Melbourne

It's hard, for sure. I experimented with lots of stuff. There was an aquarium DVD with soft dreamy classical music that was mesmerising, and I used to play it before bed. It went for about 45 minutes and came to signal "bedtime" when it was over. They loved that until it stopped working and I never found a replacement :( I found a bath before bed was a no go, as they seemed refreshed and revitalised by it and were actually harder to get to settle. I also experimented with lavender oil spray (not the aerosol one, it doesn't smell nice) on the soft furnishings in the room or the straight oil on a cloth hanging near the bed, and lavender scented baby massage lotions administered via soothing back rub. I had night lights which cast patterns of slowly circling stars and moons or rippling water patterns on the roof. All of these things worked to varying degrees. Elder turned out to be a "rain noises and mood lighting" kinda guy. In the end Miniest was having none of it. Nothing but my presence would put her to sleep. I'd put her in her bed and go to mine, only to wake up later and find she'd snuck in during the night and fallen asleep with her foot touching my leg so she'd know I was there. Sometimes I'd carry her sleeping form back to her bed a few times, only to find each time she'd woken up and snuck back lol. It was destroying both our sleep so in the end I just gave up and allowed it. It's so hard sometimes, finding their little bedtime thing. No advice to offer really but boy do I hear you! I hope you find your Tiniest's bedtime something and your sanity and sleep doesn't suffer!