How to put baby and toddler to bed

[acupofteamakeseverythingbetter]

Please can someone give me some advice on putting baby and toddler to bed when you're either a single parent or doing bedtime on your own?

It doesn't happen often as DH is usually available to put toddler to bed but on the rare occasions he's not here I just can't do it.

It started off well with me getting baby to sleep I then took DS up to bed and we brushed his teeth and read a story. He was just wired, climbing all over me. Baby then woke up so had to go and get him.

Took baby into my room to feed him, DS then came in climbed on the bed and was pulling baby's ear, hitting him and me. I took him back to his bed 3 times but he just kept coming back. I ended up putting them both in the car and going for a drive to get them both to sleep at the same time. Please someone help.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. When they are small, the priority is to get everyone enough sleep. What works for you is fine.

My theory is that those parents who boast about 'getting the children into a fixed routine' have easy, laid back children who will just accept anything. Now that I am older, I have seen most of those smug parents getting seriously unstuck when the youngest child (it's always the youngest, they can't face having any more) doesn't respond to their routines.

Do what you have to to get through the early years. They don't still sleep in your bed when they get to secondary school 😁

I used to bring the baby into toddlers room whilst putting her to bed. Sitting on a rocking chair, breast feeding or just rocking whilst reading to toddler. Wait for toddler to fall asleep. 9/10 baby would fall asleep in the process and then I'd just take them to my room and put in crib. It baby not asleep by that point then I'd sit in bed with baby a bit longer and then put them down when ready.
It wasn't always perfect but it was easier this way around rather than letting the toddler run riot in the house whilst putting baby down or leaving baby to cry etc.

Baby bouncer onto toddlers room until toddler is asleep. This is what I did with my first and second, and is what I do with my 3rd (my other two are now 5 and 3)
Good luck!

I did this on my own with youngest 2, not a single parent then just a waste of space now ex, H. I did both at the same time. Fed baby to sleep while patting and singing to hyperactive toddler. Only thing that worked then as being even a tiny bit late for bed led to 2-3 hours of toddler kicking and screaming and smashing himself into the bed and walls. Also used baby bouncer in toddlers room at times. Can rock it with a foot if necessary.

Also, one thing you've mentioned, routines 100 yes!
7:30 will head towards bed, story and sleep.
I moved both my son's together into same room as it was musical chairs every night and they've been sleeping in the same room since lo was probs around 1 year old and toddler was 3. They're now 3&5. And now I'll just bring my 6 month old in the bouncer to their bedroom if she's awake while stories and bed. Or I feed her while waiting. But we stay in their bedroom while they fall asleep. Then I'll move baby onto crib or feed some mone until she's asleep.