Benefits of Bath for Bedtime
Are you looking to create a bedtime routine? Have you considered incorporating bath time into your bedtime routine? Bath time for babies has more benefits than just keeping them clean.
Consistency and Predictability - Having a bedtime routine allows children to know what’s coming and what to expect. When you do the same routine for bedtime, it creates a positive sleep association. Kids will know the routine signals bedtime and sleep and it helps them prepare for bedtime. A consistent routine also helps avoid resistance especially in the toddler years when they start having their own opinions on EVERYTHING. Bath time is a great option to include in the bedtime routine because I suggest to the families that I work with to choose calming activities versus energizing ones.
Destress and Relax baby - All the senses are engaged in bath time. "Gently rubbing your baby’s skin in the bath slows down the physiology, so it slows heart rate, it slows blood pressure, it changes brain waves in the direction of relaxation. So it’s basically a relaxation kind of response that occurs to having pressure receptors stimulated,” says Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Bath time can be a great segue into Infant Massage. To learn more about infant massage check out my interview with Jackie King, Infant Massage Specialist.
Keeps baby clean - Eating is a whole body sensory activity for babies when they are learning to eat and as they get older and continue to explore new foods, textures and levels of self feeding. The mess they create can make bath essential. Incorporating bath time after dinner can be a great way to allow that positive sensory exploration and then lead into the bedtime routine.
Conversation Starter - Bath time requires complete supervision and is a great time to start conversation with baby. Exposing them to new words, sounds, language and eye contact. This is a great way to encourage language development!
Body Temperature - Did you know that our body's core temperature naturally dips down at night for sleep? Taking a warm bath before bed can help babies body naturally cool down and naturally prepare for sleep!
Are you struggling with your child's sleep and interested in experiencing a Total Family Sleep Transformation?
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