Bedtime Rituals With Pampers
With mommies on their feet the entire day every day, bedtime rituals should not only be relaxing for the baby but also for mothers. That’s the reason I have started to insist that bedtime rituals be restricted to a few minimum steps and not an elaborate 2-hour long marathon.
Sometimes we tend to go overboard as far as our children are concerned and not care about how much stress we put on ourselves to achieve perfection for them. And yes I’m guilty as hell because that’s what I did too. Until one day I realized that a mini-version of the same works just as fine, in fact much better for my daughter…
Over the last few years, I have altered the bedtime ritual from time-to-time keeping in mind the varying needs of my growing #PrincessHeer. Feeding bottles have been replaced by a glass of warm saffron infused milk, diapers have been replaced by mats, singing and rocking has been replaced by story-telling.
But the hugging and kissing never changes.
These days, the bedtime ritual is more systematic than before and takes about 45 minutes. We usually follow the below mentioned steps..
After dinner at around 7.30-8.00 pm there is usually a half-an-hour of games and fun time as daddy dearest arrives from work. This fun time helps my daughter calm down, using up all the pent-up energy while bonding with daddy dearest.
Getting Ready For Bed
A quick dip in lukewarm water filled baby pool is the best way to get my little one to relax. We quickly follow it up with brushing our teeth and finally putting on some soft cotton night suits. A quick massage using a moisturizing lotion works wonders as well.
Warm Milk
A glass of warm milk infused with saffron may be an old wives' tale but it sure has its positive effects on my little one. A lot of people may argue about not letting her eat/drink anything after brushing her teeth, but for me this works better with #PrincessHeer and so I follow it every day. She goes gargle after that though.
Story Telling and Prayers
We give her more authority, so she feels responsible. #PrincessHeer turns on the nightlight and turns off the lights as we snuggle into the bed. I narrate a story to her as she lays in bed. Sometimes she falls asleep during the story and at other times she doesn't which is when we then say our holy versus before calling it a night.
Hugs and Kisses
Whether she is asleep or on the verge of falling asleep, both hubby and I hug, kiss and cuddle her before we hit the bed. Not to forget whispering some sweet words to her, kind of makes up for the crazy day we’ve had.
This is our bedtime routine, but one must always tailor-make their individual routines as per the needs of the child. No two children are the same and thus the needs are different as well. Last but not the least, make sure you visit your regime every few months cause as your child grows, her needs shall change too.
Have fun, relax and sleep tight.
~ Heena
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