by Tabitha Blue posted in Parenting

We all dream of those sweet cuddles with our babies -- those delicious moments that make everything else like messy diapers and late nights worth it.
Then reality hits. Sleep can feel like an elusive parenting goal. Our babies were used to being cocooned snugly in utero -- once they're born, establishing a successful bedtime routine can be a tall order, for them and for us. Thankfully, you can create a successful bedtime routine with the help of a few items you may not have even realized you needed.

1. A song or lullaby
Even though your wee one may not be able to understand the lyrics quite yet, a bedtime song is more about how you sing than what you sing. Your baby is already used to your voice at birth, and singing or humming is a great way to reinforce the sense of security and well-being they remember from the womb. It's even shown that the cadence of a lullaby calms both the singer and the listener. 2. A video monitor
Imagine this: You hear your baby fussing, but know they're on the edge of sleep. Suddenly the fussing stops and though you're pretty sure your baby has drifted off to dreamland, you need to be certain. Opening the door, however, causes a stir and moments later you're back to square one. Enter the video monitor! Yep, when we first got one, I wasn't convinced we needed it, but quickly it became clear it's a necessity for successful bedtime at our house. Now we can check up on our little one without actually disturbing ...