Soothe your baby with the power of night-time routines

Rituals benefit people of all ages, but babies in particular thrive on a daily sequence of events. The more regularity in a little one’s life, the greater the chance that the brain and body develop properly: this is an excellent reason for every parent to practice daily habits with his or her bundle of joy.

Bathing with your baby

Just like massage, baths are universally accepted as an easy way to de-stress. Unless your baby gets overly excited by bath time, then it’s a perfect activity to include in a night time routine. Although they really only need bathed once or twice a week, if you use products that are specially designed for baby’s sensitive skin (the Tiny Rituals line is highly recommended!) you can do it more often and your little miracle will start to associate baths with sleeping.

A good night’s sleep thanks to massage

Research indicates that a massage before bedtime helps them sleep better and can relieve stomach cramps. What follows are some simple instructions to get you started:

1. Lay your baby comfortably on his stomach, with his head turned to one side.

2. Pour a few drops of baby oil on your hands and rub them together to moisten and warm them up.

3. Begin stroking from the forehead over the top of his head, then down to the nape of his neck.

4. Massage across each shoulder from the center of the neck out to the arm, one side at a time.

5. Run your fingertips down the back of your baby’s legs, then back up.

6. Repeat this same motion along the backs of your baby’s arms.

Story time with their favourite sound

You can never start too young when it comes to story time. Even though your baby won’t be able to follow the narrative, she will be soothed by her favourite sound—your voice. She fell asleep to it many, many times while inside the womb, after all. Additionally, studies show that the earliest exposure to vocabulary makes all children better prepared when it’s time for them to learn to read on their own. So, incorporating story time into baby’s nightly routine is both calming and stimulating.

This kind of daily routine doesn’t just make your baby feel safe and comforted, it also strengthens the bond between you. Just like every other practice, it’s a moment to slow down and live in the moment—and that’s exactly what you want.