Life

Ashley Batz/Romper

8 Moms Share The *Most* Adorable Part Of Their Baby's Bedtime Ritual

by Kate Brierley

So many moms will undoubtedly agree that there’s just something sacred about a baby’s bedtime ritual. Sure, there’s the obvious fact that you’ve survived another marathon day and are about to get some well-deserved rest yourself. (Heck yes!) But it’s more than that; there’s an unspoken magic that comes along with bedtime. Chaos is replaced by calm, and from the sweet to the silly and everything in between, traditions are born that you won't soon forget.

My personal favorite part of my bedtime routine from growing up was when my mom would sing me “You are my sunshine” right before bed. Fast forward 28 years, and I found myself standing in my first-born’s nursery, completing an updated version of the same routine with my sweet baby boy. After he was freshly bathed and diapered in a blankie-soft Pampers Swaddlers Overnight, snuggled into his coziest jammies, and happily swaddled, I would scoop him into my arms and sing him the very same song my mom had serenaded me with so many times before. Over the years he started singing along, and today — at 5 years old — he still requests the "sunshine song" at bedtime. (*Sniff* No, you're crying!)

Whatever your special routines and rituals look like, Romper and Pampers know that bedtime is where it’s at, which is why they've teamed up to ask eight millennial moms their most cherished moments of the nightly routine. Take their answers in below, give yourself a minute to swoon, then sneak in a few extra sweet cuddles with your own cozy little one tonight.

Ashley Batz/Romper

"All three of my kids have different routines. My youngest Will is usually the last one I put to sleep and it’s so serene to sit in the dark and rock him while breastfeeding. Everyone is snuggled into their beds and it’s quiet and extremely peaceful to close the day with him like that. I realize how special these moments are!" —Megan, 35

"My favorite part of our bedtime routine for my one-year-old Graham happens around 15 minutes before it’s time for bed. He suddenly gets quiet, finds a lovey, and comes to snuggle with me on the couch before climbing into bed. Heavenly cuddles!" —Elise, 30

"I always massaged my daughters with lavender-scented lotion before bed. They loved it so much!" —Maricarmen, 35

"My favorite bedtime routine is that we don’t have one. My little guy is 22 months. He loves to sleep so much that most nights when we say it's bedtime at 6:30 p.m., he nose dives into the crib without a care in the world!" —Patrice, 35

Ashley Batz/Romper

"My favorite part of Jordan's bedtime routine was rocking him while giving him his bottle and reading whatever stories he happened to be obsessed with that week. He wouldn't get in his crib until every one of them was read, and I had sung 'Wheels on the Bus' at least 10 times!" —Jesse, 31

"I end the day by laying with my baby, and he embraces my hand with both of his little chubby hands and holds it over his heart. Every. Single. Night." —Tiah, 38

"My favorite part of bedtime for Anneliese, who still takes a bottle, is that she plays with it while she drinks it by pretending to give you some, and then whipping it away and laughing before finishing it. The joke never gets old!" —Jen, 34

"My favorite part of our bedtime routine — minus the deliciousness of a freshly bathed baby slathered in lotion and powder-scented fresh Pampers — is that since birth I've played him [one of my favorite popular pop songs]. He will stop whatever he's doing, hold my face in both of his little hands, move his head to the song, give me a kiss on the lips, and then snuggle in. Gets me every time." —Kristin, 35

This post is sponsored by Pampers Swaddlers.