We can’t expect a newborn to easily drift into sleep in an empty crib so calm right away. We need to keep in mind that they were inside mom’s belly for about 9 months. The newborn inside has an environment which has warmth, calming movement, and being surrounded with white noise.
Obviously it will be kind of tough to make a transition on how to get baby to sleep in crib after co sleeping. Helping your child sleep in a crib for the first time will not be easy because it’s not the same as being in the womb.
Newborns still do not have that patience, thus, it will cause them to be frustrated as you are switching. This could make it hard for transition so it is important to know when to transition baby to crib in own room. Here are five tips to help on how to get baby to sleep in crib after co sleeping:
Table of Contents
Transitioning Procedure
It can be a stressful process when transitioning from bassinet to crib. Most of these steps came from the Cubo Ai article: how to transition baby to crib.
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Make Sure The Crib Is Safe
The number one priority during transition is the baby’s safety. You need to make sure that you are able to establish that kind of environment as you are preparing when to move baby to crib. Make sure that the baby will be able to be on their back as they are being put to bed. There should not be any loose items and it is a loose surface.
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Create A Bedtime Routine
Having a routine is very helpful in order for your baby to somewhat understand what is actually happening during the transition. Choose a routine that you are able to follow when you are preparing to sleep. It is not necessary to be fancy nor extensive. You can actually feed them, give them some cuddles, or read bedtime stories. After doing so, you put them into their crib awake yet drowsy. This part needs much of your practice and patience.
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Set Up Your Baby’s Room To Make It Comfy
Aside from safety, one of the things that we need to make sure is the room to be comfy. One of the keys is to keep the room cool. Keep in mind that one of the risk factors for SIDS is overheating. For air circulation, you can use a fan. Make sure that the fabric’s weight is fit for the temperature of the room. White noise is also important. You can use an app or machine for it. Lighting and the smell is also a factor that needs to be considered.
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Teach Your Baby To Fall Asleep On Their Own
One thing you can do is to put your baby in the crib still awake right after your bedtime routine, give a verbal response such as, “good night baby, I love you”. And leave the room. You can return as much as you like until she falls asleep on their own.
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Be Consistent
This is a tough one! You need to adapt and adjust at the same time. But be consistent because it will be successful as long as you stick to the routine.
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Lastly, Install A Baby Monitor
In trying to find ways on how to transition baby from co sleeping to crib, installing a baby monitor is highly recommended. It helps you keep up on the transition process of your baby. You are able to track their sleep patterns, temperature changes in the room and even humidity. It also helps you track especially if you are tracking their progress in sleeping alone in the crib. It’s a must for transition!
Bonus Tip
Be aware of what your baby likes, it may be sound or motion. If they sleep consistently in a room that is noisy or riding in a car, look for things to include those in their time inside the crib. White noise machines can be used as a replication for it.
Also, if your baby doesn’t like to sleep in the crib at night but sleeps well during day time, find the thing that makes it different and make an adjustment as much as possible.
Conclusion
How to transition to crib is really a learning experience for both the parents and the baby. Staying consistent with the routines that you made can really help babies to develop good sleeping habits. Keep in mind that when it comes to parenting, it really has some ups and downs no matter if you keenly follow these steps provided for transition.
It can be initially a nightmare for you during initial periods of transition but take to heart that it will soon get better as the days go by. It is a matter of the methods you do between your trial and errors and the time as well.
But the most important thing is to never forget to cherish every moments with your baby because you will just be amazed how they will grow so fast in just a very short period of time!
