Why Your Baby’s Bedtime Routine Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Work

Babies aren’t robots (and neither are you)

If you’ve ever found yourself panicking because the clock’s ticked past 7pm and your baby isn’t asleep yet, you’re certainly not alone.

There’s so much advice out there pushing the idea of a “perfect” bedtime:

“Baby should be down by 7 on the dot,”

“Don’t let them go past their wake window by even 10 minutes,”

“You’ll ruin tomorrow’s naps if bedtime slips…”

It’s enough to make any parent feel anxious. But the reality is, babies aren’t robots — and neither are you.

🕯️ Why a relaxed, consistent routine is better than a rigid one

What actually helps your baby sleep well isn’t a perfectly timed bedtime. It’s a predictable, calm sequence of events that signals sleep is coming and a parent who’s feeling relatively calm and steady too.

For example, a routine might look like this:

• Quiet play or stories

• Bath or nappy change

• Into pyjamas and sleeping bag

• Milk feed in dim light

• A cuddle and a song

• Into the cot while still slightly awake

Whether that happens at 7pm or 7:30pm really doesn’t matter as much as we’re often led to believe. Babies thrive on consistency over perfection. A relaxed approach like “bedtime happens somewhere between 7 and 7:30” is absolutely fine.

💭 It matters for your mental health, too

Being overly strict with timings often creates more stress than it prevents. You’re watching the clock, feeling tense if things slip and your baby picks up on that.

When you give yourself a bit of grace and flexibility, it’s better for your own mental health. And in turn, your little one feels more settled.

Your calm is their calm.

🌸 A few gentle tips for a balanced bedtime routine

✨ Aim for a consistent flow, not an exact time.

Try to keep roughly the same order of events each night so your baby knows sleep is coming. But let go of the idea that it must be at 7:00 sharp.

✨ Watch your baby, not just the clock.

Sleepy cues like rubbing eyes, zoning out, tugging ears.....these matter more than the time on your phone.

✨ Lower the pressure.

If bedtime was a bit late tonight, or your baby was unsettled, it’s okay. One evening won’t undo everything. Tomorrow is a new day.

✨ Look after yourself.

Have something small to look forward to once baby’s down like a cuppa, a favourite show, a chat with your partner. Your evening matters too.

🤍 The bottom line

A good bedtime routine doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective. In fact, trying to make it perfect often does more harm than good.

So give yourself permission to be a bit flexible. Stay consistent in the pattern, not obsessed with the minute. Your baby will still learn to wind down and sleep well — and you’ll all feel a lot more relaxed for it.

🔍 FAQs

Does my baby need to be asleep by the same time every night?

Not exactly. It’s more important that the bedtime routine is consistent, and that they go to bed when they’re showing sleepy signs. A 20–30 minute window is absolutely fine.

Will a slightly later bedtime ruin naps the next day?

Generally no, one off day or evening won’t derail your baby’s sleep. It’s the overall pattern that matters.

What if our evening gets thrown off completely?

That’s life. Try to keep the wind down routine shorter but familiar, and start fresh the next night.

🌿 Need a bit of personalised support?

My whole approach is about working with your baby’s natural rhythms, in a way that feels manageable and reassuring for you as well.

If you’d like some guidance that’s calm, straightforward and truly personalised, I’d love to help.

➡️ Book a free 15-minute call

or

➡️ Download your age appropriate “Online Sleep Success” guide to get started.

Because at the end of the day, your baby needs you, not a perfect clock watching routine.