The Bedtime Routine

Last night was our first concerted effort to put Zoey to bed in her actual crib. I was determined to get things started on the right track.

We started with a bath around 8pm. Zoey has now had two baths in her infant tub, and once she gets used to the idea she actually seems pretty content in there. When we were giving her sponge baths, she screamed like crazy. Watching her just sit back and coo in the tub is very cute. I will sit on the edge of the tub in my bathing suit, not hesitating to pick her up and hold her to comfort her. When I sit her back in the tub she just looks up, looks around.

When it was time for bed, I turned down the lights, readied the radio/CD player, set-aside my night light so I could read while comforting Zoey, and brought her in. Zoey will lay in my arms while soft lullabyes play on the CD and while I'm reading a little Harry Potter (Order of the Phoenix). When she's fallen completely to sleep, I slowly get up and place her in her crib. I turn the CD player to radio and let the white noise of static soothe her further into sleep.

Since we have our guest bed in the baby's room, I just turn in for a couple quick Z's while Zoey is sleeping. After about an hour of peaceful rest, she'll wake and fuss, grunt and cough for another hour, but she's still sleeping (even if I'm awake). The 3rd hour of rest usually requires some holding and rocking until she's ready for her feeding.

All in all, I count it a success that Judy and I can keep Zoey in her crib throughout most of the night and that she is getting the rest she needs. We just need to train ourselves to sleep through her night sounds and wake when she actually cries and needs our help.