- How to make the baby fall asleep alone in the crib
- When the baby should move to his room
- Why baby should not be left crying
The baby can already start sleeping alone in his room when he starts to sleep a full night or when he starts to breastfeed only every 4 hours, so that the mother only has to get up to go to the baby's room only once. night.
Babies should sleep in their parents' bedroom at least 4 months of age for safety. If the thought is for convenience to the mother, due to breastfeeding, the deadline should be when he is 9 or 10 months old, because after this time the baby may find it strange to stay in his room alone and have more difficulty falling asleep.
It is important to remember that the baby up to 2 years of age should never sleep on his stomach, as there is a great risk of suffocation. It is best to always place the baby on his back.
To reassure the parents, what you can do is put an "baby monitor" in the room, next to the baby, to listen and see if everything is okay with the baby, without having to enter the room.
How to make the baby fall asleep alone in the crib
To teach the baby to fall asleep alone in the crib, parents can:
- Place the baby in the cradle while still awake: At that moment the baby must be calm, peaceful and sleepy, notably a baby who is not in these conditions will not fall asleep alone in a peaceful and peaceful way. Prefer a cradle that rocks: Cradles that rock from side to side favor the child's sleep, and can be used from the first week of life. Not having many stimuli in the room, opting for clear walls, without many toys or colorful ornaments also help the baby to fall asleep. Putting on low, monotonous music, like classical music or with 'the sound of the' womb 'also helps a lot the child to sleep alone. An adult must stay in the room: When the mother stays in the baby's room and places him in the crib to sleep, he must have a very peaceful environment, without very bright light. Staying in the bedroom folding baby clothes and whispering a lullaby can help your baby fall asleep without being on your lap. The adult should stay in the room until the baby is asleep. Over time it will become easier and easier for him to fall asleep in that way.
However, there are babies and children who need their parents' attention and comfort, and prefer to sleep on their laps, in a rocking chair, or when parents walk around the room, rocking. Each baby is different, and parents must be attentive to the baby's needs for their safety and healthy growth.
Check out other 6 steps to teach your baby to sleep alone in the crib
When the baby should move to his room
The baby can sleep in the parents' room even when they find it necessary, either for convenience because the baby wakes up many times during the night, for example, or because the baby does not have a room just for him. It is not recommended to have more than 2 adults in the baby's room, so in the case of a house with only 1 room and 2 or more children, the possibility of a larger house should be considered, where there will be more space.
When the baby already sleeps all night, or wakes up only 1 time in the middle of the night, and the parents have observed that this happened for at least 1 full month. You can move the baby to his room so that he can sleep alone. The baby can also sleep in his room as soon as he arrives from the maternity, however, in the first months of life it is normal for the baby to wake up many times during the night, to breastfeed or because he is scared. Parents should go to see the baby whenever he wakes up, which can become tiring, so it is not recommended that the baby always sleeps in his room, alone from the first week of life.
Why baby should not be left crying
Crying is a primitive form of communication, and the baby cries when he is hungry, cold, hot, uncomfortable, ill, afraid, or needs companionship, the preferred one being, normally, that of the parents. When the baby cries, he knows that he is attracting attention and that he needs something, that he does not always know what it is, but he is aware that crying an adult will appear.
Therefore, it is not recommended to leave the baby crying for more than 5 minutes, because important brain changes can happen and because this compromises the baby's notion of safety. Babies who, when they cry, are taken care of, are calmer and emotionally safer throughout their lives.
