How to tackle bedtime alone with 2 kids
Show your support
When my baby was a newborn I would put her in her moses basket or next to me while I was doing my toddlers bedtime - and we’d do all his books, PJ’s etc. downstairs with the baby so it was the minimal amount of time away from her and just pray she was quiet 😂 if the baby cried I’d just pop in to the next room to settle her down and then back to my toddler. It’s a lot better now the baby goes to bed in the evening properly! Fingers crossed for you!!
@Edel Thankyou, I think this could be an option but might have to be in our bed and then move her because atm she is still in a toddler bed and I lay in there and then get out. Ideally I’d love for her to go to sleep independently but it’s come a long way from boobing to sleep when she was younger to this. Eventually we will get there but she’s so attached to having us (more so mum) be with her. Absolutely no hate, you gotta do what you gotta do! X
@Emily maybe I’ll try this, if she’s actually tired bedtime can be super quick, it’s hard when both are tired at the same time though ha. But he seems to be more chill than she was at that age so maybe that will help me. Doesn’t help she’s fighting bedtime atm 😂
@Melanie huge well done for getting from boobing to sleep to this! It’s so hard 🙈 definitely do what you gotta do… My boy is now 10 months and daughter 3.5 and I still strap him into a floor seat in front of the tv so I can pop my girl to bed. He doesn’t watch it any other time and he’s happy, safe and content for 10 minutes which makes bedtime a little less stressful!
Yesterday I put my 2 Week old ond the baby carrier and put my 3.5 year old kid to sleep and worked well!
Depending on if your oldest will have it we sometimes do bedtime all together in my room and make it like a 'fun sleepover' then I feed baby to sleep while 3 year old falls asleep next to me and I move him back to his room once they both asleep. Sometimes he wants thay 1 on 1 alone time with me for bedtime so he watches tv while I put baby to bed then I do his bedtime after (he takes waaaaay longer 😂🤦♀️) xxx good luck! Xxx
Thanks all, I did bedtime tonight for both of them on the bed. Now next step is to get my daughter to accept my husband for bedtime. Because this will be even harder for him when he has to put both to sleep
I have a 6 month old so she’s still in our bedroom but has a similar bedtime to the three yr old. We all get into my bed read stories together while I feed the baby to sleep, lay her in the next to me and then go lie with my older daughter until she falls asleep. I’ve only done it a handful of times but it’s not terribly bad. Good luck!
@Allie this seems like the way to go, it’s just if my toddler doesn’t want to settle then it proves difficult but she was shattered tonight so that’s a win! It’s just the acceptance of dad doing bedtime we need to crack. I’m wondering if to use an incentive like a star on her chart if daddy does bedtime as this got her out of our bed at the end of pregnancy. She now wakes up and proudly says “I slept in my bed all night”
@Melanie sounds like stars work well for her - I’d give it a try!
@Melanie I have a similar situation with a nearly 4 year old (August) who lies next to me to fall asleep. Normally for bedtime when it’s just me I get her in her pjs and then let her watch some tv whilst I get him to sleep (normally takes 10/15mins - I feed him to sleep) then I go into her room and get her to sleep with one eye on the baby monitor! - we also need to get her to accept dad getting her to sleep!
I have also done it with them both in the bed but that’s got trickier as he’s got older and more aware!
It's hard work! When my baby was a newborn I used to feed him in my bed while reading stories to my eldest until she fell asleep, then I'd transfer her into her own bed. Now they're both older it's slightly easier because my oldest is usually tired enough from nursery to basically put herself to bed and fall asleep (even if baby is crying!). It takes time but it does get easier! x
I put my 2 to bed alone most nights, oldest is 3.5yrs and youngest is 8 months, but I’ve done it since have my youngest. I’ve always got into bed with my oldest and didn’t want to change it when baby came along as didn’t want her to feel pushed out, so now we just do it all together, once oldest falls asleep then I put baby to bed x
Depending on how long it takes your toddler to fall asleep, you could lay beside her while breastfeeding baby? Or I used to put my baby in his bouncer seat and stick on dancing fruit while I put by girl to bed (no hate because you have to do what you have to do and it worked) 😅 Long run, I’d probably work on your girl falling asleep independently as it will make your life much easier but now isn’t the right time with a new baby. 🥰 also, congratulations!