How do you fit a 3yo and a 6wk old bedtime routine around each other?

[olivo]

I have a 3.0yo and a newish born , at the moment, we bath DD1 at 6.45 and then story and bed, and DD2 styas with me, feeding on and off until i go to bed at about 10. in a few weeks, i'd like to start some sort of routine for DD2 as well, but i'm not sure how to fit it in around DD1.

Does anyone have any tips for getting it sorted so its not a chaotic nightmare for us all?

My advice, having had a toddler and a newborn 3 times now, is to do whatever works - it'll all come out fine in the end!

The newborn does not need a routine. In fact no child needs a routine. Just survive for now. When your DD2 gets older and is ready to not be feeding all evening long, then just put her in her cot when she falls asleep (assuming you have a cot!).

DD4 has only just started being put in our bed when she falls asleep in the evenings aged 11m - up until now we've just relished the cuddling time

There is a slightly bigger age difference between mine (DS was 4 when DD born) but what we found worked best was an hour long bedtime routine (half hour each), 6-6.30 we bathed and bedded DD so she was in bed for 6.30. Then we did the same for DS. DS used to be allowed to watch bedtime hour while we sorted DD. HTH. Busy hour for your but then both get the same attention etc.

I think we started putting DD 1 & Dd 2 to bed around 7ish. it did feel a bit odd, but after a couple of days, was we enjoyed the break.

I think DD1 was bath (also 3 years difference), story & then bed, then DD2 went down either just after, or just before. Dh did the story & bath for DD1, with me feeding DD2.

it all sort of sloted together quite well, cos DD1 didn't miss out on her story time with Daddy. I seem to remember it getting a bit tricky when DD1 had to share her storytime though !

In the early days of DS2 being born, I did the following:

6.30 - both boys upstairs, DS2 in his cot whilst I ran the bath, got DS1 in - ran quickly to get DS2 into the bathroom, got him undressed and in the bath. After a while (depending on how boisterous DS1 was being) got DS2 out, dried him in the bathroom and put his babygro on and ran quickly to put him back in his cot. Got DS1 out of the bath, in his PJ's.

7.00 - both back downstairs, gave DS2 his bottle (which I prepared before bathtime) whilst DS1 watched TV/DVD. Put DS2 in his basket/babygym once finished feeding. Let DS1 come and sit on my knee for a cuddle and watch a bit more TV.

7.30ish - take DS1 to bed. Ds2 generally fell asleep wherever I left him within half an hour so left him where he was and took him to bed when I went to bed.

From about 4 months, DS2 was falling asleep so regularly downstairs I decided he needed to be going to bed and falling asleep there. So the bedtime routine is now the same as above but after DS2's bottle I take him to bed whilst leaving DS1 to watch tv - I take DS2 upstairs, put him in his grobag, read him a VERY quick story and sing a song and then put him in his cot and shut the door. Back downstairs for cuddles with DS1 before his bedtime at 7.30. DS2 is now 9 months old so we have been doing this for 5 months and it works really well. They are both in bed by 7.45pm and have the rest of the evening to myself.

If DH is here, things are a bit easier but the timings are still the same.

It is a busy hour or so and I know I rely on TV probably too much but it works for us

Phew - that was a bit of an epic

thank you for sharing; your ideas are helpful. at the moment, i just concentrate on DD1 having a routine but DD2 has started feeding less and sleeping more in the evenings so i was thinking she could be doing that in her bed sometime soon! will wait a few weeks though.