Our Nite Nite Routine

To anyone sick of Siena-related posts, I PROMISE to start posting about fancy hair accessories very soon. I'm actually brainstorming a few new creations for an upcoming photo shoot.  It's good to use my hands for more than diapering and pumping :)

BUT I thought I'd share the bedtime routine that has developed over the past few weeks.  More for my records. It's one of the most precious times of each day, and I want to remember exactly how it was when Siena was 2 1/2 months. 

- 45 minutes after she wakes up from her last nap (around 7 pm-ish), daddy bathes Siena in her Puj tub with California Baby soothing shampoo and body wash. 
-daddy wraps Siena in a fluffy towel, and massages her with Aveeno lavender lotion.  he also does a little baby yoga to get the farts out :)
-daddy uses the Nosefrida Snotsucker to clear her schnaz, gives her some gripe water, and rubs baby oil on her fro
-daddy forces SiSi to play with her night night doll, a special dolly that we're trying to associate with bedtime.  she's not that interested in dolls yet but we hope it will become her lovey.
-we dim the lights in the house and light scented candles in the living room. 
-mommy breastfeeds Siena on the sofa.  she's usually very drowsy by this point and just snacks a bit, but manages to eat enough to last through most of the night.
-then i burp her and swaddle her in the miracle blanket (truly the best swaddle blanket in my opinion!)
-we turn on the air purifier (great for white noise) and humidifier in her bedroom, and shut off the lights.
-i place a heating pad in her moses basket (which is placed in the crib) to warm it up for her
-i gently rock her and pat her back slowly
-i sing Amy Grant's "Baby Baby" song until she's conked.  don't ask me why, i just started singing it one night and it stuck.  now it's in my head allll day long!  i tried to switch it to "baby love" by the Supremes last night and she just wouldn't have it. 
- i remove the heating pad, carefully place siena in her basket, and creep out of her room.  it's usually about 8 or 8:30 when she's out for the night.  she's been sleeping until about 5 am when she wakes up hungry and having busted out of her miracle blanket.  we'll be transitioning into the Magic Sleepsuit when she's ready to be unswaddled. we tried to use it tonight but the change in routine made her fussy.  she still likes to be swaddled like a burrito. 

SiSi is such a creature of habit.  She's been going down so much easier since we started this routine.  She's always happy to fall asleep if given the right vibe and atmosphere.  But I'm realizing she's not one of those babies who can sleep anywhere, anytime.  I was really bummed at first, but I've come to accept that, and I'm ok with routines if that's how my baby ticks.  And I'm ok with structuring my life around her schedule if that means she gets the sleep she needs.  In my mind, sleep is just as important as milk for this little baby.  If she's hungry, I feed her. If she's tired, I make sure to help her sleep.

This week we're working on laying her down in her basket "drowsy but awake" so she'll learn how to fall asleep without me.  It will be tough, but if she's tired enough and in a good mood, I think we can make it happen.  I know she's starting to learn to soothe herself b/c instead of demanding the boob for comfort, she's been sucking on her own tongue, making these click click noises.  I'm always so proud when she does this! My little girl is finding herself!   

And I've decided to hold off on hiring a baby whisperer for now, but we're still researching different trainers in case we need to resort to that.  For now, I think we're already on the right track... 

Do your LO's have nighttime routines?  How have they changed over time?