Adding This Step to Our Toddler's Bedtime Routine Changed Everything

Spoiler alert: It's OATMEAL. Let me tell y'all why we keep oatmeal stockpiled in the house at all times (and even pack it for overnight road trips):

My baby girl was breastfed; she also bed shares with us well into her toddler years. We started feeding her oatmeal before bed at around 12 months, and have been doing so for the last year and a half since. The reason is simple: mom guilt. Every night, I'd wonder if my daughter had eaten enough at dinner, if she was hungry, and if those midnight cries for milk and crackers were rooted in hunger. So when I started night weaning, I struggled with where to draw the line.

A nightly helping of oatmeal with almond or pea milk has changed that for me, and full nights of sleep followed shortly thereafter (without the cry-it-out method: no judgement, just not for me). I should also be clear that I'm referring to good old steel cut oatmeals, not the processed baby cereal that goes in a bottle. I'm generally pretty anti-that stuff.

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So here's what our evening routine look like:

6:30: Dinner

7:00: A book or a dance party (or both)

7:30 Bath

7:50 A bowl of warm oatmeal

8:00 Brushing of the teeth

8:05 Snuggles and bedtime

I feel great knowing that my little one is going to bed with a full, warm belly. And she gets a clear signal that bedtime has arrived (and a reason to sit still for a few minutes). It's a win-win situation! And we won't be changing it anytime soon!

Try it, and let me know how it works for you!

With Love,

Desiree

#tipoftheweek