Before she closes her eyes at night, 8-month-old Ava Ruzza listens to mom read "Goodnight Moon."

Soft music and prayers help settle Annelise Kelly, 11 months.

Skipping or shortening these evening rituals can mean trouble, their moms say: for Ava, more wake-ups during the night; for Annelise, a tougher time winding down.

The bedtime routine has always been "a peaceful way to end our day and something we both enjoyed," says Ava's mother, Leyna Hanan-Ruzza, of Brooklyn, N.Y. "But now I know it is a crucial part of her sleep pattern."

She's right, say researchers and parenting experts: The tried-and-true techniques parents use to calm lively children before lights-out can work wonders on infants too.

"Even the youngest baby will understand that when I have a bath and get into my pajamas and listen to these lullabies, I'm going to sleep," says Elizabeth Pantley, author of "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" (McGraw-Hill, 2002). "A routine moves them from one state to another."

Babies who suck on books and don't understand stories may seem too young to benefit from many parts of a bedtime routine.

But good sleep habits established in infancy are likely to carry over into childhood and beyond, says Jodi Mindell, author of "Sleeping Through the Night: How Infants, Toddlers, and Their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep" (Collins, 2005).

"We know without a doubt that just having a bedtime routine has a huge benefit on babies and on moms," says Mindell, professor of psychology at Saint Joseph's University and associate director of the Sleep Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

She led a 2005-06 study of 58 infants age 7 months to 18 months that suggested that babies who have consistent bedtime routines fall asleep faster, sleep for longer stretches and awaken less often at night.

Mothers in the study, funded by Johnson & Johnson, followed a three-step routine with their little ones - a bath, a massage with baby lotion, and a quiet activity such as reading - for two weeks. In addition to better sleep for their babies, the moms reported a reduction in their own anxiety and fatigue.

Carrie Kelly, of Colorado Springs, Colo., started a bedtime routine with newborn Annelise when they came home from the hospital. Quiet play ("not roughhousing," says mom), a bath and a massage precede story time, prayers and breastfeeding.

"We try to just keep things low key, as low key as you can," Kelly says.

When the routine is disrupted, Annelise may take 45 minutes, as opposed to the usual 15 or 20, to move from rocking chair to crib.

A common mistake is starting the process when children already are overtired. They have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep, Mindell says.

Pantley suggests a bedtime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. for infants. The routine, she says, should begin about an hour before lights-out.

Early bedtimes also give mom and dad a much-needed respite. "Parents need time to wind down and rejuvenate and get ready for another busy day running after an 18-month-old," Mindell says.

Working parents often are tempted to keep babies up later so they can spend more time with them. Pantley suggests scheduling a morning playtime instead.

Other keys to a consistent bedtime routine:

• Choose three or four activities that you and your child enjoy, and do them in the same order each night. If your baby hates taking a bath, do that earlier in the day, Mindell says.

But what if the bedtime routine strays from tranquil to turbulent?

Even the best routines fall apart from time to time, experts say. Here are some solutions to problems that can disrupt a soothing nightly ritual:

• Problem: Kids wise up to the routine and fight it.

She recommends a routine that allows children choices, such as which pajamas to wear or which two books to read. "They will feel like they're in control," Mindell says.

Another option: Craft an illustrated chart on which kids can see each bedtime activity and, if they're old enough, check off each task as it's completed.

"When your child knows the exact routine, you won't be dealing with repeated requests for something different," says Elizabeth Pantley, author of "The No-Cry Sleep Solution."

Each night Grace Adams Urbinato, 4, pulls a flower stick from a bucket. Printed on each is the name of a song, and the one she picks becomes that evening's lullaby. Her sister, Andie, 2, generally prefers "Edelweiss" or "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

The girls have had a routine since infancy and love it, says their mom, Allysa Adams of Phoenix. "That's what they expect, that's what they want, particularly books and a song before bed."

• Problem: Older siblings make noise or need attention while you're putting an infant or toddler to bed.

Pantley, a mother of four, suggests including brothers and sisters in the routine.

"I nursed the baby while I read books to my older children," she says. "That way everyone was relaxed and quiet."

Problem: Your work schedule or other activities often prevent you from getting your child to bed on time.

Solutions: "If inconsistencies are consistent — for example, three nights a week you get home at 5 p.m., two nights a week you get home at 6 p.m. — you can simply create two different routines based on your arrival time," Pantley says. "When you get home later you can eliminate a step, such as bath time, or shorten parts of the routine to make up for lost time."

Problem: You've let the routine slide during holiday time or a vacation.

Solutions: It's OK to be more flexible at Grandma's house or a hotel, Mindell says. Just make sure to resume the routine "from the very first night you get home," she adds.

Pantley advises taking the ritual on the road if possible.

"The basic flow of the bedtime routine should remain intact - pajamas, story time, back rub, lights out," she says. "This can prevent vacation-time meltdowns and a struggle to get back on track once you return home."

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