Bedtime routine for babies and toddlers: what to include and when to start

What researchers discovered

For a 2015 study published in the journal Sleep, researchers asked mothers of 10,085 children aged birth to 5 years, in 13 countries and regions, how often their child had a bedtime routine. Sleep was better the more nights each week the routine took place. A consistent routine went along with:

• Bedtimes that came earlier
• Falling asleep faster
• Night wakings that were fewer and shorter
• More sleep across the night

According to the authors, starting a routine earlier is better. Because the study relied on what parents reported, it shows an association rather than proof of cause, but the pattern held strongly and consistently.

Brush, Book, Bed: the AAP’s simple version

• Brush: help your child brush their teeth every night.
• Book: share a favorite book, or maybe two.
• Bed: go to bed at the same regular time each night.

The AAP also cautions against putting a baby down with a bottle of milk, formula, juice or any other sugary drink.

A solid routine is the foundation. If your baby keeps waking at night even with one in place, what’s usually missing is the way they fall asleep, and that is what Actually Sleeping fixes.

How routines help

Think of a routine as a series of cues. When the same steps come in the same order each night, a child learns that every step leads toward sleep, and their body begins to wind down before lights out. Predictability cuts down on protest too: a toddler who knows exactly what happens next has less to bargain over. The AAP’s parent site recommends putting babies down drowsy rather than waiting until they are asleep, so they learn to fall asleep by themselves.

When a good routine falls short

Lots of families do a beautiful routine, with bath, book and song in the right order every night, and still have a baby waking every two hours. A routine prepares a child to fall asleep well, but by itself it doesn’t change the way they fall asleep. If it finishes with your baby asleep at the breast, on the bottle or on your shoulder, they will need that same thing every time they wake between sleep cycles.

Routines drift, too. The feed slides toward the end. Two books turn into five. One parent does things one way, the other parent another. Every change is small and sensible, yet together they can stretch a 20-minute routine to an hour.

Where the routine fits in an Actually Sleeping plan

With Actually Sleeping, the routine is one piece of a custom plan Dr. Sam writes for your baby. The plan positions feeds, sets a bedtime that suits your baby’s age and naps, and, above all, teaches your baby to fall asleep independently once the routine ends. You get bootcamp-style coaching before the first night and daily 1:1 check-ins, and we coach naps until they are solid. Because we work with babies and toddlers from newborn on, a toddler’s routine can be rebuilt in the same way. Listen to parents in our 129 client video reviews.

We guarantee that your baby will sleep 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days of consistent, correct implementation of your sleep plan. If that doesn’t happen, you receive a full refund. You can also read how sleep training works.

If your routine is flawless and your baby still wakes, book a free consultation.