The baby is gradually growing up, and the crib is still idle, because he has already got used to his mother's warmth and categorically opposes moving to a new place. Not only the child is nervous, but also the mother, and the father is also dissatisfied.

If parents want to know how to teach a child to fall asleep on their own, then you should listen to the recommendations of pediatricians, psychologists and more experienced mothers who were able to survive the stage of accustoming a baby to a crib without any problems.

Parents, choosing with whom the child should sleep, often decide in favor of co-sleeping.

In addition, many proponents of natural parenting also advocate a strong baby-mom bond, especially during the newborn period. But such habits also have disadvantages.

pros

• an infant at 1 month constantly wakes up at night to get enough of mother's milk. It is not easy for a woman to get up every time, to lift the baby out of bed, to breastfeed and put him down again;
• The largest amount of prolactin (the hormonal substance responsible for the production of milk) begins to be produced precisely at night. Lack of sleep, resulting from the constant motion sickness of the crumbs at night, negatively affects the volume and quality of the chest secretion;
• bodily contact between mother and newborn allows you to connect biological rhythms. Therefore, when falling asleep together, the mother and baby rest together: after applying to the breast, the child calmly dozes, therefore, the parent also falls asleep.

Minuses

• a child at 4 months only seems small, but on the parent's bed it can take up quite a lot of space. The father turns out to be “third wheel” in such a situation, so he is forced to move to the sofa. Naturally, this has a negative effect on the intimate side of the life of the spouses;
• if a child at 2 years old does not want to sleep in his bed, then it is extremely difficult to accustom him to a personal sleeping place. In addition, there is often a "split" of the family on this issue, when the father seeks to send the baby to a separate bed, and the mother, feeling sorry for her beloved little one, wants to delay the moment of "separation";
• children's hygiene is more serious, so any infection can increase its impact in a closed bed environment. In addition, if dad smokes, then the baby may even experience allergic reactions to nicotine;
• very rarely, but still, tragedies happen when a tired mother crushes a baby who sleeps at her side. Of course, such situations are rare, but you should not forget about them and you should not go to bed tired with the child either.

Co-sleeping can help out in a situation where adults feel a lack of communication with the baby throughout the day. For example, when a mother goes to work literally 4 months after the birth of a baby and leaves during the day.

From the point of view of psychologists, children who slept in their parents' bed in infancy are more dependent on mom and dad. However, strong attachment is noted at an early age, then, if there is no excessive guardianship in education, relations are normalized.

The question of how to accustom a newborn to a crib almost never arises from parents, because if a child is put to sleep in his own bed from the first days of life, then there will simply be no problem with weaning.

If the child, from the moment of birth, fell asleep with his parents or mother, weaning will be delayed. That is why it is necessary to choose an age that is most favorable from a psychological and physiological point of view.

During this period, the number of night feedings is significantly reduced, the baby can sleep through the night without waking up. Also, at 6 months, the child rolls over without the risk of suffocation and this process does not need special control.

However, this age period is just a recommended period, since it is imperative to look at the characteristics of the baby. Will It is easier to teach a child to sleep in a crib if:

• the baby is able to sleep soundly at night (the number of night awakenings is 1-2 times);
• natural feeding has either already been stopped, or the mother is breastfeeding the baby three times a day;
• the baby does not cry and does not scream if he does not see mom and dad when he wakes up;
• he is able to remain alone for a quarter of an hour;
• he seeks to push off from his parents during sleep;
• the baby was born full-term, does not suffer from chronic diseases;
• weaning from the parental bed does not coincide with stressful moments (teaching potty etiquette, the birth of a brother / sister, entering kindergarten, weaning).

Solving the problem of how to teach a child to sleep separately does not involve depriving the body of contact with the mother, but demonstrating the benefits of independent sleep.

If the child does not want to sleep in the crib, the problem may be in his separate bed. In such a situation, you should purchase a special side bed.

This type of furniture is an ordinary cradle, but it lacks one side. Thus, the crib flows smoothly into the bed for the parents, and vice versa.

With the help of special fasteners, a bed for a child is installed on the same level as an adult bed. The baby, as it were, falls asleep separately, but is next to his mother.

A mother can breastfeed her baby at any time, without even having to get out of bed. Having sated, the child quickly closes his eyes, feeling the warmth of the mother's body. Affectionate mother's touches will also contribute to calming.

When the baby grows up a little (for example, at 2 or 3 months), a small side is created from a diaper in his bed for some separation from the mother. After another 4 weeks, the wooden board returns to its place, usually during this time the child has time to get used to the bed.

After a while, the bed is gradually moved away from the parental bed. This sequence allows you to avoid violent reactions from the child and prepare the mother psychologically for "parting" with her child.

How to accustom a child to his crib?

Of course, first of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the needs and desires of the baby. However, we should not forget about the interests of adults. So, the popular TV doctor Komarovsky is convinced that you should not sacrifice yourself to the kids.

This means that you need to act decisively and take into account the interests of each household member. After all, if mom or dad doesn’t get enough sleep or wakes up broken, no one will feel better from this.

Transferring a baby to a separate crib requires consistency, patience and consideration of the child's age. Of course, the methods chosen will be different in 3 months or 3 years.

As already noted, the most favorable period for weaning a baby from the parental bed is considered to be the age of six months, plus or minus a few weeks.

In infancy, the baby tends to quickly part with habits. What can be done in this case:

• experienced mothers are advised to carefully monitor children's reactions. In order for the baby to fall asleep faster, you need to put him to bed not according to the established schedule, but at the first sign of fatigue. Otherwise, the active child will start spinning in the cradle, reaching for the handles;
• you can influence the subconscious mind by creating a connection between a certain action and falling asleep in an infant. A baby already at 4 or 5 months old is able to “track” the connection of bathing, relaxing massage and laying in bed. Also, a lullaby before bed can be a good ritual;
• a baby bed is a place designed exclusively for falling asleep. You need to feed, play with the baby in completely different corners;
• if the baby falls asleep immediately after feeding, you need to put a diaper under the baby. After a quarter of an hour (when the baby falls asleep deeply), you need to move the baby to bed. In addition, a soft diaper will retain the mother's smell, which will contribute to sound sleep;
• how to teach a newborn to sleep separately? Usually there are no problems with such a small baby. But for a good sleep, you can create the conditions for the baby to which he is accustomed in the mother's womb. Experienced mothers advise swaddling a baby up to 4-8 weeks, then this method no longer works.

If a child sleeps with his parents until about the end, then he learns to constantly contact them. Therefore, touch is extremely important to him.

In order to wean a one-year-old child from sleeping together with mom and dad as painlessly as possible, it is necessary to try to compensate for the number of touches and tactile proximity throughout the day.

This will allow the baby to feel surrounded by tenderness and love. But psychologists do not advise taking it on hand. It is better to just stroke, kiss, demonstrating affection with the help of touches.

Children over 2 years old

If the parents failed to accustom the child to his own bed at 6 or 9 months, it cannot be unequivocally said that the good time has already been lost, and the baby will no longer get used to the new sleeping place.

• first advice: if the child does not sleep in the crib, you should accustom to a new sleeping place gradually. Use the hint above - use an attached baby bed. The baby will be nearby, but separate from the parents. Then the crib is moved away from the parent bed;
• It will be easier to accustom a child to a crib if you offer him to buy furniture himself. In stores there are models in the form of a car, a magic palace, an airplane, a ship;
• for the purchased bed, you need to buy related accessories: a blanket, a sheet, a soft pillow, new pajamas. If the baby is wary of the darkness in the nursery, get a night light;
• to accustom the baby to sleep will help his peers, they already have their own separate corner for sleeping. Go visit so your child can see how other children treat their own crib with respect and pride;
• the baby will get used to his crib more quickly if he sleeps in it during the day. When laying down, you need to cover the curtains, create a pleasant psychological atmosphere, for example, read a fairy tale or give the baby a massage. For sleep to come sooner, be sure to take a walk, let the child run and get a little tired;
• When the baby gets used to it, you can already switch to a night's sleep in the crib. Turn on a night lamp to eliminate various fears, read fairy tales. During the day, you need to deal with the child, so that by dinner he already feels pleasant fatigue. However, make sure that children do not overwork.

It may sound a little strange, but, first of all, the mother must want to sleep separately. During a joint stay in the same bed, a woman could get used to this situation, and now, on a subconscious level, she does not want to part with her child.

So, we found out that mother's anxiety and psychological resistance are transmitted to children, as a result of which the child does not want to sleep in a separate bed or simply cannot fall asleep.

In order not to spoil the process of accustoming to a separate bed, you need to avoid other common mistakes. For example, it is forbidden:

• intimidate children;
• refuse to turn on the night light;
• act in harmony with your spouse. It is important to first agree with the husband on the uniform requirements for the child;
• screaming, using punishment if the child refuses to sleep in the crib;
• to transfer a two- or three-year-old baby from the parent's bed to the baby's cradle, especially if she is in another room (this age period is the time for the appearance of fears);
• tease, call names, laugh at children's fears or unwillingness to sleep separately;
• discuss the current situation with other people, even relatives, in the presence of the child;
• leave the baby crying in bed for a long time when he wakes up and does not see his mother (also, you should not immediately run to another room at the first squeak);
• allow the baby to stay in the parent's bed. An accustomed child can try to sleep with mom and dad using various tricks, manipulating their feelings (an exception is if the baby is sick).

If replenishment is expected in the family soon, it is necessary to move the eldest child to a separate bed even before the birth of the youngest family member.

Otherwise, it will seem to the first-born that the change of the place of spending the night is connected with the birth of a brother / sister, as a result of which protest reactions and constant attacks of jealousy may arise.

As a conclusion

If the question of how to teach a child to sleep separately from their parents seems too complicated for you, you can seek qualified advice from a pediatrician or psychologist.

• it will be easier for a child to fall asleep alone if accustoming to a crib takes place in the optimal age period - from six to eight months;
• the younger the toddler, the easier it is for him to adapt to the conditions of falling asleep. Newborn babies usually (but not always) sleep peacefully without their mother;
• an extra bed is considered the best way to teach, which allows you to be close to the child and at the same time keep a certain distance;
• you should not delay moving to a personal baby bed until 2 - 3 years. At such an “adult” age, the addiction process will be seriously delayed and become more painful;
• you can’t punish, scold the child, otherwise he will perceive a separate falling asleep as a disciplinary measure, which is not very good for parent-child relationships;
• it is important to bring the issue of children's sleep to a common denominator by discussing all the rules with other household members. The process of accustoming to the crib can be delayed if the grandmother puts the crumbs under her side.

As you know, every change in a child's life is not easy. However, if you follow all the important rules and conditions, then very soon the baby will enjoy sleeping in his own bed, and you will enjoy peace and quiet, as well as a full-fledged marital relationship.

One of the main problems of young parents is the child and the bed. I want my baby to sleep in his own bed. This is safer than lying next to your mother, who can turn around in a dream and inadvertently crush the baby. In addition, co-sleeping does not allow a tired woman to sleep.

Psychologists say that a child is psychologically separated from his mother only at the age of 7 years. The baby still perceives the world outside the mother very poorly. It is important for him to hear his native voice, feel the touch, feel the familiar beat of his mother's heart. All this helps him cope with the anxiety of being in a new unfamiliar world.

But the mother is neither physically nor psychologically able to be with the baby 24 hours a day. And yes, it's bad for the little one. He needs to learn to be alone. This is necessary for the development of his mental and physical functions.

Note: If the baby is very anxious about the absence of his mother at night and does not want to sleep in the crib, you will have to meet him halfway. Then it is necessary to teach independent rest gradually, without violence from the parents. Otherwise, too much will be paid for a separate dream: the nervous system of the child.

The dangers of co-sleeping:

• Child trauma.
• Moral and physical overwork of the mother.
• Delayed development of mental functions. The self is a necessary condition for the full mental development of the child.
• Cooling feelings between mom and dad. Not every dad can stand the dream of three, and this, together with the general stressful situation in the house, can lead to an increase in conflict in a couple.

Remember, it is important to teach a child to sleep separately from their parents, but this must be done correctly and in a timely manner. A one-year-old breastfed baby up to 1 year old without the habit of a pacifier during periods of vaccinations, teething and physical ailments is better to put to sleep where he likes. In all other cases, slowly move towards independent sleep.

Rules and methods of accustoming to independent sleep

There are many tricks and secrets on how to get through this stage without tears and tantrums:

1. It is easy to teach a child to sleep separately from their parents if you were able to do this even at the stage of the maternity hospital. Does the baby sleep peacefully separately in the hospital? So you don’t need to pull him into a common bed at home - he feels good without it.
2. A calm pregnancy is an important condition for the nervous health of the child. Sleep the prescribed amount of time, do not overwork, avoid nervous overload, and the newborn will feel calm in a separate bed.
3. Correct daily routine. Active games in the morning, quiet games in the afternoon. Mandatory nap. Then the baby will come up tired in the evening, but not overtired, and will be able to fall asleep peacefully.
4. Proper bedtime rituals This is especially important for slightly older children. Bathing, bedtime story, sleep.
5. Learn gradually:

• lie next to you for a while until you fall asleep;
• give only a hand;
• do something near the baby;
• leave the door to the room open so he knows you are around.

It happens that a newborn categorically refuses independent sleep when the family is restless. The general nervous situation exhausts even a baby. He will need the extra comfort that is co-sleeping.

Download from the Internet the sound of the heart of an adult and turn it on while the child falls asleep. Pediatricians and psychologists say that the beat of the heart calms and sprinkles no worse than a lullaby.

Dr. Komarovsky draws the attention of parents to the fact that in the upbringing of children, the rules and the general attitude towards the child on the part of the family are important. The kid is a member of the family system, but not the main one. No need to rebuild your whole life for a little one. We need to integrate it into the family. Therefore, the child must clearly understand that in the house there is a living space for him personally (crib) and others (parents' bed).

We accustom to a separate sleep for months

How to teach a newborn, monthly, three-month-old child to sleep in a crib on their own? Some mothers share their experience of smooth training according to the following algorithm:

• a baby up to 4 months old falls asleep on his mother's chest and is transferred to the crib;
• at 5-6 months, mother cradles the little one in her arms to a lullaby;
• 11 months - 1 year, just to the song.

At 7, 8, 9 and 10 months, everything depends on the process of teething. The baby may sleep restlessly due to the fact that he is tormented by pain in the gums. In such cases, use a special liquid for pain relief. She will relieve the pain syndrome and the little one will fall asleep more calmly.

It's important to know! The crib works as an instant fall asleep place only when it is used only for sleeping. The kid woke up, take him out of there. Let him play and eat elsewhere. Put in the crib only when the baby is ready for bed.

At 1.5 years old, you can and should diversify the rituals of falling asleep. Add to them a soft toy, putting on pajamas, reading a book. At 2-3 years old, the next step is to have a separate bed. If the child is afraid, put the bed next to yours first. Decorate moving into your own room like a holiday.

Children's sleep- a vital process that contributes to a decrease in brain activity and a decrease in reaction to the outside world.
There are special attributes for each children's activity. Comfortable mattresses, cribs, pillows and bedding, toys and much more have been created for children's sleep. for a newborn and a newborn, you can read by clicking on the links.
How to teach a child to love and enjoy these benefits?
Sooner or later the baby will sleep in his crib. When this happens is up to your family to decide. The sooner this happens, the better - says the famous pediatrician Komarovsky.

Why doesn't the baby sleep in the crib?

There are several reasons why a child refuses his own place to sleep. The main reason is that parents are allowed to sleep together in an adult bed. Less often, when a child has serious mental disorders (fears and anxieties).
There are also many other reasons:

• The process of preparing for sleep is unorganized
• Acquired habit of sleeping with parents from birth
• Discomfort and cold
• motion sickness desire
• Hunger before bed
• Sickly baby regularly sleeping with mom
• Attracting missing parental attention
• Terrible dream.

The kid does not come to his parents' bed on his own, we, the parents, put him there, says E.O. Komarovsky.

When should you start teaching your baby to sleep in the crib?

The age when it is best to teach a little one to sleep on its own is individual. Some children sleep well from birth, while others cannot part with parental co-sleeping even by the age of 6.
Some experts lean towards the age of 6, when the mother can transfer the baby to the crib, and then to a separate room.
There are some signs that indicate the possibility of changing a child's sleep habits:

• Baby sleeps more than 6 hours a night
• Time of eruption of the first teeth has been overcome
• The baby switched to self-feeding (
• Passion for a toy or other activity lasts more than 15 minutes
• Baby is healthy
• Absence of any stressful situations
• Spends little time on hands
• Doesn't cry when waking up alone in a room
• Plays and imitates peers
• Distinguish between own and others.

If the child is already over a year old, and you are just thinking about separate sleep, it is never too late to start. The main thing to remember: if you decide and voiced a request to shift the baby to his bed - there is no turning back.

How to wean a child to sleep with parents and teach to sleep separately?

Let's look at a few situations that will help your family deal with the issue of baby sleep in their own crib.

1. We put a crib or sofa flush with an adult bed. The child sleeps in his place, while the parents are always nearby. Gradually we move the crib further, put it on the opposite wall, and transfer it to the next room.
2. Performing a sleep ritual. Calm joint actions with the child, which are repeated every day, will help the baby tune in to sleep. It can be: reading a book, making a bed, light massage, warm milk.
3. The baby falls asleep in the parent's bed with one of the parents. A soundly sleeping peanut is transferred to a crib. Thus, in the evening, he will receive the necessary parental attention and spend the night in his place.
4. The baby goes to sleep in his bed. Mom sits next to him until he falls asleep. You can leave a thing with your own smell next to the bed. The child, feeling it, will sleep peacefully. One option is to replace with a toy. Leave your favorite toy in your place and give her instructions to protect the baby and thank her when you return. The baby will associate her with you and gradually get used to sleeping with her.
5. Put the child in his own bed to start in the daytime, gradually moving into the nighttime sleep.
6. Put a large toy in bed between you and the baby, separating yourself from him. Gradually move the baby and the toy away from you, and then transfer them to the baby's bed. You can also put a heating pad in the toy. The warmth from it will soothe the baby.

There is no single solution for how to put a child in your bed. Pediatrician E.O. Komarovsky believes that the problem is solved within 2-3 days by pedagogical methods. At the same time, the strength of the desire of parents to break habits should be higher than the desire of the baby to sleep with their parents.
Recommendations of pediatricians from different countries:

• American - in the absence of night and restriction of breastfeeding, the issue is resolved within a few days;
• German - a separate daytime sleep; heating the bed before going to bed; use of a sleeping bag; be persistent; sleep ritual.

The presented situations can be combined, and most importantly, do not use violent measures. Everything should take place in mutual comfort.

How to accustom a child to a crib?

For the child to want sleep in a crib, it is necessary to interest him. You can buy a crib together in the store. And if she already is, introduce the baby to her. Wrap it in a beautiful package with a big bow or balloons. Buy a night lamp for your room. There are great options in the form of bright characters or projecting stars. Lure the baby with a beautiful baby bedding or an interesting toy that you can only play with in the crib.

Waking up and going to bed at the same time is the key to success for parents.

1. Three options: co-sleeping, bed in the room, another bedroom.
2. The number of hours for rest according to age.
3. Feeding in moderation.
4. Active day and quiet evening.
5. Fresh humidified air.
6. Bathing in cool water.
7. Clean linen made from natural fabrics, good mattress, pillow after 2 years.
8. Healthy and strong rest for all family members without exception.
9. Compliance with family-friendly bedtime.

Patience and perseverance. You will succeed.

Dear new moms putting their newborn baby to sleep in their bed, this article is for you. Many experienced parents have already passed this test and have kept quite vivid memories of it.

First, judge for yourself: who will like to think about how not to crush the baby sleeping next to you with a sweet dream at the most piquant moment of intimacy with her husband? Or just constantly control every movement in bed so as not to wake up the baby? Who needs a night's rest and sleep more than a nursing mother?

Secondly, think about the child himself. We have already talked about the danger of physical injury during sleep for a newborn child. It is not uncommon for tired parents to simply crush the baby in a dream. But even for a grown-up, one-two-year-old baby, sleeping in a parent's bed can cause trauma, but already of a psychological order. Child psychologists believe that continuing to sleep in the same bed with their parents during the period of awareness of their orientation, sexual development, a two-year-old child often gets a negative experience - for example, from a misunderstanding of what is happening between parents. Injuries, fears and a distorted perception of the intimate life of parents received in the period from one to three years, when the child has certain habits, behavioral factors, will negatively affect his entire subsequent personal life.

Believe me - for all interested parties (and you, and your husband, and the baby himself) it will be better if the newborn baby sleeps separately. But what if the baby is already accustomed to sleeping in the parent's bed? How to convince a child who does not want to sleep in his crib?

Let's listen to the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

It is easiest to accustom a newborn to a crib before the age of 6 months. It is clear that the baby will not get used to the crib right away, especially if from birth he is used to falling asleep while breastfeeding. But you can easily develop a habit in a six-month-old child in a couple of weeks, if immediately after feeding, as soon as the baby falls asleep, you find the strength to get up and put the baby to sleep in the crib. Sit or lie next to him, hum a lullaby softly. After such a ritual, a well-fed healthy child will calmly sleep separately from his mother for at least six hours. Especially if his bed will stand near the bed on the side of the mother: the baby will hear her breathing, smell her and even her heartbeat ...

The rules of children's sleep from Dr. Komarovsky (video):

Advice: do not begin bed-training your baby if he is unwell, teething, or agitated as a result of changes such as moving to a new place of residence, repairs, or other stressors. Wait a little, but don't drag out the process too much: remember that it is much more difficult to wean older babies from the habit of sleeping in their mother's bed. Here special tricks are needed.

Five great ways to get your baby to sleep in their own crib

1. When accustoming a child to a crib, be sure to strictly follow the rule: “A bed is a place to sleep, and only to sleep!” Do not feed the child in bed, do not play with him: wake up - leave the bed, and then do what you want. Your own bed should become a symbol of peace and relaxation for the baby.

2. Before putting the baby to sleep in the crib, spend "sleeping ceremony". That is, create a bedtime ritual and strictly adhere to it.

So: if you want your baby to have sweet dreams at 22:00, start "sleeping ceremony" at half past nine, or at nine, but not later. What is the best way to start teaching your baby to the crib? First, bathe the child, then feed, support the baby and let it burp. Then you can quietly turn on the lullaby, ventilate the bedroom, turn off the lights, curtain the windows, turn on a nice night light and put the baby in the crib. If you perform all the actions in a routine rhythm, while telling the baby in a quiet, calm voice what you are doing, a one-year-old child will yawn by the end of the usual ritual and fall asleep with pleasure if you sit next to him.

With older children, you will most likely have to tinker longer: to calm them down and arrange them for sleep, include the process of collecting toys and changing into pajamas in the sleeping ceremony, and do everything together and positively, without any shouting or prodding.

Remember, the best assistant to you at this point will be a strict daily routine. Just please, never change the order of your actions: our children are terrible conservatives by nature! They will be happy to listen to the same favorite fairy tale before going to bed, and they will be terribly dissatisfied with the changes with which you will try to flourish a story that is pretty boring to you, a hundred times retold ...

How to put the baby to sleep and move him to the crib (video):

3. When accustoming a baby to a crib, be patient. Don't leave him alone, don't leave as soon as you put him to bed. You can teach a baby to sleep in a crib only if you respect his right to decide when to sleep. If the child passed "sleeping ceremony", he is already quite ripe for sleep. But if he's still awake, don't push him with demands. "come on, close your eyes", do not rush to rocking if he is a little naughty. Turn on the flickering newbie for him, let him lie down and look a little at the iridescent images. Switch his attention to something monotonous, monotonous, but pleasant - some mothers use a softly lit aquarium with fish, others use a mobile rotating above the crib. Remember: accustoming a baby to a crib is possible only with pleasant sensations. Then you can calmly say at the end of the ceremony - and now we'll go watch the fish! And the baby happily agrees to lie down in his bed, because only in it he will see this beautiful sight ...

4. To teach a child to sleep in a crib, reinforce the child's desire to go to bed with obligatory traditional caresses. That is, before going to bed, you definitely need to hug, kiss and confess your love to each other. This simple rule will not only give the child a firm confidence in your love and protection, but also allow you to train your child to the crib in the fastest and most effective way. Especially if you are busy during the day, and you can’t always give your child enough time.

5. Remember that not only mom, but also dad can put the baby to bed! If a baby needs a mother as a source of life, warmth and nutrition, then an older child may lack the attention of a father. And the Pope, sacredly observing "sleeping ceremony", can perfectly teach the child to sleep in the crib, while strengthening feelings of love and trust in his family.

Five mistakes that will prevent you from teaching your child to sleep in his own crib

1. Your own desire to keep the baby with you is the main obstacle. You will never be able to teach a baby to sleep in a crib if you yourself do not realize the need for this and do not want it.

2. It will be difficult for you to teach your baby to sleep in a crib if the TV does not stop in your house, music is playing loudly or loud conversations are being conducted. The noise excites the baby, he is looking for maternal protection and is unlikely to agree to be left alone in a frightening environment. Therefore, when accustoming a baby to a crib, agree with the whole family to observe "silent hour".

3. Sending an older child to sleep in a separate bed will prevent you from violating the daily routine. If the baby has nowhere to go from a separate bed, and he will express his protest and dissatisfaction only with a loud cry, an older child will simply show up in your bed and resolutely refuse to leave it when he is bursting with strength and emotions. If you don’t want to calm down a child who has played out half the night, stop all noisy games and entertainment an hour before dinner, leave calm fairy tales, good cartoons and lullabies for the evening. And so that the child uses up the reserve of strength and breathes fresh air - two hours before dinner, breathe fresh air with him, go for a walk.

We teach the child to sleep separately (useful video):

4. Some inexperienced mothers, starting to accustom a newborn to a crib, leaving the child in complete darkness. Not seeing the mother, not feeling her warmth and not hearing the beating of her heart (the sound that accompanied him all his conscious life in the womb), many babies begin to panic and perceive with horror attempts to leave them alone in the crib. In order not to develop a similar negative reaction in your baby, be sure to leave a weak night light on.

5. Some parents decide to forcefully accustom the baby to the crib. They leave the baby alone, allowing him to cry until he drowns himself and falls asleep. This technique often makes children unnecessarily nervous and excitable. Please remember: A newborn in the crib must feel the presence of the mother, so be sure to stay close until he falls asleep.

Summing up: how and when to accustom the baby to the crib?

It is best to accustom a newborn to a crib from the very moment of birth. Or don’t put it off for a long time: after seven months, retraining the baby will turn into a problem. To put a three-to-six-month-old baby to sleep in his own bed will help you a simple hour "sleeping ceremony". With older children, a clear daily routine and a more complicated ritual will help, at least an hour and a half. As well as soft bedroom lighting, fresh air and nice things like a rotating night light, an aquarium with fish and communication with dad, which the child can only get on "one's own territory".

And finally, one more piece of advice from Dr. Komarovsky.

If your baby suddenly stopped sleeping in the crib, do not rush to scare him and punish him. Most likely, something frightened the baby. Deal with the cause of fear, eliminate it and try to make the baby look forward to the time when he will be allowed to climb into his bed! After all, he is already quite big, and like all adults he has the right to sleep in a Separate Own Bed!

A problematic question for all parents is “How to teach a child to sleep in his own crib?” appears in the first months of a baby's life. From the very birth of a child, there can be no question of the baby sleeping separately. To be honest, a mother is more afraid of sleeping separately than a baby. It is fear that prevents the approach of the moment when mother and child will sleep in different beds. But this moment must come. The main condition for this is timeliness.

The impact of co-sleeping in the first months of life on the emotional bond between mother and baby

What could a mother be afraid of? Observations show that the absence of a baby “at hand” at night is the cause of the parent’s frequent anxiety. This is due to poor control over the condition of the newborn.

Mom is forced to wake up often, check the calmness and well-being of a child sleeping a few meters away. Co-sleeping in the first months is a must, and is an important undertaking. Just yesterday, the baby was in the mother's womb for 9 long months, was one with her, was very sensitive to any fluctuations in well-being and the environment.

Such a close emotional and physical connection should not be broken abruptly. In the first year of life, the human cub develops the so-called "basic trust" in the world. It lies in the fact that the youngest member of the family, living in a comfortable environment, concludes for himself that life is good. And if problems arise (typical for babies under the age of one year - hunger, cold, etc.), then the mother will immediately correct the situation.

Such a conclusion is necessary for the correct formation of a person’s emotional health, and the mother, who is always nearby, is responsible for this. Is it worth talking about the level of emotional connection that arises this year between them?

This opinion is shared by a large number of perinatal psychologists. But, these conclusions have not been unequivocally confirmed., and the practice of co-sleeping cannot be advised on the basis of such judgments. This opinion is shared by a well-known TV presenter, pediatrician, Ph.D. E.O. Komarovsky. Check out the video for his answer to this question:

The importance of quality and long-term rest

Sleep is the time when our body recuperates from the hardships of the day.

The older the person, the shorter the duration of normal, sufficient sleep. This is what happens in adulthood. Some may think that babies have no reason to be tired, because they lie almost all day. This is a fundamentally wrong opinion. An adult spends about 1500 Kcal just to maintain the body's natural processes.

The newborn is growing from the first moments of his life. Huge energy reserves go to the physical development of the body - the growth of bones, organs, brain development. At the same time, sleeping 20 hours a day is the norm.

Closer to the age of one year, the duration of rest will decrease, but will remain at a fairly high level - about 14 hours. The goal pursued by nature is the full, high-quality development of a healthy child's body.

Graduality is the main principle

As already said - abruptly refusing to sleep together is highly undesirable. The kid will take it negatively, it will seem to him that he was abandoned. Abruptly lost feeling of a parent next to him can lead to serious consequences.

A night fright can lead to the need to visit a neurologist in the future.
Therefore, it is simply necessary to know how important it is to teach your baby to sleep in the crib gradually and slowly.

In the early stages, you can simulate a "separate" stay by placing the crib side by side with the parent's bed. So the child will be nearby, in quick access, under control, but already within the walls of his bed.

Over time, the crib should be set aside for a greater distance, but within the same room. When ready, the crib can be moved to a separate room. But in no case should one emotionally distance himself from the child, referring to his imaginary independence. He should always hear his parents and understand that they are nearby.

What prevents a child from learning to sleep alone

That very close emotional connection is the reason why it is difficult for an infant to sleep alone. Breaking the bond is difficult, and the baby does not seem necessary.

The feeling of security and unity with mom is a comfortable environment, beyond which the baby will not dare to go out of his own free will. Parents themselves begin the process, leaving the baby alone with thoughts about the reasons for the changes and a sense of fear.

bad dream

Any child does not want to sleep alone in his crib. Everything, of course, is individual, and depends on the age at which the process occurs. Among the causes of unstable sleep in infants are:

1 If the child is not yet a year old, then the need for feeding is in the first place among the reasons. For the first six months, the baby will not sleep all night, will constantly wake up. Over time, nighttime rest will account for the majority of total sleep time. This regulation is due to the need to eat. Going to bed should take place on a full stomach.

2 The second reason may be uncomfortable sleep conditions- low or high air temperature, humidity above or below the recommended values. Pediatricians consider comfortable temperature - 18-21 ° C, humidity - at least 50%.

3 The third reason, more often related to one year old or older - fear. What can a baby be afraid of at night, sleeping separately? First of all, darkness. The fantasy of the crumbs can be very frightening for him in an unusual environment - darkness. But this does not mean at all that you need to leave the light on in the room, it will be difficult to unlearn this later. Before going to bed, it makes sense to drink the baby.

4 Another reason could be stomach discomfort. This organ in newborns is still developing and at first does not perceive anything, except for mother's milk or an adapted mixture. The introduction of complementary foods into the diet, as a rule, proceeds with possible problems, from which the baby does not sleep well, waking up often. If the baby has a tummy ache and nothing helps, take a warm bath for him, and also do it. Water will relax tired muscles and relieve pain.

You can find out more about the causes of poor sleep in a newborn during the day.

Negative Associations with Sleep and Common Mistakes of Parents

Do not leave the baby alone, if he cries, lie down next to him, calm him down

Associations with sleep are the set of feelings that a baby has at the mention of laying down. It is important to develop the right associations for this action.

The baby can be prepared for sleep by simple activities repeated from day to day that precede sleep. The latest cartoon for today, a glass of milk, washing, brushing your teeth, reading a book, praying.

Anything, but these should be simple actions that will not be a burden and make it clear that now there will be going to bed.

If, through the fault of the parents, the child has developed negative associations with sleep, then every evening will turn into a battle, as there will be no desire. The factor may be such a parental error as leaving the baby alone in the crib when he cries. Parents can simply develop a negative attitude towards the process in him, since he will always be associated with stress.

Also, parents make such mistakes as active games before falling asleep, thinking that, being tired, the child will fall asleep faster. On the contrary, games excite the psyche of children, as well as watching TV before bedtime.

Breastfeeding and sleep

One of the associations is feeding. The baby in the first days of life and further during the first months falls asleep immediately after breastfeeding. Waking up, he remembers the conditions under which he felt good, under which he went to sleep, and asks for his mother's breast again.

This state of affairs for a long time leads to a misunderstanding by the mother of what the baby really wants when waking up - milk or reassurance. In this situation, you need to find another way to calm him down.

The benefits of separate sleep

Separate rest is necessary not only for the rest of parents. This is an important element in the formation of personality, the development of independence. Closer to the age of three, children experience a crisis. They want to be independent, their “I” appears everywhere and everywhere.

At this point, it is important to have your own bed, thereby being "like an adult." Your property is your responsibility. An additional plus will be to teach a little person to make a bed and he will demand that he keep his “management” in a tucked state. At the same time, do not forget to confirm the need for this by your own example.

With the appearance of their own crib, the children have their own space. It may not be a separate room, but this is the place where they are their own masters. If we talk about the age of three, then they simply need such an opportunity. In this case, the child understands that one of the differences between an adult and a child is the presence of his own “living space”.

Also, do not forget that all family members, both mom and dad, need to get enough sleep. And if co-sleeping interferes with this, you need to take action to wean the child to sleep together. How to do this, says Dr. Komarovsky.

Signs of readiness to sleep in a personal crib

The main signs of readiness for resettlement are:

• no need for frequent breastfeeding;
• the ability to be alone, without scandals, for 20-25 minutes;
• if the baby does not ask for hands 24 hours a day;
• there are no health problems, both physical and psychological.

If these signs do not apply to your situation, then it is worth gradually working to ensure that they are respected.

When Not to Force Your Baby to Sleep Alone

Not always the process of accustoming to your crib goes without problems. The child can easily be capricious and refuse to sleep separately. You'll have to take him to your bed and then it's problematic for everyone to sleep well

How to gently teach a child to sleep in his crib - you need to understand that this process is not instantaneous. Sometimes a baby can adequately respond to a separate falling asleep for 2-3 days, and arrange a concert on the fourth day.

If, when finding out the reasons, it turns out that this is not a trick, but, perhaps, feeling unwell or an unexpected fright, then it makes sense to make an exception.

Steps to successful sleep training

There are 4 steps to know how to accustom a child to a crib:

1. Search for a backup sedative for the baby, replacing them with empty breastfeeding.
2. Relocation to the crib and its gradual distancing.
3. Developing and applying correct sleep associations.
4. Development of the correct reaction to the whims of the child during a separate dream.

With age, the routine and ritual of falling asleep change. This is normal and natural. The same lullaby and mother's breast that a newborn needed turned into a book and a glass of milk. Every parent has their own opinion on this.

In general, to develop a regimen, a daily repetition of some actions is required. It has been proven that it takes about 21 days to form a habit. Therefore, it is worth considering this fact and laying in setting up the ritual just so much time.

Mode change is ok as long as it's for the good. We must not forget that in the same 21 days the habit can be forgotten, in its absence. Always follow the observance of the ritual in the evening hour.

Timely bedtime

• in summer - no later than 21:00;
• in winter - no later than 20:00.

Timely going to bed is the key to the health of the baby, it allows him to oversleep as much as necessary for his age.

With this development of events, your baby will sleep until 6-7 in the morning and wake up well-rested. This is exactly the time when it is time for many parents to get ready for work.

How much rest does a baby need per day and stress hormone

Sleep duration varies for different ages. The older the man, the more this figure approaches the normal value of 8 hours a day.

For newborns, the figure is higher. The baby sleeps almost 18-20 hours a day, but very interval. Gradually, the bulk of the rest will move into the night.

The average need for rest by hours for each age is presented in the table:

Age	Number of hours in the day	Number of hours at night
Week 1	8-10	8,5
1 month	7-8	8,5
3 months	5-6	10
6 months	4-4,5	10
9 months	3-3,5	11,5
1 year	2,5-3	11,5
2 years	2-3	12
3 years	2-2,5	11
4 years	1,5-2	11,5
5 years	1-1,5	11
6 years	1-1,5	10,5
7 years	1-1,5	10

With a lack of sleep in the body of a small person, an increased amount of cortisol, the stress hormone, is produced. For this reason, the baby becomes capricious, naughty.

Immunity is also reduced, allergic reactions, inflammation, inhibition of the nervous system may occur. If other stress factors are added to this (quarrels, unhealthy home environment), then this can lead to various neuropsychiatric abnormalities.

Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the child goes to bed on time, does not walk too much, and also rests for a sufficient number of hours for his age.

Comfortable conditions in the room

Comfortable conditions are very strongly related to the quality of rest. Air temperature, humidity, silence, lighting. Everything must be thought out and meet the requirements.

In particular, pediatricians consider the optimal temperature in the room where the little one is located to be 18-21 ° C, humidity - at least 50%. Failure to comply with such norms will lead to possible lack of sleep, headaches, frequent awakenings of the baby. Is it dangerous for a newborn - read here.

Favorite toy calms the baby at any age, do not ignore this fact

A toy for a child is a friend who always listens and looks into the eyes. Favorite toy in the hands - part of "their" nearby. Do not neglect the request to take a toy with you to the crib with it, the baby will sleep more peacefully.

Don't forget about night lighting. When accustoming to a separate sleep, frequent visits to the crumbs cannot be avoided. The need for short-term lighting of the room arises constantly.

For comfortable, soft and low light, use a nightlight. It can be a children's night light, which will also be of interest to your fidget.

Most parents purchase a crib before their child is born. This is understandable, because it will be needed immediately after birth. And the acquisition itself is just a pleasant chore associated with the birth of a baby.

The crib must meet safety requirements, do not tip over, do not have sharp corners and dangerous places, mechanisms. For an older child, choosing a crib is a special event. As he becomes independent - ask him what kind of bed he would like to have.

Of course, at 2 or 3 years old, he is unlikely to be able to tell himself about his desires, but he must take part in the process. Look at the cribs in the store with him, let him choose what he likes. And there is such a bed - after all, today, on any children's thing, there are characters from your favorite cartoons.

Self-sleeping skills

The first and most important requirement is that the crib must be safe for the child. With what functionality and appearance it will be is already a matter of taste.

This skill is the ultimate goal of your path to separate sleep. The stage of developing the skill of falling asleep on your own is a difficult test.

All the methods-associations and rituals described above will help in this. If the baby goes to bed already in a relaxed state, then the chances that he will fall asleep quickly are very high.

But in any case, it is not necessary to accustom the child to the constant presence next to his crib. You can already negotiate with a little man of three years, having determined in advance that after reading the fairy tale, the light will be turned off, and the parent, having wished good night, will leave the room. The key to success in this business is the calmness of the parent and the comfort of the child. For more information on how to put your baby to sleep, see this.

In the case of a newborn, if a problem arises, there are several ways to quickly calm the child:

• Swinging - recreating the usual movement in the womb;
• Touch is physical contact;
• Recreation of sounds familiar to the baby;
• Lactation.

If a child wakes up 2-3 three years old, it is advisable to find out the cause of the awakening and eliminate it.

Traditions of laying children in different countries

• Americans are ardent opponents to sleep together, and from early childhood they know how to teach a baby to fall asleep on his own and sleep all night in a crib.
• The Japanese, on the contrary, have been practicing this technique for a very long time, since closeness between family members is very important for their culture.
• The Italians are in full solidarity with the Japanese, and for them, laying separately is an indicator of dislike for their child.
• The Germans and Austrians are very strict about the daily routine, so from birth they instill this in the younger members of the family.
• In Kenya, New Guinea, Ethiopia, it is customary to sleep in the following way: boys with dads, girls with moms. Swedes prefer to spend holidays with their children, as they believe that it brings them together.

conclusions

Traveling together has a lot of advantages. This method is worth practicing, especially when breastfeeding. But when weaning begins, it is worth starting to shift the baby to your bed. The main thing is to do it gradually, not to rush.

The question “how to teach a child to sleep in his own crib” is not the easiest. But it cannot be called unsolvable either. Be closer to the baby, understand his mood and condition, feel him, and then the baby will easily sleep in his bed.

A popular presenter, doctor of the highest category E.O. tells about the rules of children's sleep. Komarovsky: