Implementation of a nightly bedtime routine: How quickly do things improve?

Implementation of a nightly bedtime routine in infants aged 8-18 months reduced sleep onset latency most rapidly in the first 3 nights, with no significant additional improvement thereafter.

Effect: improvement; b = -1.29 min/night (Piece I); CI: 95% CI -1.86, -0.72

A nightly bedtime routine reduced both the frequency and duration of night wakings in infants, with rapid improvement in the first 3 nights and continued smaller improvement through 2 weeks.

Effect: improvement; b = -0.12 wakings/night (frequency, Piece I); b = -3.00 min/night (duration, Piece I); CI: 95% CI -0.17, -0.07 (frequency); 95% CI -4.14,

A nightly bedtime routine increased the longest consolidated sleep period in infants, with rapid improvement of approximately 17 min per night over the first 3 nights and continued improvement of appr

Effect: improvement; b = 0.29 hours/night (Piece I, ~17.4 min/night); CI: 95% CI 0.18, 0.41

A nightly bedtime routine improved maternal perceptions of bedtime ease, infant sleep quality, and infant morning mood, with the most rapid improvement in the first 3 nights and continued smaller impr

Effect: improvement; b = -0.19/night (sleep quality, Piece I); b = -0.14/night (bedtime ease, Piece I); b = -0.12/night (morning mood, Piece I); CI: 95% CI -0