Bedtime routine

DD is almost 1 & a half and has always fought me to go to sleep (nap & nighttime.)
Lately it's been getting so much worse.
We usually wash up, get pj's on read 2 books, rock her for about 10mins & put her in crib.
The second I sit down to read with her she refuses to sit still, I make her sit & we get through the routine kicking & screaming.
Should I change the routine or stick to it & hope she will eventually get better?

Re: Bedtime routine

Maybe she's just not into books yet. I wouldn't torture her with it. If you have to literally hold her down while she's screaming and force her to sit still while you read to her, then I'm worried that you're really going to turn her off to reading in general.

Maybe she's just anxious to get to bed (my 15 mo. old dd loves it - spends a lot of time in there rolling around, talking to her dolls, etc.). Could you do some of that routine - the songs, the books, etc. - in an area separate from her crib? Or maybe she doesn't need that whole rigamarole. Is she a good sleeper? Would she sleep if you just put on her pjs, sang her a song while you carried her to her crib, and set her down?

Re: Bedtime routine

We are still working on getting rid of bottles. My boys are almost 16 months.

We change them into PJs.
Give them bottles while they watch a few minutes of TV.
Tell them it's time for bed.
We put them in their cribs with a couple of toys
Put on their white noise machine.
Kiss them good night.
Lights out!

My boys will not sit still for a book ... ever!! I would be torturing them to sit for reading a book at bedtime.

Re: Bedtime routine

Our routine is similar but we also brush teeth and put on their CD. They have both said that it calms them (but mine are now older 3 and 5).

Re: Bedtime routine

Thanks for the advice!
It's funny because she usually loves "reading". She's always reading books but when it comes to bedtime she runs away because she knows it's time for bed.
After we did 2 weeks of CIO :( she was able to fall asleep when I put her in awake but for some reason that changed & she's been getting worse every night. I'm hoping it's a phase.

Bedtime routine

at 8:20 we say OK time to brush youtr teeth. We go brush teeth, change her, put chapstick on, then she goes into her sleep sack, kisses DH goodnite, he leaves then she kisses me goodnite, we turn off the light and she goes to bed. She plays with her Minnie & Mr. bear for about 30 min before falling asleep. She loves to play in there. In the morning she will play for up to an hour before I get her most mornings, mostly because she will fall asleep, wake up, fall asleep etc.

Re: Bedtime routine