Oh, how I’ll miss our bedtime rituals when my kids are too big to have them. I can hardly believe how fast my second child has grown and, I have to admit, I took that bonding time with my son for granted. Now that he can hardly be called a baby, I’m holing onto these special moments like crazy. He’s our last and this time is precious.
Bedtime Rituals for Babies
When my daughter was young, she loved the baby massages best. My son? He LOVES the water! But for mama, I enjoy the soothing ritual we have (and Daddy, too, since he started doing night time duties over the last year) and so when Walmart asked us to share, I said yes.
Here’s what we do…
Bathtime starts by running warm water into the tub and getting the little ones ready. For babies, check water temperature with your elbow and check for hot water pockets. Pour a bath product into the running water or add to a wash cloth. I love Johnson’s Baby Bedtime Moisture Wash because the scent is calming and it’s actually been clinically proven to help with sleep! I also love that it’s tear free.
When you have young babies (like infants), you of could wouldn’t submerge them in a bath full of bubbles. But a toddler? Sure! As a treat, I like to use a little extra Johnson’s Baby Bedtime Bath wash into the tub and let my son play a bit. He goes into the tub with all the energy from an active day, and within 10 minutes, he’s yawning and ready to transition to the next part of our bedtime routine…
The baby massage!
When my daughter was little, I did so much research on the benefits of baby massage. We used Johnson’s Baby Bedtime Lotion that has the same scents and calming attributes as the wash. She loved every minute of it! And so did I. It was a simple activity we did to bring connectedness and love into our relationship on a daily basis. I will cherish those memories with my girl forever.
My son, however, never cared for a long, drawn out massage as a baby. The one area that he did let massage as a baby were his legs and feet. After doing a ton of research, I understood that massages helped baby’s blood circulation (among so many other wonderful things), so I made sure to massage his legs in the appropriate direction. My little prince also loved a good foot rub, which is the most calm he is right before bed. To learn more about baby massage, step-by-step instruction and tips, check out Johnson’s Baby Massage Guide.
After bath, massage, the kids are ready for bed. For my older girl, it’s always been a book before bed. For my son, it’s his beloved leche cup while I hold him tight. While Dad does bath, I try to run upstairs to hold my boy a bit before we lay him down to sleep. Either way, we’re sure to set the stage for a calming and quiet transition to sleep with both of our kids.
Do you have a bedtime ritual that you use with your babies (big babies)? Ever wondered how to establish a bedtime routine that works for your little one?
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