The Ideal Bedtime

When deciding what the best bedtime is for your little one, the most important thing to focus on is that your baby is getting 10-12 hours of nighttime sleep.

In todays society, early bedtimes can be very difficult for families to achieve. Although my guidelines do suggest a 7:00-8:00 pm bedtime for most age groups, if this is just not achievable for your family, don’t stress!

Remember, the goal is 10-12 hours of nighttime sleep. If your baby has the ability to sleep to 9:00 am, then yes, a later bedtime is more than ok. However, If you have a strict morning schedule and baby needs to be up at 6:00 am, I would not put baby to sleep at 9:00 pm bedtime.

When starting your baby’s bedtime routine, you want to aim 30-45 minutes prior to when you want them in bed. For example, if your baby has a bedtime of 8:00 pm, then realistically you would want to start getting them ready for bed around 7:15-7:30.

A bedtime routine is something i suggest all parents implement with their little ones. Keep it simple, and keep it consistent. Having a bedtime routine can help your baby relax, wind-down and prepare themselves for sleep. Studies have shown that having a consistent bedtime routine can also help in the natural production of melatonin!

Check out the guide below for the ideal bedtime based on your baby’s age.

If you are struggling with your little ones bedtime schedule and sleep, click here for a step by step guide to better sleep.