they do understand a bit even if they don't like it!