Baby Bedtime Routine: Steps by Age

A good baby bedtime routine is a short set of quiet steps you do in the same order every night: for example a wash or bath, a fresh diaper and pajamas, a feed, a book or song, then into the crib. You can start a loose version in the newborn weeks and make it steadier from about 3 to 4 months. Most sources suggest keeping it to about 20 to 30 minutes.

This guide covers the evening itself: what to do, in what order, and how it changes from newborn to toddler. For how many naps your baby needs during the day, see the nap schedule by age. For total hours, see how much sleep a baby needs.

Bedtime routine by age at a glance

Age	Routine length	Typical bedtime	Key steps
Newborn (0 to 3 months)	No set length. Keep it loose	No set bedtime yet. Sleep comes in short pieces around feeds	Dim lights, quiet voice, feed, diaper, back to sleep. Bright, active days
3 to 6 months	About 20 to 30 minutes	No major source gives one for this age	Wash or bath, diaper and pajamas, feed, song, into the crib drowsy (from 4 months)
6 to 12 months	About 20 to 30 minutes	Usually between 6 pm and 10 pm	Bath or wash, brush the first teeth, pajamas, feed, book, into the crib drowsy
12 to 24 months	About 20 to 30 minutes	Often between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm	Teeth and diaper, quiet play, story, comfort item, bed, goodnight

The routine length comes from an NHS children’s sleep service (about 30 minutes) and Raising Children Network (starting around 20 minutes before bedtime). The bedtimes come from Raising Children Network’s guides to baby sleep at 2 to 12 months and toddler sleep. They are ranges, not targets.

What research says a routine does

Most of the evidence comes from two studies led by sleep psychologist Jodi Mindell. In a 2009 randomized trial, 405 mothers of babies aged 7 to 18 months and toddlers aged 18 to 36 months, all of whom reported at least a small sleep problem, were split into two groups. One group did a set routine every night for two weeks: a bath, a massage (lotion for toddlers), then quiet time such as cuddling or a lullaby, with lights out within 30 minutes of the end of the bath. In that group, children fell asleep faster and woke less often and for less time at night. In the infant group’s sleep diaries, the longest stretch of sleep grew from 6.9 to 8.5 hours. Mothers’ mood improved too. The group that kept its usual evenings didn’t change much.

In a 2015 survey of more than 10,000 mothers in 13 countries and regions, children who had a routine more nights per week had earlier bedtimes, fell asleep faster, woke less and slept longer. Among babies and toddlers under 3, 23.3% of mothers with a nightly routine reported a sleep problem, compared with 47.2% of those with no routine.

Both studies have limits. They rely on what parents reported, not on sleep measured with a device. The trial lasted only three weeks and tested one routine, so it can’t say which step mattered. The survey shows a link, not proof of cause. And both were funded by Johnson & Johnson, a maker of baby bath products. The AAP’s advice points the same way: its Brush, Book, Bed page says a predictable routine helps children know what comes next.

When to start

You can start in the first weeks, as long as you keep it loose. The AAP says good sleep habits start at birth, and its healthy sleep habits page says it helps to start early with a bedtime routine. The NHS suggests teaching day from night from the start.

A newborn won’t follow it yet. The AAP says babies don’t have regular sleep cycles until about 4 months of age, and the NHS says newborns wake repeatedly in the night for the first few months because they need to feed. Around 3 to 4 months is when a routine starts to have something to hold on to.

A simple routine, step by step

Pick the steps that suit your family and keep the order the same. This version fits what the AAP, NHS and Raising Children Network describe.

Bath or wash. A bath doesn’t need to be nightly. Raising Children Network says 2 to 3 baths a week is enough to keep a baby clean, and a daily bath is fine if you both enjoy it. On other nights, wipe hands and face.
Fresh diaper and pajamas. Dress your baby for the room. The AAP says a baby needs only one layer more than an adult would wear, and suggests a wearable blanket if your baby seems cold.
Feed. For most babies under a year, a milk feed is part of bedtime.
Teeth. Once the first tooth appears, the AAP says to brush with a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice, and that the toothbrush should be the last thing to touch the teeth before bed. That’s why brushing often comes after the last feed.
Book or song. The AAP suggests reading together after brushing and before bed. A lullaby works just as well for a young baby.
Lights down, into the crib. From about 4 months, the AAP suggests putting your baby down drowsy rather than already asleep.
Goodnight. A short phrase you say every night becomes the last step.

The NHS describes much the same: a bath, night clothes and a fresh nappy, a story, dimmed lights, a kiss and cuddle, and a lullaby. Raising Children Network says dim light and little noise might help a child settle.

Example routines by age

Newborn (0 to 3 months): loose and simple

A newborn’s day is a loop of feeding, changing and sleeping, so the evening routine is mostly about telling night from day. The NHS suggests opening curtains and playing during the day, and keeping lights low, voices quiet and play to a minimum at night. Put your baby down soon after feeding and changing, and change them at night only when needed.

A newborn “routine” might be: dim the lights, feed, change, a short song, then into the bassinet on their back.

3 to 6 months: a routine takes shape

Now you can settle on a fixed order. An example evening:

Wash or bath (5 to 10 minutes is plenty)
Diaper, pajamas or wearable blanket
Feed in a dim room
One song or a short book
Into the crib, drowsy if possible, on their back

If you swaddle, the AAP says to stop as soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll, which usually starts around 3 to 4 months.

6 to 12 months: add teeth and books

By now the routine can include brushing the first teeth and a short board book. Raising Children Network says babies at 6 to 12 months usually take less than 40 minutes to fall asleep, though some take longer. Separation anxiety and new skills can make bedtime harder around 8 to 10 months. Our guide to sleep regressions explains what’s going on.

Toddlers (12 to 24 months): same order, more say

Raising Children Network’s sample toddler evening is teeth and diaper, then quiet time with a book, then into bed. Toddlers like choices. Let them pick the book or the pajamas, but keep the order fixed. After the first birthday, the AAP says a favorite comfort item at bedtime is fine, as long as it has no buttons, ribbons or loose stuffing.

The AAP’s toddler bedtime tips also suggest the same bedtime every night and avoiding active play right before bed.

Feeding to sleep and night wakings

The NHS says that if your breastfed baby dozes off during a feed, you can carry on until they’ve finished or are fully asleep. An NHS children’s sleep service says it is okay to let your baby fall asleep during a feed or while being held. That’s normal in the early months.

From about 4 months, the AAP adds a caution. A baby who is held or rocked to sleep may struggle to go back to sleep after waking at night, because the situation has changed. Putting your baby down drowsy gives them practice falling asleep in their own bed. It won’t work every night.

One way to meet in the middle: feed earlier in the routine, before the book or song, so the feed and the falling asleep drift apart over time. Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle. The AAP’s Brush, Book, Bed page advises against putting babies to bed with a bottle of milk, formula or juice.

Night waking is normal through the first year. The AAP says a 6-month-old may wake and go back to sleep after a few minutes. For the feeding side, see our feeding schedule by age.

Room setup and safe sleep

The routine ends where your baby sleeps, so that’s where the safety rules apply. From the AAP’s parent guide to safe sleep:

Place your baby on their back for every sleep, naps included.
Use a firm, flat surface. Nothing inclined more than 10 degrees.
Keep the crib bare: a fitted sheet only, with no pillows, blankets, bumpers or toys.
Share a room for at least the first 6 months, but not a bed.
Don’t use weighted blankets, sleepers or swaddles.
Don’t let your baby get too hot. No hat indoors.

If your baby falls asleep in a car seat, swing or carrier during the routine, the AAP says to move them to a firm, flat surface on their back as soon as you can.

Screens and light

The AAP says to turn off all screens at least an hour before bedtime and to keep TVs, tablets and phones out of children’s bedrooms, especially at night.

Daylight helps too. The NHS sleep service says daylight is for being awake and darkness is for sleeping, and suggests opening curtains and getting outside in the morning. It also says starting your baby’s day at the same time each day can help, and that you may notice fewer night wakings after about 2 weeks.

When two parents or other caregivers do bedtime

If you and a partner take turns, agree on the steps and their order, and write them down. You’ll each do it a little differently, and that’s fine. Different steps every night are harder for a baby to learn.

Sharing bedtime also means sharing the night. The NHS notes that partners can split feeds, and our guide to sharing night feeds with your partner shows a few ways to set that up.

For grandparents, babysitters and child care, Raising Children Network suggests describing your child’s sleep routine to anyone who will care for them, and packing anything that helps your child settle. It also says not to assume other carers know safe sleep practices, so check the sleep space yourself.

Travel and daylight saving time

Travel

Keep the same steps in the same order, even if everything else is new. Raising Children Network says familiar rituals like a bedtime story help a child settle in a different place. If you’re crossing time zones, it suggests shifting meals, bedtime and wake time toward the new schedule a few days before you go, and getting outside in daylight once you arrive.

For sleeping, the AAP says to use a portable crib or play yard instead of bringing your baby into your bed, to check that it’s in good repair, and to use only the manufacturer’s mattress. Bringing a familiar crib sheet can help a baby who isn’t used to new places.

Daylight saving time

The AAP suggests nudging naps and bedtime a few minutes each day in the direction the clocks will change, starting about a week before. It says the spring change is usually easier for young children, while the fall change can bring early bedtimes and early wake-ups. Kids usually adjust within about a week.

Common problems and what to try

Bedtime keeps getting later. Raising Children Network suggests bedtime fading: move the routine about 15 minutes earlier every few days.
Your baby is overtired by bedtime. The AAP says not to wait for eye rubbing or yawning, since that’s probably too late, and that moving bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier can make a big difference.
The bath winds your baby up. Move it earlier in the evening, or skip it on some nights. A wash at the changing table works as well.
The routine has grown to an hour. Cut it back to the steps that matter to your baby. Around 20 to 30 minutes is a common guide.
Your baby falls asleep during the feed every time. That’s fine in the early months. From about 4 months, try moving the feed earlier in the routine.
Bedtime suddenly falls apart. New skills, teething, illness and separation anxiety can all disrupt sleep for a while. See our guide to sleep regressions before changing everything.

When to talk to your doctor

Most bedtime trouble passes. Talk to your pediatrician or health visitor if:

Your child snores often, has trouble breathing at night or is very sleepy during the day. The AAP lists these among the signs of sleep apnea and says to tell your pediatrician right away. If breathing stops for more than 20 seconds, or the skin looks pale, bluish or grey, call 911.
Sleep problems drag on and nothing in the routine seems to help. The NHS suggests speaking to a health visitor about sleep problems and routines.

Get urgent help if your baby is hard to wake or can’t be woken, is breathing very fast or with difficulty, or is floppy. The NHS lists these as signs of serious illness, and also says to trust your instincts. Our guide on preparing for your baby’s checkup helps you bring the right details.

Log bedtimes for a week to see if it’s working

A single rough night says little about whether a routine works. For a week, write down when the routine starts, when your baby falls asleep, and how many times they wake. If falling asleep is getting quicker and bedtime is staying steady, the routine is doing its job. If bedtime keeps drifting later, start the routine earlier.

Vivi Baby is a newborn and parents companion app for iPhone (iOS 18 or later) and Apple Watch (watchOS 26 or later). You can start a sleep timer when your baby goes down and stop it when they wake, from your phone or your wrist. No account is needed, and the log is stored as plain files in your family’s own iCloud Drive. Logging is free, and anyone you share bedtime with can log too.

Everything is free except three advanced features in Vivi Plus ($4.99 per month or $44.99 per year, 14-day free trial). Checkups gathers growth, medical notes, recent stats and your questions before a pediatrician visit. Sleepy Time estimates the next nap and bedtime using rules, not AI; the baby sleep predictions page explains how. Insights spots patterns in what you log and compares them with WHO, CDC and AAP guidance, linking each source. Prices are on the Vivi Plus page. Get Vivi Baby.

A notebook works just as well. Look at the whole week, not the worst night.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start a bedtime routine with my baby?

You can start a loose one in the newborn weeks. The AAP says good sleep habits start at birth, and the NHS suggests teaching the difference between day and night from the start. A steadier routine usually takes shape from about 3 to 4 months, when the AAP says regular sleep cycles appear.

How long should a baby's bedtime routine take?

About 20 to 30 minutes is a common guide. An NHS children's sleep service suggests about 30 minutes, and Raising Children Network says a routine might start around 20 minutes before bedtime. In the best-known trial, lights went out within 30 minutes of the end of the bath.

Is it OK to feed my baby to sleep?

Yes, especially in the early months. The NHS says to carry on feeding until your baby has finished or is fully asleep. From about 4 months, the AAP suggests putting babies down drowsy but not yet asleep, because a baby rocked or held to sleep may struggle to resettle after a night waking.

What time should my baby go to bed?

There is no single right time. Raising Children Network says babies aged 6 to 12 months are usually ready for bed between 6 pm and 10 pm, and toddlers often between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm, depending on when they wake up.

Does my baby need a bath every night?

No. Raising Children Network says a bath 2 to 3 times a week is enough to keep a baby clean, though a daily bath is fine if you both enjoy it. On other nights a quick wash, fresh diaper and pajamas can take its place.

Can I put a blanket or soft toy in the crib to help my baby settle?

Not before the first birthday. The AAP says to keep pillows, blankets, bumpers and toys out of the sleep space and to avoid weighted sleep products. If your baby seems cold, a wearable blanket is the AAP's suggestion.