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How to teach your child to sleep in his own crib separately, all night. The revolutionary method of Dr. Estiville, according to Spock, Komarovsky

What to do if the child stopped sleeping in his crib and settled firmly next to his mother? How to help your baby learn to sleep alone? How to “move” a child into a crib without traumatizing his psyche? A story from our reader.

Young mothers often face the problem of “moving” their baby from the parent’s bed to their own. And I am no exception. From about three months of age, I began taking the baby into my bed at night. It was convenient for me to feed at night this way, and the baby fell asleep much better with me. After a while, when the child’s sleep became more sound, I carefully transferred him to the crib. But at some point my baby no longer wanted to sleep in it. He got used to sleeping with me, and as soon as I put him in his crib, he immediately woke up. I knew that it shouldn’t be this way, it was time to wean the child from co-sleeping.

How to teach a baby to sleep separately from his mother

I started looking for information on this topic and looked at many sites and forums. As I expected, the problem of co-sleeping is quite common: many mothers feed their babies on demand and often take them into their bed for night feedings. And then, when babies get used to sleeping in their parents’ bed, mothers try to wean them from this.

Question to Dr. Komarovsky: How to wean from co-sleeping?

In order for the child to quickly fall asleep and sleep soundly, many mothers advise doing certain things before bedtime. For example, give the baby a bath, change him into warm pajamas, have a massage, read a book or sing a lullaby. This advice, of course, is good, but it only works with older children, because you can come to an agreement with them. How can you negotiate with a ten-month-old troublemaker when he cries, clings to his mother and tries with all his might to “escape” from the crib?

This is exactly the reaction I observed in my child every evening when I tried to put him to sleep in his crib. And I felt sorry for him and decided not to further traumatize him or my psyche.

I started teaching my baby to fall asleep on his own gradually, with naps during the day. After morning or lunch feeding, when the baby began to fall asleep, I took him in my arms and, gently rocking him, quietly sang a lullaby to him. When the baby fell asleep, I carefully put him in the crib. I didn’t leave right away, but sat next to him for some time, without taking my hand away from the child, so that he felt that his mother was nearby. And only when I was sure that my baby was fast asleep, I removed my hand and quietly left the room. If at some point the child woke up, then I simply gave him a bottle of baby tea or compote. Of course, not everything went smoothly, sometimes he began to be capricious, but in the end he still fell asleep.

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

Over time, my baby got used to waking up not with me, but in his crib, and this stopped making him cry. But if during the day he learned to sleep on his own, in the evenings it was still problematic to put him to bed. It was hard for me to put the baby in my arms, so I put him next to me. But as soon as the baby started to fall asleep, I put him in the crib. If he started to cry, then I again moved him to my place, waited until he fell asleep and sent him back to his crib.

A week later, my efforts were finally crowned with success: my baby woke up at night, ate a little, and then rolled over and fell asleep. Myself! I think he just got used to his crib, just like he got used to mine before. Just learn to fall asleep on your own, and the problem will be completely solved.

Of course, many mothers may decide that my method is too loyal and that the child needs to be put to bed right away. But what if, as soon as he gets into it, the baby immediately wakes up and starts crying? I am sure that every mother should feel her child: know when it is better to put the baby in a crib, and when to take him with her, when the child is ready to sleep on his own, and when he still needs to feel his mother’s warmth. I felt that my baby was ready to “move out” to his own crib, and the whole process went smoothly, without unnecessary tears or worries.

Getting your baby to sleep in their own crib can be quite a challenge, especially if your baby is used to sleeping with you. However, you can teach your baby to sleep separately using different methods and techniques. Here are some ideas to help you convince your baby to sleep in his own crib.

Steps

Drawing up a new regime

In the weeks before your baby sleeps away from you, establish some habits and routines that will let your baby know it's bedtime.

A well-designed routine will help your baby know it's bedtime, no matter where he sleeps.
You can vary this process according to your wishes, make it short or longer, so that the child feels comfortable and calm.
As you begin the process of teaching your baby to sleep in his own crib, you should introduce some pre-bedtime routines so that your baby knows it's time for bed.
Be consistent. The only way to establish a specific rule, in your case of putting your baby to bed separately, is to follow this rule every night, without exception. If you miss a few nights, you may be sending a mixed message to your baby.
Even if you don't have a specific routine that tells your baby it's time to go to bed, you may be unknowingly showing your baby certain signs that indicate it's bedtime. Review your bedtime habits and determine if your child is following them. If these habits run in your family, continue to follow them as long as possible.

Plan a small meal before bed. Try giving your baby 60 or 90 ml of formula or breast milk before bed. If your baby is over six months old, you could also give him 1 or 2 tbsp. l. (15 or 30 ml) oatmeal before bed.

Give your child a bath before bed. A warm bath can help calm your baby, making it easier to fall asleep.

Read a book to your baby. Choose a book intended for children and read it in a calm and gentle voice.
- Even if the baby cannot understand the meaning of the story you are reading, he will receive a sign that bedtime is approaching, the time before which mom or dad speaks in a calm, rhythmic voice. Additionally, rhythmic text can be found in most children's books, giving them a calming nature.
- Try reading books that have a theme related to sleep. Once your child is old enough to understand what he reads, this process will be even more important in getting ready for bed.
- If your child can't relax after just one book, you can read several books before bed. However, set a reasonable time frame, as reading for long periods of time may keep your baby awake.
Sing your baby a soothing song - a lullaby. Singing a gentle lullaby or soothing song can help your baby calm down, and rhythmic music is a great addition to the bedtime routine.
- Sing to your baby while holding him in your arms or near your chest, which will make your baby feel calm. Your gentle voice will have a calming effect on him.
- When it's time to put your baby to bed, sing a lullaby while still holding him in your arms. After a week, make adjustments to your actions; the baby should be in the crib when you start singing the lullaby.
Give your child a toy before bed. Choose a simple toy that can be a symbol of safety for your baby.
- Avoid toys that are designed for a child's development. While these toys are valuable for daytime playtime, placing them in the crib at night can end up keeping your baby awake.
- You can also try giving your baby a toy specifically designed for sleeping. For example, a soft toy that plays soothing music.
- A blanket with a toy can have the same effect and can be used in place of a toy.
- For very young children, you should position the toy far enough away from them so that the baby can see the toy but cannot grab it. This will protect your child from an accident. There have been cases when a child suffocated with his nose buried in a toy.
Introduce your child to the crib gradually
1. Make the crib a pleasant place. During the day, place toys in your baby's crib where he can reach them.
  - Do this while playing, not while sleeping.
  - Place toys in the crib and encourage your baby to grab them through the bars. After a while, put the baby in the crib so that he can take the toys.
  - By placing toys in the crib, you will make the crib a place of “pleasure” for the baby.
  - Don't let your baby play in the crib for too long. Your baby should view the crib as a pleasant place, but you should not allow him to view the crib as a place to play and have fun.
2. Establish that the crib is a place to sleep during the day.
  - This can be done gradually. For example, if your baby takes two naps during the day, you can let your baby take one nap where he usually sleeps. However, during the second nap, place your baby in the crib. Once your baby is used to sleeping in the crib for one nap, make it a goal to put him in the crib for the second nap as well.
  - Being left alone in the dark can be one of the main reasons why your child is afraid. So, getting your baby used to being in a crib during the day when he doesn't have to deal with his fear of the dark can significantly reduce his anxiety.
3. Once your baby is comfortable in the crib during nap time, you can try putting your baby to bed at night.
  - In some cases, you could simply leave your baby alone in the crib as during nap time. He may fuss at first, but after a few minutes, your baby can fall asleep without much difficulty.
  - If your baby is still showing signs of anxiety, you may need to take additional steps to train your baby to sleep in a crib at night.
4. Place a crib in your room. Place the crib next to your bed so your baby can see you as he or she falls asleep.
  - If your baby is used to sleeping in your room, the hardest thing for him may be changing the environment he is used to. By moving the crib into your room for a few weeks, you allow your baby to get used to the crib in a comfortable environment.
  - Your baby may still feel anxious if his crib is on the opposite side of your room. If this is the case, you will be required to compromise by placing the crib directly next to your bed. Once your baby is comfortable in his crib next to you, gradually move the crib further and further away from your bed.
  - When your child has been comfortable sleeping in the crib for a long time, it is time to move the crib back to the nursery.
5. Sleeping in the children's room. If your baby has trouble sleeping in his crib, once you move him into the nursery, spend a few nights on a cot or sleeping bag next to him in the same room.
  - Your presence can have a calming effect on your child and an unfamiliar place can turn into a safe place. Spending a few nights in your child's room while he falls asleep can help him understand that his room is a safe place.
  - Once your baby has fallen asleep comfortably in your presence for three or four nights, you can lie further away from him.
6. Instead of spending the entire night in your child's room, stay there only when your child falls asleep.
  - If necessary, pat or lightly massage your baby's back while he's babbling so he can feel your presence.
  - Start by sitting with your baby so he can see you. When your child feels comfortable, move the chair a little further. Each time your child adjusts to the change in distance, move a little further until you are eventually out of sight.
  - Once your baby is comfortable falling asleep without seeing you, you can leave the room and let him fall asleep alone.
Teach your child to sleep separately
1. Stop rocking your baby to sleep. If you have been rocking your baby to sleep, stop doing so so your baby can learn to fall asleep without contact with you.
  - Wean your baby gradually by rocking him so he relaxes but doesn't fall asleep. Your baby may be fussy when you stop rocking him to sleep, but if he feels relaxed enough, this shouldn't last long.
  - Gradually reduce the amount of time you spend rocking your baby until your baby is able to fall asleep without rocking.
  - Once your baby gets used to falling asleep without rocking, you can move on to the next stage.
2. Use the cradle. If your baby sleeps with you, get him used to a crib or small bassinet placed directly next to your bed.
  - Your child may feel more comfortable if he can at least see you. Once your baby has become accustomed to sleeping alone for a few weeks, you may want to consider moving your baby to a nursery.
3. Let the child sleep where he is comfortable. Instead of holding your baby during naptime, let your baby fall asleep where he or she is comfortable.
  
  Introduce your baby to the crib throughout the day. Get your baby used to sleeping in it during the day before putting him in his crib for the night.
  - Many children fall asleep easily during the day, which cannot be said about falling asleep at night.
4. Give your child time to get used to sleeping separately from you at night. This process cannot happen quickly. You may need to stay in the room with your baby when he goes to sleep for the first few weeks.
We focus on comfort
1. Calm child relaxed before bed. Do your best to make your baby feel relaxed, which will encourage sleepiness.
  - Hold your baby in your arms throughout the day. Let your child's day be filled with games and other activities, he will certainly feel more tired and tired in the evening. As a result, your baby will be less fussy about where he sleeps. This can be especially helpful when planning activities in the hour before bed, as extra energy can be expended during this time.
  - Bathe your baby in warm water before bed. Baths are often soothing, and a warm bath can relax your baby's muscles, leaving him feeling physically relaxed. If your baby becomes more active after a bath, you should avoid bathing before bed.
  - Try giving your baby a gentle massage. Gently massage your baby's back, arms, and legs to relax the muscles. If your child becomes more active after a massage, then you should not do it before bed.

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

First, judge for yourself: who would like to think about how not to crush the baby sleeping next to them in a sweet dream during the most piquant moment of intimacy with their husband? Or just constantly monitor every movement in bed so as not to wake up the baby? Who needs 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 baby. There are often cases when tired parents simply crush their baby in their sleep. But even for a grown-up, one or two-year-old child, sleeping in his parents’ bed can cause trauma, but of a psychological nature. Child psychologists believe that by continuing to sleep in the same bed with their parents during the period of awareness of their orientation and sexual development, a two-year-old child often receives negative experiences - for example, from a misunderstanding of what is happening between the parents. Traumas, fears and a distorted perception of the intimate life of parents, received in the period from one to three years, when the child develops certain habits and behavioral factors, will negatively affect his entire subsequent personal life.

Believe me, it will be better for all concerned (you, your husband, and the baby himself) if the newborn baby sleeps separately. But what to do if the baby is already used to sleeping in his parents’ 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 immediately get used to the crib, especially if from birth he is accustomed to falling asleep while breastfeeding. But you can easily develop a habit in a six-month-old baby in a couple of weeks, if immediately after feeding, as soon as the baby has fallen asleep, you find the strength to get up and put the baby to sleep in the crib. Sit or lie next to him and hum a soft lullaby. After such a ritual, a well-fed, healthy child will sleep peacefully separately from his mother for at least six hours. Especially if his crib is located near the bed on the mother’s side: the baby will hear her breathing, feel her smell and even her heartbeat...

Children's sleep rules from Dr. Komarovsky (video):

Advice: Do not start teaching your baby to sleep in a crib if he is unwell, is teething, or is in an excited state as a result of changes such as moving to a new place of residence, renovations, or other stressful factors. Wait a little, but don’t delay 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. This requires special tricks.

Five great tricks to get your baby used to sleeping in his own crib

1. When accustoming your 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: when he wakes up, leave the sleeping place, and then do what you want. Your baby’s own bed should become a symbol of peace and relaxation.

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

So: if you want your baby to have sweet dreams at 10 p.m., start "bedroom ceremony" at half past eight, or at nine, but not later. Where is it useful to start accustoming your baby to a crib? First, bathe the baby, then feed the baby, support the baby and let him burp. Then you can quietly turn on a 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, the one-year-old child will yawn by the end of the usual ritual and will happily fall asleep if you sit next to him.

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

Remember, your best assistant 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 will be terribly dissatisfied with the changes with which you try to flourish the story that is pretty boring to you, retold a hundred times...

How to put a baby to sleep and transfer him to a crib (video):

3. When accustoming your baby to the crib, be patient. Don't leave him alone, don't leave as soon as you put him to bed. You can teach your baby to sleep in a crib only if you respect his right to decide for himself when to sleep. If the child has passed "bedroom ceremony", he is already quite ripe for going to bed. But if he's not asleep yet, don't bother him with demands. “Well, quickly close your eyes”, don’t rush to rock him if he’s a little naughty. Turn on a flickering beginner for him, let him lie down and look at the shimmering images for a while. Switch his attention to something monotonous, monotonous, but pleasant - some mothers use a softly lit aquarium with fish, others use a mobile phone rotating above the crib. Remember: you can accustom your baby to the crib only through pleasant sensations. Then you can calmly say at the end of the ceremony - now we’ll go look at the fish! And the baby happily agrees to lie down in his bed, because only in it will he see this beautiful sight...

4. To teach your 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 firm confidence in your love and protection, but will also allow you to accustom the child to the crib in the fastest and most effective way. Especially if you are busy during the day and cannot always devote enough time to your child.

5. Remember that not only mom, but also dad can put the baby to sleep! While a baby needs its mother as a source of life, warmth and nutrition, an older child may lack the father’s attention. And the Pope, sacredly observing "bedroom ceremony", can be a great way to teach your baby to sleep in a crib while building feelings of love and trust in your family.

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

1. Your own desire to keep your baby with you is the main obstacle. You will never be able to teach your 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 in your house does not stop, music is playing loudly or there are loud conversations. The noise excites the baby, he seeks maternal protection and is unlikely to agree to be left alone in a frightening environment. Therefore, when accustoming your baby to the crib, agree with the whole family to observe "silent hour".

3. Violations of the Daily Routine will prevent you from sending an older child to sleep in a separate bed. If the baby has nowhere to go from a separate crib, 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 an angry child 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 can use up his reserve of strength and breathe fresh air - two hours before dinner, breathe in fresh air with him, go for a walk.

Teaching your child to sleep separately (useful video):

4. Some inexperienced mothers, starting to accustom their newborn to the crib, leave the child in complete darkness. Without seeing their mother, without feeling her warmth and without hearing her heartbeat (the sound that accompanied him throughout his adult life in the womb), many babies begin to panic and perceive with horror attempts to leave them alone in the crib. To avoid developing such a negative reaction in your baby, be sure to leave a weak night light on.

5. Some parents decide to forcefully accustom their 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 overly nervous and excitable. Please remember: The newborn in the crib should feel the presence of the mother, so be sure to stay close until he falls asleep.

To summarize: how and when to accustom a baby to a crib?

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

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

If your baby suddenly stops sleeping in his crib, do not rush to scare him or punish him. Most likely, something scared the baby. Understand the cause of the fear, eliminate it and try to make your baby look forward to the time when he is allowed to climb into his bed! After all, he is already quite big, and like all adults, he has the right to sleep in his own separate bed!

There are no universal recommendations, after reading which parents would receive an answer to the question of how to teach their child to sleep in his own crib separately from his parents. Should you trust the opinions of strangers when it comes to your own baby?

Maybe you should still listen to your own intuition or look at your child’s behavior?

Each mother (and most often she is the one who puts her to bed) determines for herself whether her daughter or son will sleep next to her (displacing dad on the sofa for an indefinite period) or on their own in their own crib. Psychologists say that sleeping together strengthens the bond between mother and newborn. But practice, as always, shows its worth.

When a baby is bottle-fed, problems with co-sleeping may not even arise. It’s another matter if the baby depends on the mother, especially since today feeding on demand is practiced, that is, exactly as many times as the baby wants. Just imagine, if a child constantly “hangs” on his mother, and this happens most often, what kind of separate sleep can we even talk about? If a woman gets up to see the baby every 15 minutes (and even after an hour or an hour and a half), then by morning, instead of a well-rested, loving and smiling mother, an evil, despicable Baba Yaga will come out of the room. And so we ate, and everyone slept).

Of course, many will say - “this is not an option”! But to preserve the psychological climate in the family, you can make concessions of this kind. By the way, don’t forget about the teeth - when they cut, the child still sleeps next to his mother (read between the lines - “on mom”) and there’s nothing you can do about it. And any kind of disease requires mother’s constant presence.

In general, situations are different. For example, one mother’s baby began to sleep separately when he was weaned. And I must say, the process was completely painless. Another immediately taught her baby to sleep in a crib, and in the end, when the girl was 1.5 years old, she very successfully migrated to her parents’ bed. So, here’s how it will work out.

But if you are determined to take on the situation and independently find the answer to the question of how to teach a child to sleep separately from his parents, know that there are a number of nuances that young parents need to know.

How to determine if your baby is ready to sleep independently

First of all, it’s worth knowing what is meant by the phrase “independent sleep.” So, if your baby can fall asleep quickly (usually in 30-40 minutes) without being rocked to sleep, and only wakes up at night to feed or sleeps peacefully all night, he is ready to move into bed.

If breastfeeding is completed or reduced to a minimum (1-2 times per night), the baby’s sleep can last up to 5-6 hours. If not, it is recommended first.

The first teeth have already appeared, there is no fever or other health-related concerns.

A child can go without parental attention for more than 15 minutes at a time.

If a child sleeps in his crib for several nights and suddenly begins to wake up at night and ask to come back to you, do not force him to sleep separately. Perhaps he is experiencing discomfort from losing contact with his mother, or he simply had a bad dream. Let him stay with you for a couple of nights (no more, otherwise the process will have to start all over again).

If you use force and coercion, the child will develop a feeling of hostility or even fear of his own bed, which can ultimately lead to constant hysterics.

Correctly calculate the child's age. If your baby is about 6-7 months old, but purely due to psychological development will not be able to sleep separately from his mother (unless he is accustomed to this from birth). He needs to constantly smell her, the feeling of warmth and comfort emanating from her.

It is believed that the most suitable age for getting used to the bed is 1.5-2 years.

He can already listen to a bedtime story and understand mom’s (dad’s) arguments. And closer to three years, children develop the first urges to demonstrate independence and a sense of their own “I”. And this moment can be called the most suitable for the child to start sleeping in his own bed

In addition, at this age children begin to go to kindergarten - and there they are quickly accustomed to sleep without rocking, patting, reading fairy tales and endlessly singing songs (in different faces).

And no matter how strange it may sound, it is also important for the mother to show a sincere desire to sleep separately from the baby. During their time together, many mothers get so used to having their child around all the time that on a subconscious level they do not want to part with him. Children feel this and then all attempts to teach the child to sleep separately are doomed to failure.

Special regime

Getting a baby to sleep in his own crib is quite a difficult task. And specifically for this, various methods and techniques have been developed to allow the child to survive the resulting stress.

You can use the method described by Spock, the essence of which is to gradually teach the child to remain alone. Or resort to the advice of Dr. Komarovsky. Each parent chooses their own path, the main thing is not to harm the child.

Imagine the situation: you put your child to bed and left the room, expecting him to fall asleep peacefully. But what happened differently? Know that in 90% of cases, children will cry, start calling mom and dad, they may even throw a tantrum, start banging their hands and feet on the crib with all their might and choke on sobs.

Few parents can withstand this, and therefore within ten minutes, in most cases, mom and dad rush to their baby, who immediately and quite consciously begins to realize that his technique was a success. And since this was a key moment in the child’s struggle for his own comfort, now he will resort to this simple manipulation in most cases.

Child psychologists advise introducing certain habits and rules some time before the child learns to sleep separately from his parents. They are the ones who will allow the baby to understand (over time, of course) that it is time for sleep. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to do everything strictly according to the regulations - it is enough to perform a couple of actions. For example, a bedtime ritual might include:

light massage (about an hour before bedtime),

bathing (depending on the characteristics of the child - some fall asleep immediately after a bath, while for others it makes them wakeful),

evening feeding, which over time can be successfully replaced with a glass of warm milk;

reading a fairy tale or listening to music together;

leisurely conversation;

obligatory kiss.

You can resort to a little trick - take your baby's favorite toy and put it to sleep with him - first with his mother, and then in the crib. Even if the child wakes up at night, he will see her and feel safe. As a rule, children perceive their toys as living beings; they talk to them, feed them and walk them. This is exactly what you should count on when teaching your child to fall asleep with his plush friend. Try to tell your baby that the toy likes to sleep separately, and if the child is afraid of something (due to age, children often drink away the feeling of unmotivated fear), his friend will stand up for him until his mother comes.

It is very important to use the principle of gradualism. Its essence is as follows: the mother, having put the baby to bed at the right time and having completed all the necessary rituals, must leave the room. If the child starts crying, you need to go up to him, calm him down (but do not take him out of the crib under any circumstances) and again, wishing him a good sleep, leave. Over time, this will begin to work, the main thing is that when you wish good night to your child for the second time, slowly check whether his diaper or diaper needs to be changed.

It is appropriate to use this technique when the child is over a year old. It is worth remembering that in the process of getting used to it, the baby can put on performances up to 15 times during one night. Over time, he will, of course, calm down and be able to fall asleep, but parents should not give up and back down. And then, within a month or two, the child will get used to sleeping separately and will even enjoy it (when he understands that he can freely kick and throw his arms around).

Some nuances

There are situations when you should not teach your child to sleep separately in a crib until a certain age. This is due to a number of reasons:

if the baby was born ahead of schedule,

if it was chosen as obstetric care ,

if the baby has suffered a birth injury,

signs of a medical nature have been diagnosed: increased intracranial pressure, developmental delays, skin diseases,

the child has increased excitability, he is excessively whiny and irritable.

If a child has at least one of the signs described above, co-sleeping with parents should be extended as long as possible, regardless of outside advice.

So, the sooner parents decide that their baby should sleep separately, the better. But don’t overdo it and panic if your baby doesn’t sleep in his crib. Some children have a very difficult time being alone at night (especially if there is a second child in the family).

Just give him time - and he will be able to manifest himself. The main thing to remember is: under no circumstances should you frighten your baby, scold him or get angry if he categorically refuses to sleep separately. Perhaps his time has not yet come, and insisting on this will only cause harm to the child, which will negatively affect his health and mental state.

Most parents who have practiced co-sleeping eventually wonder “How to teach a child to sleep in his own crib.” From our article you will learn when you can start teaching your baby to sleep in a separate crib, and how to do this with the least loss of nerves and time.

When to start training

There are a number of signs indicating that the baby is ready to move into his own bed:

you have finished lactation;
the child eats formula milk;
the baby realizes what is his and what is someone else’s;
night sleep lasts at least six hours without waking up;
is practically not in the hands of adults;
the baby does not cry if he wakes up alone in the room;
within a quarter of an hour he can calmly play on his own without involving adults.

All these signs mean that the baby is ready to sleep separately from his parents. But it’s also important to know some reasons why you can’t temporarily train your baby to sleep without you:

Period of illness. At this time, the child especially needs your care and care.
Teething - this period is accompanied by restless sleep and behavior.
Starting time for kindergarten.
An infant does not have a clear daily routine; he confuses day with night.
The period of acquaintance with the potty.
If you yourself do not want to stop co-sleeping.
If the baby was born prematurely or was injured during childbirth, then in the first months it is advisable to refrain from letting him sleep in his own bed.
Increased nervousness, regular awakenings and crying at night.

According to experts, it is best to move a child to a separate crib between the ages of six and eight months. Usually at this time children begin to sleep through the night and do not ask for food.

In situations where the baby is on IV from birth, it is better to refrain from sleeping together. After all, you will still need to get up at night to feed him. In addition, children who consume formula milk remain fuller longer than those who feed on mother's milk.

What is needed to accustom your baby to a separate crib? A little cunning, ingenuity, tenderness and a lot of patience. Below we will talk in detail about the initial and final stages of moving your baby to a separate crib.

How to teach a child to sleep separately

Remove the front wall from the crib, then move it close to your bed. This way, the child will be on his own territory and at the same time next to you. When putting your baby to bed, lie down as close to his crib as possible.

Most likely, at first the child will climb onto your bed, but over time this habit will disappear if you constantly move him back. An important rule is that the child must wake up in his crib. The training process will take you about a month. Be patient and you will definitely succeed!

When the baby gets used to falling asleep on its territory, replace the removed wall. Make sure that this procedure does not cause unpleasant emotions in the baby. Then begin to gradually move the crib away from your bed, first by a distance of 10-20 cm, then by a meter, etc.

Proper bedtime

This method also does not give quick results; you will have to wait 30-40 days, or even longer. During this period, you should perform the same procedure every day to develop a permanent habit in your baby. He will understand that after the procedures performed, sleep awaits him.

These are the procedures:

Feed your baby 20-30 minutes before bedtime so that the feeling of fullness makes him calm and hunger does not interfere with sleep.
During evening baths, add herbal infusions or a couple of drops of ether to the bath; they will have a relaxing effect on the baby.
Before going to bed, give a massage or stroking, they will help set the baby up for a calm mood and rest.
Play some soft music or read a story.
The baby's favorite toy or mom's clothes that are nearby have a positive effect. Her scent calms him down.

After the child has become accustomed to all procedures, you can move him to a separate bed. All of the above activities will help him relax and help him fall asleep faster.

How to teach your child to sleep in his room

If you notice that the baby falls asleep in its own separate crib without any problems, then in this case the final stage begins - moving to another room. You must act in stages, gradually accustoming your baby to loneliness.

Here's your action plan:

First, start sleeping with your baby in the same room. This will help him not feel lonely. After some time, start moving your bed away from him, gradually heading towards the exit.
As soon as your baby begins to fall asleep easily in the new room, stop sleeping with him. Immediately after he falls asleep, go to your room.
Falling asleep to a parent's voice is an important part of sleep training in a separate room. The baby doesn't have to see you, but it is important for him to hear your voice. Sing him a lullaby, read a fairy tale.
If your baby is afraid to be in a dark room, install a night light in it.

Before you begin your plan to move your baby into a separate crib, ask yourself if you are ready for this. Watch how your baby behaves and feels. If he has become restless due to a separate sleep, it means that the time for independent sleep has not yet come for him. This means that he is not yet ready for a separate sleep without you.