How To Switch From Co-sleeping To Your Own Bed?
Currently, there are many parents who decide to co-sleep with their baby. This is sleeping in the same bed with the baby or with a co-sleeper. But when the time comes, we want our kids to sleep in their own room. Do you want to switch from co-sleeping to your own bed without traumatizing your child? Here are some tips to help you with this important milestone.
This is a big change for the family, but you have to do it the right way so that it doesn’t cause any problems for the child. These tips will help you do it gradually and avoid traumatizing someone. Do you want to know how to do it? Keep reading and we’ll let you know
How to transition from co-sleeping to your own bed without trauma
The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend co-sleeping. In addition, it emphasizes that you should take safety measures to reduce the chance of choking or choking.
On the other hand, however, there are a large number of specialists who believe that co-sleeping has enormous benefits for both the baby and the mother:
- Babies who are with their mothers cry less and have less anxiety because they feel safe and protected.
- Co-sleeping strengthens the emotional bond between the parents and the newborn.
- The baby rests more deeply.
- You wake up less often. And when you wake up, it takes less time to fall back asleep.
- The mother also rests better and longer.
- Co-sleeping reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
When the time comes, the baby grows and both the parents and the baby feel uncomfortable sharing a bed. Many children are beginning to need their own space and independence.
When and how to switch from co-sleeping without traumatizing your child?
There is no precise time to seize this opportunity. The important thing is that it is the moment when you have decided or when you see that your child is ready. This moment starts when the little one is older and needs more space in bed. So he kicks and moves a lot, preventing the parents from sleeping well. This is when the parents have to judge whether it is the right time to make this change or not.
It is also important to make this change gradually. This step involves many changes for the child, so we must be aware of their needs at all times.
Tips for a trauma-free transition for your child from co-sleeping to their own bed
Put the crib in the same room as the parents
Move your little one from the parents’ bed to the crib, but still in the parents’ room. Once the child is sleeping well and has accepted the change, you can move the crib to their own room.
Have a good sleep routine
It is very important to have a bedtime ritual (English link) to have that predictable and that the child is accustomed. For example, you go to eat, then take a bath, read a story and then go to sleep.
Make sure it’s a progression
We have to keep in mind that since they were born, they have always been around Mom and Dad. That means we have to be patient and flexible. The first time you take them to their own room, stay with them until they fall asleep.
Never make them cry
Once they’re in their room and your baby is crying, go see what’s going on. If you make them cry, you make them develop high anxiety. They don’t get enough rest. You can caress them and talk to them until they fall asleep.
Try not to back out
Getting them out of bed because they are having a bad night will make the process very difficult.
Do not scold the child if it cries or wakes up at night
Each child has its own rhythm and needs that must be respected. The baby needs you to help him adapt to this new and unfamiliar situation with love and affection.
Final thoughts on the transition from co-sleeping to your own bed
These are just some of the tips you can use to make the transition from co-sleeping to your own bed without causing trauma to your child. Remember that during this period the rest may not be as good and may be of lesser quality. The important thing is to be consistent. So it becomes normal for everyone.
