Johnson's® 3 Step Baby Sleep Routine
Our JOHNSON’S® 3-Step Routine incorporates bath time and massage, two key rituals that help engage your baby’s sense of smell and touch while strengthening your bond and preparing him for a good night’s sleep.
With over a decade of scientific partnerships with behavior and sleep experts, we know just how important a good night’s sleep is to the overall health, cognitive ability and the mood of your little one, as well as the happiness of the whole family. This is why we evaluated over 80,000 baby sleep profiles, leading to the discovery of the importance of bed time rituals, and the development of our clinically proven 3-step nighttime routine. Read on to learn how to help your 7- to 36-month-old little one sleep better and longer, and get started tonight.
Baby Sleep in 3 Easy Steps
The beautiful journey of parenthood comes with its own share of challenges, and putting a baby to sleep is one of them! Watch this video to see a funny take on the challenges parents like you face and the Johnson's® Bedtime range which can help your baby sleep.
The unique 3-step routine from JOHNSON’S® is the first and only nighttime routine clinically proven* to help babies and toddlers 7 to 36 months sleep better in just one week.
Try it for 7 nights and see what a difference it could make to you and your baby.
Step 1 – Warm Bath
Bath time is the perfect way to start your baby’s pre-bed routine. Use a wash with an enjoyable and familiar scent to help your baby sleep better. In studies, babies bathed with a fragranced bath product (compared to those who weren’t) spent nearly 25% less time crying before sleep.
There are lots of ways to help build confidence and make bath time a success. Remember, very young babies need constant support in water, so never take your hands off them. Keep the water shallow. Babies don’t need more than 2-3 inches, depending on age. And never leave any baby, regardless of age, alone in the bath, not even for a minute!
Prepare the bath Have everything ready before you start. Keep the water shallow—up to 5 inches. Check the temperature with your elbow or a thermometer before putting your baby in; the water should be warm, but not hot. Pour in a bath product and swirl the product through the water to mix evenly and to make sure there are no “hot spots”
Prepare your baby Gently put your baby into the bath, supporting his body in the water.
Wash Use your hand to gently splash water over your baby's body. Most babies enjoy stretching out their arms and kicking their legs during cleansing and rinsing, so take your time washing your baby.
Dry Lift your baby out of the bath, wrap him in a warm towel and dry him thoroughly.
Step 2 – Baby Massage
A soothing massage is a wonderful way to make your baby feel secure, loved and ready for sleep.
Research has shown that routine touch and massage improves sleep quality and quantity when part of a bedtime routine. Massage can also help you recognize and respond to your baby's body language and it's a great way to make your little one feel safe and secure. In fact, research has shown that there are significant health benefits to baby massage, and it's also a perfect time to bond with your baby.
Before you dress your baby for bed, apply a small amount of baby oil or baby lotion to the palm of your hand and then softly massage it into your baby's skin.
There's no one way to massage your baby—follow your intuition along with the sequence suggested in the newborn, six week plus or six months plus massage guide and you'll soon discover what works best for you and your little one.
Tips for Massaging Baby
Step 3 – Quiet Time
After giving your baby a warm bath and a relaxing massage, it's time to send him off to sleep with a little quiet time together.
Close contact between you and your little one helps calm your baby’s breathing, a great reason for a post-bath cuddle.
Make sure you keep the atmosphere calm and cozy. You can help your baby wind down further by reading or singing softly. If you choose to feed at this time, be sure not to feed your baby to sleep.
It's best to avoid active play at this time, so your baby goes to bed sleepy but still awake. This will help him learn how to self-soothe and get back to sleep on his own if he wakes up during the night.
*Tested on babies 7 months and older
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