Sleep is a wealth that young parents so lack. Night rest is of particular value, during which the reserve of strength is restored. If the baby constantly sleeps with his parents, everyone will have poor sleep.
Some children sleep restlessly because of the smell of milk. Moms and dads don't get enough sleep due to anxious monitoring of the newborn's position. Therefore, the ideal option is to teach your child to sleep separately, in his own crib. Features of training depend on the age of the baby, the capabilities of the parents and on the correctly selected children's bed.
Should you give in to a child who refuses to sleep in a separate bed?
Did you buy a new bed, but it turned out that your little one is not ready for a change and the new place to sleep only brings tears? Do not give up. Think of ways to help your baby love her new bed. Sometimes, in order to teach a child to sleep on an adult bed, you need to play on it, sleep during the day, or sleep with mom. If the described approach does not work, return the crib.
Some babies are simply not ready to be transferred to an adult bed. The child needs to develop certain cognitive abilities to understand that the bed has imaginary boundaries. The main thing is not to turn sleeping on an adult bed into a punishment.
If your child takes a long time to fall asleep at night and often gets up and wanders around the house, he may not be old enough for an adult bed. Just like with the potty, sometimes it's worth taking a step back and putting the diapers back - or in this case, going back to the crib - and trying again later. This does not mean that the baby is developmentally delayed. He just needs more time.
And realize that when the little one starts sleeping in a separate adult bed, this event will mark a new stage in his life. Now he has become even more mature!
Conclusion
There are many reasons for teaching a child to sleep in an adult bed: lack of space in the house, the arrival of a second child, or your own whim. But remember: the only reason for moving to a new place to sleep should be the baby’s internal readiness, which often arises by the age of 3. It may not appear on its own. Start preparing your little one for the upcoming event: tell him that adult babies sleep in adult beds, and that mom, dad, grandparents will be proud of his actions. It usually works!
When should you teach your child to sleep on his own?
You can teach your baby from an early age, following the rule, the sooner the better. But if the child is on breastfeeding, and at the same time also sleeps with his parents, then it is worth putting the baby to bed separately after weaning. But keep in mind that the older the child gets, the morally harder it is for him to fall asleep separately, and therefore for the parents too.
Important : A newborn baby is naturally too small to fall asleep on his own, but nothing prevents parents from developing a reflex for the baby to sleep separately. But over time, you won’t have to listen to hysterics and wipe away tears by putting the child in another bed. Although every parent decides this dilemma for himself. After all, the whole family should also get enough sleep. But you shouldn’t delay it for more than 1 year. At a younger age, they quickly get used to their crib.
The following are the main signs when the baby is ready to sleep independently and separately:
- as we have already mentioned, this should be done when the baby has already been weaned and has safely forgotten about it. That is, it took about 2-4 weeks. After all, each child experiences this purely individually;
- he already sleeps all night or at least about 6 hours. But practice shows that the lack of need for breastfeeding delays frequent waking up. If a child sleeps with a pacifier, then this will not guarantee that he will not wake up at night. After all, it acts on the principle of the breast. Therefore, it is necessary to fight it, but not necessarily right away. You shouldn’t give your baby two stresses at once;
- a little hint - the child does not require the constant presence of his mother and can walk in the room on his own for at least 20 minutes, then he is ready to sleep separately;
- and if he notices his mother’s absence, no matter whether it’s day or not, then he doesn’t throw tantrums and a hail of tears;
- and he has already developed the concept of “mine.”
But it’s worth taking a little time if you notice:
- the baby often wakes up at night, especially against the background of overexcitation of the nervous system;
- or he generally painfully endures parting with his mother;
- premature babies may be more attached to their mother;
- the same applies to children who have received congenital, or during childbirth, trauma of any nature;
- when the baby is sick, of course, wait a little;
- If you recently went to kindergarten, do not rush to shift your baby. Perhaps the adaptation period has not yet passed. The baby will recover from the first stress.
Important: If you are in an interesting position, and your tummy is already visible, then you should not teach your baby to sleep on his own. The fact is that children perceive this as the appearance of a rival. After all, without him, the baby slept with his mother. Therefore, in such cases, accustom him to his crib in the early stages of pregnancy. If you are expecting a second baby, then get used to your crib before the arrival of a brother or sister
Up to a year
Moving a baby into a separate room is a big decision. At the age of up to 1 year, the baby really needs mother's milk, the warmth of her body and constant care.
This act has other negative sides:
- It is difficult to maintain the optimal temperature in a separate room.
- Parents are not around to cover or uncover the baby in time.
- Mom will not get enough sleep, constantly running into the room to the little one who asks for attention.
Still, many parents who choose this option are satisfied and point out its advantages:
- The baby immediately gets used to his room, and then he doesn’t have to change anything.
- The children's bedroom is always quiet. Nothing prevents the baby from resting peacefully, and mom and dad can watch TV, talk and go to bed whenever they want.
When deciding to move your child to a separate room, think about his safety. The baby has not yet learned to crawl - what if he accidentally buries his nose in the blanket? Do not leave soft objects in the crib; remove the pillow. Place the crib itself away from sockets, electrical appliances and batteries. For the safety of the child and your own peace of mind, you can install a radio or video baby monitor so that you always know what is happening with the baby.
1-2 years
Most often, children are moved to separate rooms when they are 1-2 years old. This is due to the fact that at this age:
- breastfeeding often stops;
- the regime has already been formed;
- The baby eats less at night.
Most children aged 1.5-2 years easily get used to their rooms. To facilitate this process, parents need to do everything gradually:
- first teach the child to sleep in his crib;
- then start putting the crib in the nursery for daytime sleep;
- For some time, mom or dad should sleep during the day next to the child (the child is in his own crib, the adult is on the sofa).
If a child is capricious, then it is difficult to come to an agreement with him, because persuasion and explanations do not yet work on him. Therefore, if the baby begins to pee in his pants again, throws tantrums more often, gets nervous, bites his nails, or does something else, then it is better to postpone moving to a separate room.
Pros and cons of co-sleeping
Lactation consultants actively advocate for co-sleeping. And in some ways they are right when it comes to infants and children receiving artificial nutrition. But before you teach your child to fall asleep in a crib, you should compare the main pros and cons of sleeping together.
The main advantages of sleeping in a parent's bed:
- The mother does not have to constantly get up and pick up the baby to feed or change clothes.
- Thanks to a sufficient amount of sleep, a woman maintains a normal milk volume (the main volume of prolactin is produced at night).
- Constant close contact between the newborn and parents provides a more relaxing rest.
- Formula-fed babies can sleep better thanks to the warmth and pleasant smell of their mother.
But we must not forget about the negative aspects of sleeping together:
- A separate place on the bed should be allocated for the child. Often the father is forced to sacrifice his sleeping place and goes to sleep in another room. In some families, this negatively affects the relationship between parents.
- The longer the baby sleeps in his parents' bed, the more difficult it will be to accustom him to his sleeping place.
- The parent's bed does not meet the needs of the child's body. Also, the infant body is not always able to resist even simple adult infections.
- Parents' sleep may be too superficial and disturbing, as they will be afraid to accidentally lie on the baby and disturb his sleep.
Modern psychologists note that children who have slept for a long time in their parents' bed are too attached to their mother. Although attachment to school decreases, in the period up to 6 years, some families have difficulties getting their children accustomed to kindergarten and developing independence.
On a note. If sleeping together is necessary for all family members, then you should not refuse it. For example, if the mother goes to work very quickly after the birth of the child and does not have contact with the baby all day. Then the newborn gets the lack of contact during night sleep.
What to do if your child still doesn’t want to fall asleep on his own: tips
According to many pediatricians, a healthy child cannot stay awake for very long, and in any case, sooner or later he will fall asleep. But if you are sure that your baby is completely healthy, and sleep problems do not go away and the baby completely refuses to sleep separately from his parents, then you need to look for a different reason.
- Perhaps your daily routine is not organized correctly. For example, during the day the baby does not move enough, does not walk much in the fresh air, but in the evening, on the contrary, he behaves actively. Accordingly, it is quite difficult for him to calm down.
- Is he hot or cold? Therefore, adjust the temperature in the room. By the way, the optimal temperature is approximately 18-20 °C, and the humidity is no more than 70%.
- The baby is hungry or thirsty. But you shouldn’t be fooled if he asks for 3 servings per evening. Children often want to “drink-eat-toilet” before going to bed, just to delay time .
- The baby may be teething or have a stomach ache.
Important: Even if the child is sick, you should not put him back with you. After all, then the whole process will need to start all over again.
Control the schedule, which should not change every day.
Do not immediately panic and worry about the fact that the child does not want to sleep on his own. If this is an infant, then it is necessary to accustom him to sleep in his own bed gradually, because... For a baby, abrupt separation from his mother can be stressful. Of course, this process requires patience and persistence.
Important: If you have already started teaching your child to sleep on his own, then do not deviate from the schedule. Always stick to the same time.
As you can see, it is possible to teach your baby to fall asleep on his own in his crib. The main thing is not to be led by the child, and at every cry, run and take him in your arms. The faster you can teach your child to sleep separately and fall asleep without motion sickness on his own, the faster the parents themselves will begin to get enough sleep.
Lullaby for a baby
