Bedtime routines

I have an 18 month old and 6 month old. Can people please tell me what you do for bedtime routines? My 6m does not have a routine at all and I really want to give her one, im starting to feel really guilty about it. My 18m old definitely had a routine in place when he was her age and I really just want to find a new routine for all of us. Right now, what's happening is I do our 18m routine as normal: Bath, bottle, bed. Then I have to stay with him until he falls asleep so I lie on the bedroom floor. Then when he's passed out, usually by 8pm, i go downstairs to my 6m old and by that time I'm too tired to bath her and she just tends to get fed, clean clothes and put to bed, usually by 10-10.30pm. So already I feel like she's super neglected cause she doesn't get washed everyday like my 18m. I do baby massage with my 18m too after the bath which my 6m doesn't experience either and it just saddens me. Id like for her to be in bed by 8pm also, but have no idea how to start a routine or if ill even be able to handle doing all these things. Now that my 6m old will be able to sit up in a bath seat, I feel way more comfortable bathing them together so I think I'll start there... My issue is that when it comes to putting them both to sleep. My 18m will scream bloody murder if I leave the room before he falls asleep, so how am I supposed to my get my 6m off to bed too? (She goes down no problem after a feed and will fall asleep on her own so I'm not concerned about her at all - also she is exclusively BF) Any advice and also if you could tell me how you currently do bath/bedtimes! Thank you

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could u sit in the room with 18m and breast feed baby while 18m is going to sleep? x

I’ve always given mine bottles at the same time, the eldest feeding themselves and then the youngest doing so from around 12 months. Bath time together, and ideally my husband will take my eldest to bed and I’ll take the youngest but if it’s just me I take the youngest first as she will drop off by herself quickly so I can literally put her in her cot, give her a kiss and say goodnight and then take the eldest off as he is used to us spending a little more time with him before he goes off.. tend to be done most nights by 7-7:30 but bath will come straight after dinner which is served at 5. Once they’re in bed I have time to do jobs and hopefully have an hour or so to unwind before heading to bed too. It’s achievable I promise but it’s all about balance. I can totally see how you’ve got to your routine and wish you best of luck establishing your new one ❤️

@Abby I suppose I could, but i don't know if that would make my 18m more awake cause he'll be excited that his sister is there. Or the other worry is that my 6m finishes BF before my 18m falls asleep and then my 6m starts to cry or stir, or even just babble cause she will most likely still be awake. But I suppose i won't know until I try it x

@Georgia thank you for your reply! On the times you are on your own, when you say you take your youngest first, do you just leave your eldest still in the bath? Do you dry youngest and get changed for bed in the bathroom whilst eldest is still bathing or? This is the part I'm struggling with really. My 18m is too young to be left alone in the bath so I guess my option would be to get them both out at the same time, dried and dressed together in 18m room as its got the most floor space. It makes sense I get my 6m down first as she, like your youngest, is really good and will go to sleep on her own. But the second I walk out my 18m room, he'll lose his mind and then my baby will never get to sleep 😅

Okay so I have 3 (oldest just turned 3). But what I do is: older two have dinner and I give baby a feed (ebf), I put her in her swing while I get sorted - dishes in sink, table wiped, chairs on table and PJs, nappies, lotions and hair products in their room. My boys have a wind down run around and final play. I run the bath with them in it and she’s in the swing (if she gets fussy - more boob). IShe does tummy time while I get them lotioned and dressed. I used to have to sit in the room with them and feed her until they fell asleep but I’ve been able to get them to a point where I can kiss them goodnight, shut the door and they will have a babble with each other or fall asleep but they stay in the room now. Which means I am free to attend baby - she sometimes has a shower with me if I can’t be bothered with a bath. Other nights she has a bath, boob and snuggle until she falls asleep

Could you bath them together, get them out together, nappies on both and then dress one at a time, baby down and then 18m old? Or get the youngest all done first, then 18m ?

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