The situation is quite common when the child is sleeping with his mother. At first parents do not even think about how to wean him from this, because It seems very convenient. But in the future there are problems with accustoming the baby to separate sleep.
How to sleep a baby? Do I need a joint sleep at all? As in any situation, there are pros and cons.
The benefits of sharing sleep
- The baby was in constant contact with his mother for nine months. The appearance of the world, separation from it is a very big stress, so a joint dream returns him a sense of calm and security.
- When the mother puts her baby to bed next to her, she can get a longer and more complete rest at night. This is especially true for those women whose babies are breast-fed. They do not have to get up several times in order to feed the baby, just move closer and give him chest. In addition, the average duration of sleep of the baby increases.
- Constant tactile contacts with the mother contribute to the faster development of the child, including intellectual.
- Joint sleep with the baby has a beneficial effect on lactation, because frequent close contact contributes to the production of the hormone prolactin in the mother .
The disadvantages of a permanent stay of crumbs in the parental bed are primarily their intimate relationships. Often they worsen in the first months of life with the baby. Sometimes dad just can't stand it and demands to put his son or daughter in his crib. In some situations, the child can involuntarily become a witness to the sexual intercourse of the parents. Moreover, even if, due to his age, he does not realize anything, it still affects his psyche badly. In addition, albeit small, but still there is a danger of crushing the child in a dream and thereby harming his health.
When it is necessary to wean a child to sleep in the parents bed
The contradictory positive and negative aspects of sleeping together make you seriously think about whether it is good that the child is sleeping with his mother. How to wean him from this and at what age is it best to do? Modern psychologists still recommend letting the baby sleep with his parents, and at the age of 2-3 years he will be accustomed to his own crib. Sometimes children may themselves begin to fall asleep separately at an earlier age. In no case should this be prevented. But it happens that the situation in the family worsens due to the fact that the child is sleeping with his mother. How to wean him from joint sleep? In this case, too, you should think about this before the age of three.
Ways to teach a single bed
Allocate a gradual and quick transition to a separate night's sleep. As the simplest method of the first option, you can offer parents to put a crib by removing the side wall from it, next to their own. Thus, the child continues to sleep with his mother, but already in his bed. If the baby feels discomfort and anxiety, it will be enough for her only to move a little closer, caress him and gently talk to him. Over time, when breastfeeding is completed, and the baby grows up and gets used to her crib, she can be moved away. If this stage passes calmly and without any special problems, then soon a crumb can be allocated a separate room.
A quick transition to a separate dream is recommended for those who already have a sufficiently large baby sleeping with their mother. How to wean him from the parent's bed quickly and painlessly? The best way is to gently explain to the baby that he is already an adult, and then arrange his room with him. You can choose new baby wallpaper, crib, nightlight. All purchases are best done with the child so that he realizes the importance of the event. Laying the baby in a new crib, you can give him your favorite toy, offering now to play the role of an adult who sleeps with his little teddy bear, baby elephant or kitten. The main thing at the same time is to be determined, but to be patient, and also to show affection and tenderness in relation to the child.