How to teach a child to sleep alone

Sleep is one of the most important components of human life. Perhaps the only thing comparable in importance to it is eating. In sleep, the body recovers from what it has experienced during the day, it rests and prepares for the next day.   A child's sleep is even more important than an adult's sleep. Children experience many more events and stresses during the day than their parents. Therefore, it is important to know everything about the baby’s proper sleep. A frequently encountered problem that requires careful consideration is the question of young mothers about sleeping together or separately with their baby.

Until what age is co-sleeping with a child normal?

Mothers who put their baby in bed with them do so for a variety of reasons. Some people don’t want to get up several times a night to feed the baby, while others are worried about the baby’s emotional state. No one can give you a definite answer to the question about the benefits or harms of sleeping together with a child. You must decide for yourself what is best for your child and what is worse.

However, there are some generally accepted rules that can be discussed.

• For the first couple of months of life, the baby does not understand that he is a separate person and thinks that mom and he are a single whole.
• From two months to six months, the baby cannot move independently. He doesn't eat anything except his mother's milk and is very attached to her.
• After six months they start cutting teeth, complementary foods are introduced. The baby may become capricious. He may wake up many times during the night and nurse.
• After 1 year, many mothers do not stop breastfeeding. This often continues for up to 2 years. During this period, it is also not worth weaning your baby from sleeping with you.

After weaning, you can place your baby in your own crib at night. It won't be a huge stress for him. However, after the baby stops eating mother's milk, many parents leave him to sleep with them, since 3-4 years is the time of night terrors.

If mom and dad are comfortable sleeping together with the child, then there is no need to interfere with this. Let the baby enjoy the hugs of loving parents. There is no scientific evidence that co-sleeping is harmful. On the contrary, there are research results according to which children who come to their parents’ bed at the age of 6-7 years due to lack of attention and affection did not sleep with their mother in infancy.

How to stop a child from sleeping with his parents

The ideal option for young parents would be if the baby himself wants to sleep separately. But, if this does not happen, then you need to be prepared for a carefully thought-out weaning process. It should not traumatize the child’s immature psyche.

First you need to try to interest the baby in a new, his own bed. Today there are a huge number of options for children's beds. Available in the form of cars and locks. Instead of a ladder there is a slide. In general, the more interesting the crib is, the more likely it is that your baby will happily sleep in it.

Another good compromise could be a crib moved closer to the parent's crib. You only need to remove one wall and adjust the height. Over time, you can move the crib to a distance that is comfortable for you and your baby. Gradually he will wean himself from sleeping together.

You and your child should have a certain ritual, after which the baby goes to bed. These actions will set your baby up for a restful sleep and give him confidence.

When moving the baby to another room, it is better for the mother to sleep with him for a while. Because he may develop fears. Most often, a child at this age develops a fear of the dark, which can be dealt with with the help of a night light.

You can use another option: put the baby with you, and then transfer him to the crib. If the baby reacts calmly to this in the morning, then everything is fine.

For some children, it is enough for their mother to sit next to him until he falls asleep. Children smell their mother and if it disappears, the baby begins to get nervous.

The child does not want to sleep in his crib - what to do?

If a child does not want to sleep in his crib, then he is not ready for this yet. His fragile psyche may be disrupted if you force him to sleep alone. Let the baby enjoy the hugs of his beloved parents for some time. After some time, you will try to wean your baby from co-sleeping again.

The main problem that makes children not want to sleep in a separate crib is fear. While the fear of the dark can be easily eliminated by using a night light, the feeling of loneliness is more difficult. The child needs to be explained that parents are always nearby, and even more so at night. That is, the baby needs to be reassured. This is facilitated by following a daily routine, a ritual before bed, fairy tales, calm music, airing the room, hugs from beloved parents.

However, you can take actions that may interest the child. In addition to a beautiful bed, a children's bed also plays an important role. For example, you can choose bedding with your baby’s favorite characters and tell the baby what they protect during sleep, and if the child sleeps with his parents, the heroes will be bored.

Before going to bed, it is important to calm the child down, explain that mom and dad will be nearby and he can come at any time. Even if the baby only sleeps in the crib for a few hours, it will be a big breakthrough for him, and over time he will get used to it and will be able to sleep alone.

Parents should always listen to their feelings. If they think that it’s too early for the child to sleep, then that’s how it should be. Children want to feel the support and care of their parents, and when, if not at such a young age, mom and dad can enjoy such sincere emotions of their child.