How to teach a child to fall asleep during the day? Personal experience. How to painlessly teach a child to fall asleep on his own: the technique of falling asleep independently How to teach a child to sleep at lunchtime

How to teach a one-year-old child to fall asleep on his own? Psychologist Diana Medne advises.

I must say right away that this is a process that requires a lot of time and patience. A child learns very quickly to manipulate his mother, so sometimes it can be emotionally difficult for his mother.

The sooner some kind of child care structure is adopted, the faster the baby will be able to navigate and choose his own sleep rhythm. For parents, a bedtime ritual will be a great help, for example, bath - dinner - pajamas - fairy tale - kiss.

To help your child fall asleep, you can sing to him, tell him something, put his favorite toy in the crib, and before bedtime be not only close, but very close!

Even if these methods have already been tried, but there are no results, the created rituals must still be strictly observed!

Mom should be completely confident in her abilities, because learning to sleep independently can take not a week, but at least a month.

You must always remember that you can teach your child to sleep in his own crib only at home. As soon as you change the environment, you will need to learn in a new way.

It is also very important that the whole family takes part in this process: mother, father, and grandmother - everyone who lives with the baby in the same house. Everyone can talk quietly with the baby, and it is important that no one next to him is watching TV at this time, which will only distract the child.

If the whole family sets the goal of a child falling asleep independently, then a positive result will not take long to arrive!

Recommendations psychologist Lyudmila Pashkevich, [email protected]

Children fall asleep differently. Moreover, the sleep and wakefulness patterns of each child change depending on age, health, and emotional state. And at any time, a mother may face the fact that putting her child to sleep becomes a problem.

Life according to routine

First of all, you need organize your daily routine correctly and stick to it day after day. Each child develops an individual rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. There are periods when it is easy for him to fall asleep, and periods when it is very difficult to fall asleep.

Watch your child carefully for a while. Even in one day, you will be able to understand how many hours later your baby’s periods of sleep and wakefulness alternate with each other. Try to adjust your daily routine to suit them. Put your child to bed at the same time every day. Moreover, this applies not only to nighttime sleep, but also to daytime sleep. This, as it were, adjusts the internal clock of the child’s body.

Try to put your baby to bed as soon as you notice the first signs of his readiness for sleep (it is believed that the most favorable time for putting your baby to bed is from 19.00 to 21.30). They usually manifest themselves in the fact that the baby loses interest in what is happening around him, becomes inactive, tries to lay his head down and lie down. And, of course, a sure sign that a child is ready to sleep is if he yawns and rubs his eyes.

Some children begin to repeat the actions that their mother performs when she puts them to bed: humming a song, rocking a doll. It is important not to miss the moment, put everything aside, and immediately try to put the child to sleep - after all, the next moment may appear only in a couple of hours.

If a child is used to going to bed on time and his parents help him with this, then he will quickly fall asleep and wake up in the morning full of strength and energy. It is advisable to create such conditions for the baby so that he himself learns to control when he goes to bed. For example, you can tell your child that evening is coming. Evening is an objective fact that is not subject to discussion. Buy a special watch where some “sleepy” plot is drawn on the dial at about eight o’clock - the baby himself will count down the time for quiet games and the time for falling asleep. For example, you can say: “My friend, you see it’s already eight o’clock on the clock: what is it time to do?”

During the day (precisely the day), gradually increase physical activity. A child who is physically tired during the day usually falls asleep without problems. Walking in the fresh air is especially recommended. Remember yourself - after a 2-hour bike ride, you probably have a good appetite and fall asleep without problems. So, by increasing and intensifying walks in the fresh air, you will solve problems with appetite, and the question “how to put a child to sleep” will most likely go away on its own.

How to put you to bed?

Create for your baby falling asleep ritual. This is the transition point from the game to the evening procedures. One of the tasks of this moment is to make going to bed a long-awaited and beloved ritual for parents and children.

Each family comes up with its own version, depending on the characteristics of the child and general traditions, the main thing is regularity and consistency. By devoting approximately 30-40 minutes every day to the bedtime ritual, you will soon notice that the child resists it less and less. On the contrary, he will look forward to this moment when all attention will be devoted to him. A good place to start is by muting the TV/computer sound and turning off the bright lights.

Putting toys to bed. You can tell your baby: “Darling, it’s already evening, it’s time to get ready for bed. All the toys are waiting for you to wish them “good night.” You can put someone to bed, say “bye to someone, see you tomorrow.” When putting toys to bed, The child himself begins to prepare for bed, realizing that playtime is over.You can take your favorite bear with you to bed.

Evening swimming. Water is very relaxing, and all the worries of the day go away with it. Let him spend some time (10-15 minutes) in a warm bath. For greater relaxation, you can add special oils to the water (if there are no contraindications). Washing and brushing your teeth is also included in this stage.

Favorite pajamas. After water procedures, which have already had a relaxing effect on the baby, dress him in warm, soft pajamas. It should be made of comfortable, comfortable fabric, with some kind of children's drawings or embroidery. The main thing is that pajamas should bring pleasure to the baby - then he will be happy to put on them.

Relaxing massage. While putting on pajamas, you can massage your baby's body with light, calm movements. Continue stroking your baby in bed while telling a story or singing. If your baby is overexcited, start the massage with the foot (unless he is ticklish), inviting him to relax and close his eyes. Massage your legs in the calf area, after which the leg muscles should relax, and then do the same with your baby’s arms. Then ask him to relax his shoulders and massage them gently. Once complete, move to the neck and finally to the head. Many children love to have their face stroked (“Let’s draw eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows...”).

Musical accompaniment. When you are preparing your baby for bed, you can turn on some soft music. These can be special discs with lullabies, classical music, sounds of wildlife (rain, rustling leaves or waves cause maximum relaxation in a person).

Bedtime story. Tell or read a fairy tale or a short story to your child. You can come up with stories yourself or tell stories from your family’s life. It is important to tell the story in a calm, quiet, monotonous voice. It’s good if there are a lot of enumerations in a fairy tale, this creates a feeling of motion sickness. Poems have the same effect because they have a certain rhythm.

Lullaby. Sing a lullaby quietly. Choose a melody and hum it every night before bed for a week; kids love repeating familiar songs and fairy tales. Your repertoire may include traditional lullabies, modern love songs or folk melodies. Ask your child what song he wants to hear today. Wish your baby sweet dreams and, humming quietly, leave the room.

How to “break up” for the night?

When we wish our children “good night,” they feel so warm and pleasant that they often don’t want to let us go. If every time you are about to leave the room, the child pleadingly repeats: “Just a little more...”, let him understand that it is really time to say goodbye. It will be enough to say: “Let’s talk a little more and I’ll leave,” or sing a farewell song, or kiss him again and pat him on the back. A wonderful sleeping pill - a list of all those who love the baby and wish him good night.

Having said that it is time to say goodbye, be sure to keep your word. Let the child know that you take this procedure very seriously and do not intend to fall for his tricks. If You hold firm, the child will soon get used to it, and the evening goodbye will become a pleasant moment for both of you, and not a constant fight for Your right to leave.

Many children are very reluctant to go to bed, even if they are tired and their eyes are drooping. They stubbornly resist this, afraid of missing out on something interesting. However, a consistent routine and a nice evening ritual can help them calm down and get ready for bed, and your baby will look forward to spending a few happy moments receiving your warmth and attention.

Important Tips:

The final phase of the ritual, namely massage and storytelling, should take place in the room where the child sleeps.

Children love to sleep with some soft friend (toy). Choose a toy with him in the store that he will happily fall asleep with.

Develop a positive attitude towards sleep in your baby as something interesting. Set your child up to think that he will dream about a fairy tale.

Vary the components of the ritual so that the child does not get used to one person or one thing. For example, one day dad puts it to bed, another day mom does it; One day the baby sleeps with a teddy bear, another with a bunny, etc.

If your baby is afraid of the dark, leave the night light on. You can call it magical. Show him that there is no one in the room but you.

Several times after the baby has been put to bed, you can return to cuddle the baby without him asking. This way he will make sure that his parents will not disappear while he is sleeping.

If you have a conflict, try to resolve it without exciting your baby or getting irritated yourself. Before going to bed, it is better to part ways on good terms.

It is easier to put a child to bed if he knows that he will not be able to start “wandering around the house” again. Therefore, when putting your child to bed, explain that after the night light is turned on and pajamas are put on, you cannot get out of bed, you need to drink/pee before that.

The child may be capricious and even cry, delaying the moment of going to bed in every possible way. Don't get angry and don't punish your baby. Sleep cannot be punished, it is not a duty. And Your calm voice and firm intentions will gradually calm the baby.

If the child starts crying after you leave, come back, but not right away. Try to calm him down without lingering near the crib.

Bedtime rituals should stop before your baby falls asleep, otherwise they will create an addiction that will be difficult to break.

For many parents, this topic is a burning one. Indeed, every evening we put children to sleep: we read fairy tales, sing lullabies, persuade, lull... All this can go on for quite a long time. Sometimes the process of falling asleep takes more than an hour. All the songs are sung, fairy tales replace one another, and the baby keeps spinning and spinning. Is it possible to teach a child to fall asleep on his own? And if so, how to do it?

It is quite possible to bring this idea to life. You will need some knowledge, patience, consistency in your actions and confidence that everything will work out. And of course – an individual approach. All children are different and there cannot be a single algorithm of actions. There is only a certain scheme, which will vary to some extent in each specific case. Usually, the mother has the best sense of what her baby is ready for and what needs to be delayed. Therefore, you should rely more on your maternal intuition.

Individuality begins to manifest itself almost from birth. Some children begin to fall asleep on their own from infancy; these are mostly calm, slow-moving children. Active and emotional babies often cannot fall asleep on their own and require someone’s presence at this moment, often their mother’s. This is due to the fact that the child’s nervous system is still imperfect, the processes of excitation and inhibition are not balanced. Probably, many parents notice that a child who is playing up cannot stop (even when he no longer wants to run and jump) and begins to be capricious. This happens because the nervous system is “overloaded” with the information received. And by the evening, as a rule, the number of impressions accumulates, so it is difficult for the child to calm down on his own; this requires outside intervention.

Babies often like to fall asleep (and sometimes even sleep) near their mother’s breast. They still have a largely sucking reflex, the need to feel their mother’s warmth. They feel safe next to her and they really need this feeling for now. Therefore, if an infant categorically does not want to fall asleep on his own, do not insist. It’s hardly possible to explain anything to him now, so be patient until he grows up a little. Older children can be gradually brought to the point where they need to fall asleep on their own. At what age it is best to start is difficult to determine exactly. One child at just over a year old will learn without problems, while another at two and a half years old will demand the presence of his mother. So this should be approached selectively.

The best place to start is with preparation. As already mentioned, by the evening the volume of information received is such that it is difficult for the child to cope with it. Therefore, as a rule, moodiness intensifies in the evening. An hour and a half before bedtime, switch your baby to quiet games. It’s better if toys, stories and books are familiar to him - there are enough new impressions for today. Save for this purpose a book that you have already read more than once, but have not used for several days (or an already familiar game or toy). During this time, you can periodically leave the child alone in the room, while at the same time making sure that he does not become nervous, anxious, or play out too much. Tinkle with your baby near his bed before bed. Among other calm subjects, we can suggest the following: putting dolls to sleep, putting cars in the garage, putting cubes in a box, or something else with a “sleepy” theme. It may not work out at first, since at this time the child will want to play football or learn a new dance. In this case, be patient, remain calm and believe in success, because children are just learning everything. But this process is not always easy, and the leading role in it is played by an adult. Your attitude is passed on to your child, so it is very important not to lose optimism.

But now it's time to go to bed. All the toys are folded, evening exercise is over and the baby is already in bed. All that remains is to sing a lullaby, say good night, kiss the child and leave him to fall asleep alone. Here it is important to introduce and subsequently observe a certain “falling asleep ritual” - a set of actions that will mean that the day is over and it’s time to rest. You can first lie down next to the baby, tell him how wonderful he is, how much you love him, how proud you are of him, what a treasure he is... It is better to avoid direct eye-to-eye gaze - it helps to establish emotional contact. And this does not help you fall asleep at all. So place your baby facing away from you. It is better to give preference to a simple lullaby rather than a fairy tale: an interesting plot includes fantasy and here too there is no time for sleep. If the child really insists, you can tell your favorite fairy tale, it is better if it is simple and short. Teach your baby that it is time for him to fall asleep on his own, since he is already big, that you are always nearby and therefore there is nothing to be afraid of. It is very possible that your child will call you very soon - come back, calm him down, kiss him and leave him alone again. At first, several such “approaches” will be needed, but over time the child will begin to fall asleep on his own very quickly. It is important that he does not cry for a long time without you - be close, literally “within a squeak distance”. If your child has a favorite toy, offer to fall asleep with it.

It is much more convenient for the mother and more interesting for the baby to go to bed not in the crib where he has slept since birth, but, for example, on his own sofa. There are examples when difficulties with falling asleep disappeared when the child had his own sofa: he became interested, he was “like an adult.” This will be relevant for older children - at 2-3 years old, when the child can already appreciate such “involvement” in the world of adults.

If the mother is mainly with the baby, then you can entrust the father (or another family member whom the child sees not so often) to put him to bed. As a rule, children are much less capricious with their dads and behave calmer. Persuasion and suggestions that it’s time to fall asleep on your own from dad’s lips are more likely to have an effect. After all, you can “influence” mom with tears and screaming, but with dad this trick generally doesn’t work. The technique remains the same, although if dad suggests some reasonable innovation, it’s worth listening.

A good assistant in teaching a child to fall asleep independently is a daily routine. Children who are used to going to bed at the same time, as a rule, behave calmer in life and, therefore, will be able to fall asleep more easily and quickly on their own. If your child doesn’t have a routine, it’s worth developing one. This will make it easier for both you and him. Here almost everything depends on parental self-discipline. Of course, it will take a lot of patience, perseverance and consistency, but the result in the end will please you.

As a rule, children who fall asleep on their own fall asleep quite quickly. 5-10 minutes and the baby is already asleep. This is good not only for parents, but also for the child himself. Don't forget that all children are different. And if the baby resists your actions, does not want to fall asleep without his mother, cries and insists on her presence, there is no need to persist. Put this idea aside for a while. The child grows quickly, matures, and gets smarter. Perhaps in a few weeks everything will work out much faster and easier. Just try your attempts again after a while.

Two years is the age of a restless child and often a headache for parents. After all, it is at two years old that a child runs around, tries to learn everything, is interested in everything around him, and parents need to keep up with this whole process. And when do you have time to rest here? Probably at night. But what to do when a child of this age does not want to fall asleep on his own? Let's learn this.

Most often, parents believe that the child is already old enough to sleep alone. But children of this age categorically do not want to let mom or dad go. Let's look at a few examples of how to negotiate?
A bargain is a bargain. The option to agree is the first one on our list. You should talk to your child and tell him how great it is to sleep in his own crib. When you achieve a result from your child in the form: “I want my own crib,” consider half the battle already in your pocket.

How to teach your child to fall asleep on his own

Then you go together or buy a crib separately and it’s done. The main thing is to remember that the crib should be in the shape of a cartoon character that your daughter or son loves, then he will quickly want to sleep separately.

Second option. Reduce the amount of time you spend falling asleep. For example, if you have to be with your child until he falls asleep, both at lunchtime and in the evening, then try to give up at least one “falling asleep together” thing. For example, at lunchtime, start putting your child to sleep on your own, but do not lie down yourself, but sit on the edge of the crib. Do this for a few days and you will succeed.

How to teach a child to fall asleep on his own at two years old

And then the turn will come that you will not fall asleep with your child in the evening. This model of teaching a child to fall asleep on his own takes a little time and will require patience from you. But the result is better, since there will be no stress for the child, since he will gradually understand that he will have to fall asleep separately from his parents.

Third option. Don't sit with the child, but talk to him. For example, you put your child to bed and say that you will come in a couple of minutes and see how the child behaves. When you come, praise him for the fact that for these few minutes he was independent, an adult, he is smart and smart. And then leave for another five minutes with the same condition. And after a couple of times the child will fall asleep on his own.

How to teach your child to fall asleep on his own video

A few days like this and your baby will sleep on his own. So consider this option too.

Fourth option. Always leave your child a favorite toy with which he can fall asleep. Remember that a child does not sleep on his own for two reasons - either you taught him that way, or he is afraid to be alone. Therefore, the option of having a toy nearby is a very good way out of any situation.

Also, when you teach your child to fall asleep on his own, pay attention to his health and mental state. Remember that the child must be healthy and not cry on this day because of any injury or resentment. Since the process of falling asleep is already a difficult psychological barrier for a child, and here you will add “fuel to the fire.” So be vigilant in this matter.

Dear mothers! 2 days ago I found an interesting article on the site, in my opinion an excerpt from a book, on how to teach a child to sleep on his own in 1 week. In general, here is this article. I wish everyone PATIENCE!!!
CHAPTER 1
The child does not sleep, and therefore we do not sleep either. What happens to those who don't get enough sleep? A child is not a machine, and when discharged from the maternity hospital, you are not given instructions for it, as, for example, when buying a washing machine. Then everyone starts giving parents advice (relatives, friends, neighbors, etc.) Especially if they hear the baby crying. Many people say: “We need to wait out the first months, then he will sleep like all children, where will he go?” Many come up with reasons: first he doesn’t sleep because he’s too small, then because of his tummy, then because of his teeth, etc. Some give advice: “Leave it alone, he’ll eventually calm down and fall asleep.” Parents come up with all sorts of individual methods: carrying them in the car, leaving them to sleep in front of the TV, etc.
We must finally admit: sleep is a serious thing, and it must be treated from a professional point of view, since not all children learn to sleep on their own without outside help.
Consequences of sleep problems in childhood for a young child
- cries often
- often in a bad mood
- feels not loved enough
- overly dependent on parents/grandparents
- growth delays are also possible
For schoolchildren
- reduced academic performance compared to abilities
- uncertainty as a character trait
- timidity
- character problems
For the parents of such a child
- self-doubt (are we doing the right thing?)
- feeling of guilt (poor thing, maybe she can’t sleep because she’s suffering from something, but we can’t help and then we’re still angry)
- mutual accusations of parents that the other spoils the child
- feeling of confusion in front of a problem
- feeling that nothing can be done
- deep physical and mental fatigue
That is, the consequences of poor sleep are manifested in the behavior and character of the child.
The child does not sleep well - does not rest well - feels restless, small children do not calm down from excessive fatigue, but, on the contrary, become agitated. A tired child who wants to sleep almost never asks to go to bed on his own, but on the contrary, may demonstrate increased activity and excitability - he often cries for no reason, easily gets into a bad mood and wants more attention from his parents - begins to depend too much on who takes care of him. In the future, this may lead to the development of an insecure and timid character, problems in communicating with others, decreased academic performance, etc.
The impact of poor sleep on health has not yet been fully studied, but it is clear that sometimes poor sleep can lead to growth retardation, since growth hormones are produced during sleep (during the first hours of sleep)

The critical age is 5 years. If a child has not learned to sleep well before the age of 5, he has a high chance of having insomnia as an adult; 5 years is the limit. At this age, the child already understands well what the parents want. Many children at this age go to bed, do not cry, do not call their parents, but the problem is not resolved, since they continue to fall asleep with difficulty and wake up often, only now they keep it to themselves. In the worst cases, the child begins to have nightmares and other nighttime problems, crying that he does not want to go to bed. From adolescence, insomnia remains for life.
Sometimes parents don’t even understand the seriousness of this problem; they think everything will go away with age. In fact, 35% of children suffer from sleep problems before the age of 5. But these data are understated, since many parents believe that it is normal if a child from 6 months to 2-3 years (and sometimes beyond) does not want to go to sleep, wakes up 3-5 times at night, explaining this by hunger, desire to drink, write, etc. That's why surveys often don't give the right results. 35% - statistics from our center for the treatment of sleep problems.
From 6-7 months, a child is able to sleep alone in his room, in absolute darkness, for 10-12 hours without waking up and without requiring the presence of adults.
If your baby is not sleeping as described above, it is natural that you ask yourself: what is going on, what is wrong? Why then doesn't our child sleep?
Forget the excuses you used before: gas (goes away by 4-5 months), teeth, hunger, thirst, too much energy, went to kindergarten, etc. There is only one reason for 98%: Your child has not yet learned to sleep! Like this? -you ask. - What does it mean?
You will discover this in subsequent chapters. If you literally follow all our instructions, then in less than one week your child will turn into a sleepyhead.
Before you start reading other chapters, you should convince yourself of the following things:
- your child is not sick (if he sleeps poorly, this is not a disease and it cannot be treated with medications: valerian, motherwort decoctions, etc.)
- your child does not have any psychological problems (excuses like: he wakes up because he feels separation from his parents, etc.)
-your child is not spoiled (even if everyone tries to convince you otherwise). If he sleeps poorly, this is in no way a consequence of being spoiled, even if this is expressed in the fact that he constantly demands the attention of his parents, wants to be lulled to sleep, rocked, carried in arms, read to him, etc.
-if your child doesn't sleep well, it's not your fault.
Our book will help you teach your child to sleep.
A baby's 3-4 hour cycle consists of the following elements; food-sleep-hygiene (change diapers, etc.) The order may change (hygene-sleep-food). Sometimes we meet newborn anarchists. They don’t even follow this simple pattern, that is, they fall asleep and wake up without any logic.
Around 3-4 months (sometimes even a little earlier), babies usually begin to adjust to a 24 (25) hour cycle, the so-called solar cycle. So he starts sleeping more at night. At first, the baby is able to sleep only 3-4 hours at night without waking up, then 5-6, then 7-8 and finally 10-12 hours. ATTENTION: there are no clear rules for the relationship between sleep duration and age; it all depends on the individual characteristics of your baby. This adaptation to the adult cycle is associated with the development of a certain area of ​​the brain, conventionally called the “internal clock.”
To properly set this internal biological clock, certain external stimuli are necessary (light-darkness, noise-silence, eating schedule, certain habitual actions, etc.) Therefore, it is better for a newborn to sleep in light light and little noise during the day, and in silence at night and complete darkness. This is how the child begins to get used to the difference between night and day.
Thus, the child must be surrounded by certain external stimuli for correct orientation. Briefly it comes down to two aspects:
Parental behavior
-feeling of confidence
-calmness
- patience and desire to teach the child to sleep
- repeatability in evening procedures
External elements
-crib
-pacifier
-toy (bear, dog, doll, etc., with which you can sleep)
Parental behavior
The child is very sensitive to the internal psychological state of the parents. He understands perfectly if mom is nervous or worried about something. Therefore, when you put your baby in the crib, try to be as calm as possible for this half hour and demonstrate with all your behavior that it cannot be otherwise, that it is natural and wonderful to go to sleep. You can't change the way you put him in his crib. Everything should always be almost the same (within reasonable limits). That is, at a certain hour everything should be repeated: you bathe him, then feed him, then change his diaper for the night, put him in his crib, turn off the light, wish him good night and go out. The order of your actions may be different, the main thing is that it should be repeated every evening.
Repeatability gives the child confidence. He knows what will happen in 5-10 minutes, then in half an hour, and he feels safe. The baby is not wary, does not expect unexpected surprises, and therefore calms down. If on different days the child is put to bed by different people (mother, grandmother, etc.), adults should agree among themselves not to change the order of procedures and try to do everything as equally as possible.
External elements
The child must associate certain things with sleep. If you put a baby to sleep by rocking him in your arms, he understands that rocking is sleep. Accordingly, as soon as you stop rocking him, he wakes up and needs to be rocked to fall asleep again. If the baby falls asleep at the breast, he gets used to the fact that food is a dream. And he will only fall asleep next to his boob or with a bottle in his mouth. Accordingly, as soon as he feels that there is nothing in his mouth, he will wake up. At night, everyone, adults and children, wakes up for a few seconds. Usually, a person then falls asleep and doesn’t even remember about it in the morning. In older people, these awakenings can last longer than 30 seconds and reach 3-4 minutes. In a normal situation, a person remembers that he woke up only under exceptional circumstances. A normal child wakes up at night (for a few seconds) 5-8 times, and a child with problematic sleep more. If a child, when he opens his eyes for a moment, finds everything the same as it was when he fell asleep, he automatically falls asleep and sleeps on. If he is used to sleeping in a stroller around the house, then he will expect to be in a stroller and ride around the house. If he fell asleep at his mother's breast, he will look for the breast. If he fell asleep in his dad's arms, he will look for his dad, etc. If, upon opening his eyes at night, the baby does not find exactly the same situation in which he fell asleep, he gets scared and cries to call his parents. In the worst case, he will not be able to fall asleep without repeating his favorite situation.
An example for you: you fell asleep in your bed. At night, you open your eyes for a second and see that you are on the sofa in the living room. You will jump on the couch: what happened??!!! Why am I here??? The same thing happens with a child. As you understand, the child needs external elements, and here - attention - the mistake of most parents is that they choose elements that require their presence. The child cannot prepare a bottle for himself, cannot walk around the house in a stroller, etc. Therefore, these are incorrectly selected elements.
Therefore, we need to choose elements that can stay with the child all night and that do not require our intervention. This could be a teddy bear, a pacifier, his pillow, a blanket. The child should always fall asleep only in his own bed, etc.
Let's talk about this in more detail later.
What you should never do when trying to put a baby to sleep (over 6 months)
-sing
-rocking in the crib
- swing on your hands
-rock in a stroller
-carry by car
-touch him, give him a hand, let him touch us
- caress, stroke the head
-putting parents in bed
-allowing him to jump around the bed/room until exhausted in the hope that he will then fall asleep faster
-give food and drink
Bottom line: Never actively help your child fall asleep. He must learn to fall asleep on his own.

A newborn sleeps differently than a 4-month-old child, and he does not sleep like a 2-year-old child. Sleeping habits develop over time with age. In this chapter we will explain to you what to expect from your baby at certain ages. If you pay proper attention to sleep and falling asleep from birth, you will not have problems in the future.
How to teach a newborn. The main thing you need to know is that a newborn sleeps as much as he needs - no less, no more. He can fall asleep anywhere and in any noise. As mentioned above, its cycle is usually 3-4 hours. Ate, slept, pooped, changed clothes, etc. If your newborn doesn't follow any pattern, don't worry—that's completely normal. At this stage, food and sleep are closely connected, so the baby wakes up because he wants to eat and falls asleep because he is full. However, you need to be careful here: if a baby cries, this does not necessarily mean that he wants to eat (many mothers immediately breastfeed, as this is the easiest way to calm the baby, but this is wrong). First (if the child has recently eaten, the interval should be 3-4 hours) try to find other reasons: is he hot? Cold? is he wet? wants to be held? Tired of noisy society? does your tummy hurt? Only after that give him the breast. If you give him the breast every time he cries, your baby will learn to associate the breast with sleep and calming. He will get used to the fact that in order to calm down, he needs to eat. Already in a few weeks, babies are able to eat more than they need. If you give him your milk, there is no problem from a medical point of view, but it still leads to bad habits, since the feeling of sleep and hunger are controlled by the same part of the brain. In addition, such children grow into adults who, when nervous, begin to eat everything in order to calm down. If you feed him formula milk, feeding him too often can lead to obesity in early childhood or adulthood.
It is not yet time for rigid introduction of schedules. However, we advise showing your child the difference between sleep and wakefulness. If he is not sleeping, take him in your arms, play with him, talk to him. If he's not sleeping, try not to keep him in his crib. This will help him understand that the crib is a place to sleep (see the previous chapter about external elements).
During the day, put him to sleep in light light, and at night, do not leave the night light on. This way the child will learn to understand the difference between night and day.
During the day, do not walk on tiptoe, even if the baby has fallen asleep; at night, try not to make noise behind the wall or in the same room. During the day you can vacuum, play the piano, etc. In the evening, when the child is already in the crib, turn down the volume on the TV, etc.
Give it a bath before going to bed. Some parents prefer to bathe their baby in the morning, but if you prefer to do it in the evening, your baby will have another external element associated with sleep. He will quickly get used to going to bed after a bath.
Provide him with maximum sleeping comfort. If he has just eaten, hold him upright to help him release the air from his stomach. Change him, check that the crib is not too cold, that the room is about 20 degrees.
From birth, the baby should get used to sleeping on his own. Try not to rock him in your arms. Try not to overly associate food with sleep. However, if at this age it still doesn’t work out, don’t be upset. Your baby is still too small. Use common sense. In any case, it is useless to leave the baby crying for hours.
Many babies start sleeping 5-7 hours a night or earlier, but by 3-4 months all babies should be doing this. At this age, the biological rhythm changes. If initially you did not follow any rules (rocked the baby, gave him the breast to put him to sleep), now the time has come to gradually change these habits.
Remember:
-you should be calm when laying your baby down
-help him associate some external elements with the hour of going to bed; he must perform the same actions every evening before going to bed. Remember that for a child repetition means a sense of security.
This is the age when it is already necessary to decide at what time the baby should go to bed. From a biological point of view, children sleep best in the summer from 20.30 to 21.00, and in the winter from 20.00 to 20.30. Choose daily procedures that you will then repeat every evening: bathing, changing diapers, 10 minutes of quiet games with dad, etc. .d. Pay attention to how your baby reacts to bath time - if he doesn't like water or gets too excited, only do short baths before bed, or move them to the morning. It is better not to let your baby eat near the crib to separate food and sleep. Spend a few minutes with your baby in another room (where he is not sleeping), talk to him, play quiet games, etc. Then put him in the crib with his things - you can choose what you want; teddy bear, doll, pacifier (preferably several, then at night it will not be difficult to find, for example, tie 4 pacifiers to the edges of a large handkerchief) The main thing is that what you give him can stay with him all night and does not require your repeated intervention. Kiss the baby and wish him good night. Then leave the room while the baby is still awake.
If you do everything right, your baby will enjoy bedtime, will recognize it and will go to bed without any problems. However, if your baby, despite your efforts, does not lend itself to “education”, do not worry: before 6-7 months it is too early to talk about childhood insomnia. Your baby just needs more time to transition to the adult cycle.
If he wakes up frequently at night, check:
- Aren't you sick?
- is he too wrapped up or is he cold?
- peed or pooped?
- doesn’t he eat enough before going to bed? (if he is hungry, he should not eat at night, but his last meal should be larger)
- did the baby have gas (colic)? If so, he is used to waking up with a stomach ache.
Help him. You can rock him, caress him and put him back in the crib. However, remember that your goal is to teach him to fall asleep on his own.
Attention: in the first weeks of life, a child never cries without a reason. Therefore, we must immediately try to understand what is wrong and help him. However, you will soon notice that your baby has different types of crying: he is protesting, he is hungry, he is wet, he is angry, he is bored, etc. Once you learn to distinguish crying for serious reasons from simple whimpering, do not run to your baby every time because of nonsense. Wait a few minutes - maybe he will be able to fall asleep again.
From 6 months, any child should sleep less during the day (usually twice: after breakfast 1-2 hours and after lunch 2-3 hours) and more at night. At 7 months, the child should already have an established eating-sleeping schedule (eating 4-5 times a day, sleeping 10-12 hours at night without waking up).
If your baby is 6-7 months old, and he is not yet accustomed to this regime, start “education”.
For a baby 6-7 months is normal
- established a regular eating-sleeping schedule
- eats 4-5 times a day
- sleeps 10-12 hours at night
- goes to bed willingly and without problems
If your baby fits this description, don't get too comfortable, as small details can easily ruin a young child's good sleep habits. Try to maintain regularity in eating and sleeping and repeating actions before going to bed.
From the age of 7-9 months, the baby will no longer fall asleep if he is too tired. At this age, children know how to stay awake, even if they are very tired. Sometimes because they want to stay longer with their parents, sometimes because they are too tired or excited, etc. Don't let yourself be persuaded. Put your child to bed at the same time, repeating the same actions. Try not to stretch out your efforts to put your baby to bed for an hour (a baby’s dream). Children who already know how to speak quickly learn to bribe their parents: one more kiss, read one more fairy tale, just one, etc., I’m thirsty, I want to write... If the child really insists on one more fairy tale, read him a well-known fairy tale in a motonic voice . Don’t read anything interesting or exciting to him at night! It prevents him from falling asleep!
After a year, the baby gradually switches from two naps to one. This is a difficult time, since there is a period when one sleep is not enough, and two is too much, but the problem disappears in 1-2 months. After lunch, the child should sleep until he is 4 years old, and preferably until he is 5-6. Many parents and educators allow their child not to sleep as early as 3 years old. This is too early. A three-year-old child is capable of not sleeping during the day, but in this case he is too tired in the evening, his sleep is too deep, which in turn can lead to various problems (nightmares, etc.).
When we understand that the child has learned to sleep. A child can sleep well even at 10 months, without any visible problems. However, at least until the age of 5, you need to be careful, since some event (moving, the appearance of a brother, etc.) can destroy good habits. As soon as you notice problems appearing, apply the method described in Chapter 4. So our advice is: even if your child is already a good sleeper, be careful to follow the evening routine and schedule.
One last note: be realistic!!!
Many parents do not know how to be realistic and want the impossible from their children. If your child slept less than normal for his age in the first month of life, then at three years after applying our method, he will sleep less. If he has learned to sleep, he will go to bed without problems, will not wake up at night, and will sleep 10 hours. But he will not become a sleepyhead if he is not a sleepyhead by nature!
Many parents are happy when their children sleep a lot during the day (finally they can mind their own business!). The child cannot sleep 4-5 hours after lunch and 12 hours at night! Even if you are very pleased that the child is sleeping, wake him up after 2-3 hours of sleep. A child should never sleep during the day without waking up for more than 3 hours!
Other parents put their baby to bed at 8 pm and want him to wake up at 10 am. A child is not a clockwork robot! He has his own biological rhythms, they must be respected, not destroyed!
The ideal pajamas are those in which the child does not feel hot and in which he can sleep without a blanket. Little children always open up at night
CHAPTER 4

Let's start from the beginning, or how to fix your child's sleep habit. What is normal for a baby and what is not? When can we talk about childhood insomnia?
Many parents consider it normal to get up 2-3, or even 4-5 times at night to see their one-and-a-half-year-old child to give him a bottle. But this is NOT the NORM, just like the case when an 8-month-old baby does not sleep until midnight without any signs of fatigue, or when a one-year-old baby begins to scream loudly as soon as his mother, having put him in the crib, wants to leave the room.
From 6-7 months of age, all children should be able to:
- go to bed without crying and with joy
- fall asleep alone in the room without assistance
- sleep 10-12 hours without a break
- sleep in your own crib (and not in your parents’ bed), in the dark without a night light on
This description applies to all healthy children if they do not have colic (which usually goes away by 4-5 months), milk intolerance, acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, etc. If your baby is already 6 months old and not sick, but has not yet learned to sleep through the night, he may have problems with childhood insomnia in the future.
Children's insomnia is explained by:
- in 98% of cases due to incorrect sleep habits
- in 2% psychological problems (see end of chapter)
Childhood insomnia caused by improper habits has the following characteristics:
- the child cannot fall asleep on his own without assistance
- wakes up at night (from 3 to 15 times) and cannot fall back to sleep on his own and requires parental help (sickness, bottle, etc.)
- light sleep - the slightest noise can wake him up
- sleeps fewer hours than indicated in the table for his age
In such cases, parents resort to auxiliary methods: rocking the baby, patting the head, giving him something to eat, drink, etc. The baby eventually falls asleep, but the problem is that when he wakes up again, he has to start all over again.
If you decide to change this situation, you must follow the following rule: you must strictly follow our instructions, follow them literally, the slightest deviation or change can lead to failure!
What does it take to develop good sleep habits? Let's repeat the general rules:
- parents should be calm and confident in what they are doing, and also always follow the same pattern of behavior when putting the baby to bed, create a ritual.
- the child should associate sleep with external elements that can stay with him all night: a crib, a teddy bear, a pacifier, a favorite blanket, etc.
So, let's forget the past and imagine that our baby was born today.
Let's start by selecting the external elements. We remember that they should stay with the baby all night (that is, they should not be dangerous, too small for him to swallow, hard so that he does not hit himself in his sleep, etc.) and that they should not require our presence (for example , a bottle of tea is not suitable, since someone has to fill it at night). With a child 2-5 years old, you can prepare a drawing to hang above the crib. After dinner, dad (mom) says to the baby: “Let’s go to the room, let’s draw a beautiful picture.” The kid can draw a sun or a cloud over the house himself, and dad can add a bird or tree, etc. Mom can prepare a carousel to hang over the crib (just cut out a doll or an airplane from paper, make a ball out of shiny paper and hang it over the crib using a rope or elastic band). You don't have to create masterpieces, you can just buy something suitable. The main thing is that the child has something fundamentally new, something that was not there before and that he likes.
If you used to put him to bed differently every night, now you need to create a ritual. Decide for yourself what is more convenient for you: swimming, dinner, playing for half an hour and going to bed. What you decide now, you will have to do the same every evening.
Let us give you some advice. In accordance with natural biological rhythms, it is best to let your child eat on the following schedule: breakfast around 8 o'clock, lunch around 12, afternoon snack around 16 and dinner around 20. Try not to deviate too much from this schedule, as these are the biological rhythms of children. In any case, if for some reason you cannot adhere to this entire schedule, remember: the child falls asleep easiest in the winter at 20.00-20.30, and in the summer at 20.30-21.00. This is due to the peculiarities of the brain functioning of children.
First day of re-education. So, you have everything ready, your schedule and evening ritual have been chosen. After dinner, dad (mother, grandmother) play calm games with the baby for 10-15 minutes, then together they hang a picture over the crib. They explain that this is a poster and that he will sleep with the baby all night. If your baby still sleeps with a pacifier, buy him several and place them around the crib so that your baby can easily find at least one in the dark. If you don’t think about this moment, the baby will wake you up at night so that you help him find the pacifier and then - goodbye, re-education!
Second step: mom or dad choose a toy from those the baby already has and give him a name. After this they say to the baby: This is your friend Mishka (Petya, etc.). He will sleep with you all night. Don’t let your baby choose: remember, we know how to sleep and teach him, not he us, now you decide. Even if your child is 4 years old, in this situation we must treat him like a newborn who does not yet know or know how to do anything.
If you must deprive your baby of something that he used to have (a bottle, etc.), explain to him that his new night friends replace the old ones and that they will stay with him all night and in the morning when he wakes up there will be more with him.
Remember
- your baby’s requests and demands at bedtime can affect proper sleep habits
- a child should not tell his parents how he should sleep and what he needs for this; in this situation, parents are teachers, and children learn to sleep, and not the other way around. The calm, confident tone of parents should show this to their children.
So, the time has come to put your baby in the crib. Act as if you do this every day. Calmly change the baby's clothes, put him in the crib and cover him. Don’t expect the baby to close its eyes, turn on its side and snore. Firstly, the baby has not yet been “re-educated”, and secondly, he has already realized that you have prepared some kind of surprise for him. Most likely, he will immediately jump to his feet and start screaming wildly as soon as he realizes that mom wants to leave the room. Don't try to put him down again right away. Sit next to the crib or take him on your lap and tell him: “Kitty, mommy and daddy want to teach you how to sleep. Look, you are not alone: ​​your teddy bear, drawing, etc. are with you. They will all sleep with you all night.” This speech will take between 0.5 and 2 minutes. Depends on what you include in the list (curtains, bike next to the crib, etc.). The main thing is not to get annoyed and speak calmly. It doesn't matter at all whether the child understands well what you say to him. Most likely, during your entire speech, the child will scream like crazy in the hope that he will be able to return to the old days. Ignore the crying, keep talking. These are the moments that require willpower and courage from you. Your baby will be ready to do anything so as not to lose his “privileges.” Let us give just a short list of what children in our practice were capable of in order to pity their parents and return “their happy past”: children cried, made sad faces, asked to drink, write and eat, threw tantrums with hiccups, made themselves vomit, pooped etc.
Despite all this performance that your baby will give you, you must remain calm and remember: you are teaching him to sleep, not he is teaching you. You are doing this for his future, for his health and for your nervous system.
After your short speech above, put your baby back in bed.
Attention: after this point it should not be touched until the next morning. If he gets up again, ignore him. Say, “Good night, fish (pussy, etc.),” turn off the lights, and leave the room. Leave the door almost completely closed (a small crack so you can hear what is happening).
Attention: it makes no difference whether the baby is 6 months or 5 years old. The only difference is how he can fight you. A six-month-old baby can only cry, but a 4-5-year-old can talk, scream, beg, get out of the crib, etc. In this case, we recommend organizing some kind of barrier to exit the room.
Do not lock the door with a key, etc. This could terrorize your child! Don't be afraid if he falls asleep on the floor, etc. Firstly, children rarely do this, because they love convenience, and secondly, even in this case, the goal is achieved - the baby fell asleep on his own. Then you just need to put him in the crib.
Up to this point we have considered the point of view of adults. But how does the baby feel in such a situation?
Children communicate with adults according to a certain pattern: action-reaction. Children do certain things because they expect certain reactions. Consider the situation: a six-month-old baby. They put him in his crib, he begins to sing “a-a-a-a” and clap his hands. What will mom and dad say? “What a bunny!” And they will mind their own business. But the same baby begins to scream like crazy, turns brown-red or purple, and hiccups. What do parents do? They run: “Bunny, are you feeling bad? What happened to you? Does your tummy hurt? Teeth cutting? Kitty, now mom (dad) will rock you (carry you in her arms, etc.).” What does a baby like more: lying alone in a crib or being the center of attention of all relatives? What will the baby do next time he wants his parents' attention? What will a 4-5 year old child do? He has enough imagination to make his parents retreat first!
Let's return to the process of putting to bed. What will our 4-year-old do as soon as we give him his teddy bear? Maybe he'll throw him on the floor. If you pick it up and give it to him again, what will he do? He throws the bear on the floor again. If we continue like this, who will win? Baby!!! Because he took a certain action and achieved the desired reaction. You fell for his bait! If your baby threw a teddy bear, a pacifier, a blanket, a pillow on the floor, and you continue to talk calmly, then collect everything, put it in his bed, turn around and leave the room despite his wild screams, who will win?
Another example: you put your baby in the crib, and he immediately rises to his feet. You put it down again, it comes up again. You don't want to put him to bed all night, but he wants to continue this game as long as possible, because this way he has your full attention. So put him in the crib and leave the baby alone. If he wants to climb, let him climb as much as he wants.
What else can your baby do to get your attention? “I’m thirsty”, “ah-ah-ah”, “bo-bo”, etc. The child may even make himself vomit. Don't be alarmed, nothing happens to him. Wash him, change the sheets and put him back in the crib. You may be nervous (but don’t show it outwardly). Remain outwardly calm and determined: your child must learn to sleep. The baby may also scream and cry like crazy (then tell the neighbors that his ears hurt, poor thing). In such a situation, the baby may cry so loudly that the windows of the neighbors across the street may rattle. But you must have courage and hold on: your “war” has just begun, and fortunately it will only last a few days. However, we cannot leave the baby to cry for long. Why? Because “re-educate” does not mean punish. Parents are usually advised to let their baby cry until he falls asleep from fatigue. Never do this!
When you leave the room for the first time, look at the clock: until the baby falls asleep, you will have to return to his room from time to time. REMEMBER: you are not coming back to calm him down, and not to make him stop crying, and not to put him to sleep. But only to show him that you have not left him. How often should you return to your baby? Consider the sign below, it all depends on the day of re-education and what time you return. The table shows intervals in minutes.
How many minutes should you wait before returning to the room where the baby is crying?
1 day -1 min (1 time) 3 min (2 times) 5 min all subsequent times
Day 2 - 3 min (1 time) 5 min (2 times) 7 min all subsequent times
Day 3 - 5 min (1 time) 7 min (2 times) 9 min all subsequent times
Day 4 - 7 min (1 time) 9 min (2 times) 11 min all subsequent times
Day 5 - 9 min (1 time) 11 min (2 times) 13 min all subsequent times
Day 6 - 11 min (1 time) 13 min (2 times) 15 min all subsequent times
Day 7 - 13 min (1 time) 15 min (2 times) 17 min all subsequent times
Note: This chart should be used both in the evening and at night if your baby wakes up during the night.
What should a parent who has returned to his child do? I must tell him again in a calm voice: “Golden, you need to sleep. Mom and dad will now teach you to sleep. You will sleep with your teddy bear and pacifier, etc. Good night". If the baby has crawled out of the crib by this time, you need to put him back there. If the baby is unable to get out, we need to stop far enough from him so that he cannot cling to us. After this little speech, you need to calmly leave the room. When you return to your baby, there is no need to turn on the light. If the baby cries, do not react, continue your speech, and then leave.
Never wait longer than indicated in the table; The worst thing for a child is to think that his parents don’t love him and that they abandoned him. At the same time, try to gather all your strength and, although your heart will shed tears, try to gain strength for a few days and follow all the instructions: the results will exceed all your expectations!
Your returns will help your baby understand that he will not achieve anything by crying and screaming, and then that going to bed is not so scary. How long can your baby scream? Depends on the specific case. The most persistent ones, however, usually do not scream for more than 2 hours. Many people give up after an hour. If the baby wakes up at night, you need to do everything as in the evening. The child does not understand schedules, does not understand the difference between night and evening, so he has to go in and out again and say the same words
Psychological problems – 2% when the method does not work. The reasons may be temporary, such as: divorce, parents are especially nervous due to some serious problems, they moved the bed from the parents’ room to a separate one, a brother was born, went to kindergarten, saw a scary movie on TV, etc. You need to determine what the reason is and try to eliminate or weaken it. Because of a movie, first day of kindergarten, etc. the child may not sleep well for 2-3 days. Problems that last a long time should be treated by a psychotherapist or neurologist. For more details, see chapter 7.

How long should a baby sleep? Children are all different. Among them there are sleepyheads, and there are also those who sleep significantly less than normal. Here are the average data - how many hours a day should your child sleep: 1 week... 16-17 hours, 3 months....15 hours, 6 months... 14 hours, 12 months....13 hours 45 minutes, 18 months... 13 hours 30 minutes, 2 years... 13 hours, 3 years... 12 hours, 4 years... 11 hours 30 minutes, 5 years... 11 hours.
Your baby may sleep up to two hours more or two hours less. If your baby does not meet these standards, pay attention to the following points.
The baby sleeps less than normal and:
- easily irritated
- capricious
- sometimes looks sleepy
- has difficulty concentrating and often seems inattentive
- he has moments when he stares blankly at one point
If your baby sleeps less than normal and exhibits any of the behaviors described above, it means he should sleep more. If he sleeps less than normal, but does not show any of the above signs, then everything is fine and your child simply needs less sleep.
The baby sleeps more than normal and:
- gains height and weight according to norms
- attentive
- active when not sleeping
If you answered “yes” to all three questions, don’t worry, fate has given you a baby sleepyhead.” If you answered “no” to at least one question, talk to your pediatrician about it and check your child’s health.
How to change your baby's daily routine? There are babies who sleep a lot during the day, but little at night. Or those who willingly go to bed at 7 pm, but are already awake at 5 am. In such cases, you can gradually change their regime according to your wishes.
If your baby sleeps a lot during the day and little at night, don't let him sleep a lot during the day, even if it's convenient for you. Find in the table how much he should sleep according to his age, estimate how many hours you want him to sleep during the day and how much at night. Make a schedule. In any case, it is better not to let your baby sleep more than 2-3 hours during the day (if he only sleeps once during the day). Ideally – 10-12 hours at night, the rest during the day. For example:
18 months - daily sleep 13.30 (11 at night and 2.30 during the day or 12 at night and 1.30 during the day)
If your baby falls asleep at 7pm and wakes up too early, you can move up his schedule by sending him to bed half an hour later in the week. That is, the first week he will go to bed at 7.30, the second at 8.00 and the third at 8.30. In any case, it is better to put him in bed no later than 8.30 - 9.00. We repeat, even if it is convenient for you, the habit of going to bed late for young children can develop into serious problems in the future. For an ideal schedule, see previous chapters. If half an hour is too much for the baby, shift sleep by 15 minutes a week (7.00 - 7.15-7.30, etc.) Everything else (evening procedures before bed) should remain as before.
CHAPTER 6

Night restlessness may or may not wake the child. This is a state of half-sleep: sleepwalking, nightmares, phobias, bruxism, nocturnal delirium, rocking movements. In childhood, these problems are usually not pronounced; the critical age is from 3 to 6 years.
Somnambulism (sleepwalking). A classic example: a five-year-old child gets out of bed, turns on the light, goes to the bathroom instead of the toilet and pees in the tub or in his shoe, returns to bed, turns off the light and falls asleep. The next day he doesn’t remember anything. Usually occurs in the first half of sleep. The causes are unknown and there is no cure. It is usually inherited and goes away by adolescence. At night, the child automatically repeats the actions he does during the day. He does not have clarity of consciousness and therefore “makes mistakes.” But this is a harmless deviation.
You just need to take precautions. A sleepwalker never throws himself out of a window, but can get out of it by mistaking it for a door. Don't wake the child. If he wanders around the apartment, try to put him back to bed without disturbing him. Talk to him in simple phrases like: “Come here, go to bed.” Remember: even if his eyes are open, he is deeply asleep.
Nightmares. They happen in the second half of sleep (if the baby goes to bed at 8 pm, then after 2 am). These are terrible dreams. The child wakes up screaming, all scared, but can explain what scared him: “A dog bit me, Vasya beat me,” etc. Parents can reassure him: “Sleep, you see, there is no dog here.” Usually these phenomena are associated with events in the baby’s life that bother him. It usually goes away in a few days. If the problem remains in life, nightmares remain. For example, if you force your baby to eat and for him every meal becomes torture. If your child has nightmares, you don’t need to go to the doctor, you should try to calm him down when he wakes up, and then understand what causes them and try to eliminate the cause. Don't take your baby into your bed.
Night phobias (fears). During the first half of sleep. The baby suddenly starts screaming, it seems that something is tormenting him greatly. The parent finds the baby pale, sweaty, and not recognizing his parents. If parents do not know anything about these problems, they may think that the baby is dying. It usually lasts from 3 to 10 minutes. The baby does not understand what is happening, as he is deeply asleep. You need to stay with him, waiting for the attack to pass. The next day he doesn’t remember anything. If the baby recognizes you and immediately calms down, then this is either a bad dream or a trick to attract your attention.
Bruxism (teeth grinding). Check with your dentist to see if this is dangerous for your teeth. Although this makes an impression on parents, it is not a problem; it will go away on its own over time.

Night delirium. In the early morning, the baby may laugh, talk, cry and scream in his sleep. It’s not scary, the only problem is that such screams can wake up the baby himself.
Rocking movements. Example: hits his head on the pillow, lies with his stomach down and rocks. Usually from 9 months to 2 years. Usually no big deal. If it continues to sway during the day, check with a psychotherapist.
Snore. Between 7% and 10% of children snore. If this makes it difficult for your baby to breathe during sleep and he sleeps breathing through his mouth, consult a specialist.

CHAPTER 7
Questions and answers,
or how to solve the most common problems.

When is the best time to start re-educating a child? Now and only now. Of course, only under certain conditions:
-both parents agree to see the matter through to completion
-both parents read the book carefully and understood each action well
-both parents have a good idea of ​​how to react at any moment.
If one of the parents does not feel ready, it is better not to start, as confidence and calmness are needed for success. Let us repeat: children perfectly sense the mood of adults nearby. There is no need to start training at the time of moving; for at least the first 10 days, the baby should always sleep in the same place. Other reasons to postpone an event: Guests who live in your home. Because there is nothing worse than comments from visiting relatives and friends: “Poor thing, it’s so painful. Are you absolutely confident in what you are doing?” or: “Nowadays young people want everything easy. No patience at all. In our time, parents knew how to endure and not sleep if necessary for the child. He’s so small!” As an obstacle, there are also neighbors, who can go from caustic remarks and sympathetic sighs to threats: “We will call the police because you are abusing the child!”
For neighbors, we recommend doing this: choose the ones who are most actively interfering in your affairs and call them in advance. Say: “Our poor little guy caught otitis media, we want to apologize in advance for his nightly crying. The pediatrician said he would be in a lot of pain for a few days and wouldn’t be able to sleep.”
Who should do sleep training? Mother? Dad? Grandmother? Nanny?
It doesn't matter who. It is important that those who put the child to sleep (day or night) are well acquainted with the instructions. Adults can change (grandmother during the day, mother in the evening). It is important that everyone acts the same. In the evening you can take turns: mom comes in one time, dad comes in the other time.
Can a child sleep with grandparents?
Parents are created to raise children, grandparents are created to spoil their grandchildren. This means that before leaving the baby with the grandmother, at least 10 days must pass from the start of re-education. Don't try to convince your grandmother to act the same way as you: it's usually useless. This makes sense given that their role is different. The grandmother only needs to explain the basic rules: what time does the baby go to bed, that there is no need to put him to sleep, and that one must not forget all his things (bear, pacifier, etc.). Grandmothers usually do what they think is right in any case. Don't fight with them about this. Kids are much smarter than they think: they immediately understand that grandma’s rules are different than at home. When your child sleeps at your home, behave as you always do.
However, if the baby sleeps with grandma every day, she will have to familiarize herself with these rules and follow them, otherwise sleep training will not work.
Everyone who cares for the baby every day must follow these rules.
What should you do if your baby makes himself vomit or poops/pees to keep his parents at his crib?
Children often make themselves vomit to gain sympathy from their parents. Even if this has never happened before, don't worry. DON'T BE ANGRY (or at least don't show it). Our goal is to teach the child to sleep, not to punish him. Change your baby's clothes, put him back in the crib, say something like: “See, bunny, you are so angry that we are teaching you to sleep that you even... peed/pooped/made yourself vomit. Look, here are your toys, your teddy bear, your pacifier, they will sleep with you all night.” And leave the room. Don’t stop, even if during this entire time the baby is screaming like crazy. Act as if nothing strange is happening and the baby is calm. Remember: all your baby’s actions are aimed at receiving additional attention. He wants to drink, sit in your arms, etc. Don't give him the result he wants. Be calm and continue your line.
Don't change his clothes right away, wait a few minutes. Otherwise, the baby will start writing every three seconds. Pees - mom runs, changes clothes - the baby immediately receives attention - his goal has been achieved!
Is it possible to re-educate a child if he is sick or became ill after the start of upbringing?
If your baby is sick, it is better to leave him alone and wait until he gets better. If he gets sick after he starts, you will have to go to him every time he cries, especially if he has a fever. Give him some water to drink. But remember; you give him something to drink because he has a fever, not to put him to sleep. Then repeat to him all the words about the bear and the pacifier and try to leave the room before he falls asleep. If you wake up, do not wait for minutes according to the table, go to him immediately. As soon as the fever, severe runny nose and cough, which make breathing difficult, pass, begin re-education according to the scheme. Remember: your baby will try to maintain the privileges received during illness. Be calm, gentle, but determined.
Why do some children sleep without problems from birth, while others become a horror for their parents? Is this explained by heredity?
A child is born with a built-in sleep-wake mechanism set to 3-4 hours. Gradually (usually around 2-3 months) this mechanism, called the biological clock (special brain cells), changes, adjusting to a 24-hour clock. For some children, this process of restructuring occurs with problems, that is, they need outside help, adjustments (schedule, external elements). Problems occur on average in 35% of cases. In the same family there can be children with and without problems. There is no exact scientific information about why this happens.
Everyone knows that you can’t drink coffee at night, are there any bans on other children’s drinks or foods?
In the evening, it is better not to give your baby anything stimulating to drink, since in difficult cases even the smallest stimulants can affect sleep. It is better to avoid before bed: coffee, Coca-Cola, cocoa, chocolate, meat in large quantities. In the evening it is better to give porridge, pasta, cookies (not chocolate).
Is it necessary to bathe your baby before bed?
You can bathe him whenever it is more convenient for you. This is an acquired habit and it depends on you how your baby gets used to it. If you bathe him in the evening, this could be another sleep-related element. It is important to wash your baby at approximately the same time. Try not to excite him by bathing him. A relaxing swim can help you relax.
Can a baby watch TV before bed?
Watching TV is not harmful for a child, just as listening to the radio or music is not harmful. It is harmful to watch a lot and without control. A child can watch TV for no more than half an hour, it is better if in the presence of parents, who, if necessary, can explain what is happening. It is better to watch TV between 18 and 19 00, before starting bed-making procedures (dinner-bathing-play-bed). You should not leave him in front of the TV after dinner or just before going to bed, as what he sees may excite him or he may fall asleep in front of the TV if he is very tired, which is unacceptable for proper development of sleep habits.
Our baby is afraid of the dark...
It just means that you have been doing many things wrong until now. If your baby is used to sleeping with little light on, he may wake up at night because the lights are off. The baby realized that if he said: “I’m afraid,” the light would appear again, and most importantly, he would receive his mother’s attention. You need to make sure that the baby is not psychologically ill (it’s easy to check: if he has serious psychological problems, he will be afraid of the dark at any time of the day, and not just when he needs to sleep). The problem at other times of the day manifests itself like this: he is afraid to go to the toilet alone, to watch TV if there is no one in the room, he is afraid to go to the store with his mother, etc. Fortunately, this type of problem is rare, usually the baby uses it as a trick to get attention.
Once you are sure that your baby does not have serious psychological problems, follow the instructions in Chapter 4.
What can cause insomnia in a child?
Changes in habits and the usual course of life. For example, the appearance of a brother completely changes the life of the first-born, who is no longer the favorite baby of the whole house. The same can happen when starting kindergarten. Parents, firstly, should try to provide enough attention to the baby during this difficult transition period and try to ensure that the arrival of a second child does not affect the sleep schedule of the first. That is, there is no need to make another common mistake: rocking the first-born, putting him in the crib in a special way, etc. We need to explain to him what changes have occurred and act as before. Usually, if the parents are attentive enough to the problem, the child begins to sleep well again after a few days. The same goes for moving to a new apartment. Explain to your child that he will have a new home, but that his crib, doll, etc. and in the future they will sleep with him.
If you're already having problems, turn to Chapter 4 and do another sleep training series.
My baby sleeps more during the day than at night...
This means that your baby's biological clock is not yet adjusted. Refer to Chapter 5 for instructions.
Every night my 14 month old daughter wakes up and asks for a drink. I give her the bottle. Sometimes she doesn’t even touch it, sometimes she drinks and then falls asleep. How can we explain this behavior?
Children often ask for milk or water at night, drink and eat, but this does not mean that they are truly hungry or thirsty. Many children already understand at a few months that if they cry at night, they will be given a boob or a bottle. In most cases, babies simply want human warmth, the presence of their parents, but do not yet know how to speak to explain this. They drink or eat a little to be with mom or dad, then fall asleep. Usually this behavior of children leads to the fact that parents give them something to drink every night when they cry. When such kids grow up, they learn to use this trick with even greater dexterity. They force their parents to get up almost every night because they now associate the bottle with sleep. Remember: the mere fact that a child asks for water does not mean that he is thirsty.
The child should drink during the day, not at night. A normal child, if he drinks enough during the day, does not need additional water at night. The same goes for sleep: if the baby eats well during the day and grows according to norms, from 6-7 months he no longer needs night feeding. If he wakes up and demands food and drink, this only shows that he has poor sleep habits.
The only exception is when the baby is sick and has a fever. In this case, he may need to drink at night. But remember: you're giving your baby something to drink because he has a fever, not to put him to sleep.
My baby goes to bed after 11 pm because my husband comes home late and wants to see him. Could this harm our baby?
This situation occurs frequently and is easily explained. However, if you try to be sincere with yourself, you will understand that keeping your child up late in order to be with him or because it is convenient for you is a rather selfish measure. If you remember, in the chapter on schedules we already said that the ideal time for going to bed, corresponding to the biological needs of the child, is 20.00 - 20.30 in winter and 20.30 - 21.00 in summer. Therefore, it is useless to put your baby to bed late during the day in the hope that he will last longer in the evening. This will only further mess up his biological clock. It is also not true that if you put him in his crib later, he will fall asleep and sleep better because he is tired. Children who are too tired sleep worse.
So my advice: Don't be selfish. Try to follow the baby's natural biological needs. Remember that between 6 and 7 months, your baby needs to be helped to develop good sleep habits. Otherwise, he may have psychological and physical health problems in the future.
How can you tell if your baby is crying because of colic (stomach pain, gas)?
Colic goes away between 3 and 5 months. Remember that calming a baby who has a stomach ache can be quite difficult. If you take your baby in your arms at night and he calms down within 2-3 minutes, then it’s not colic. Colic does not appear only at night; the baby should cry both day and evening for the same reason. Therefore, if your baby is more than 5 months old, do not run to him as soon as he starts crying. Otherwise, the baby gets used to the fact that in order to attract attention you need to cry as loudly as possible.
My baby doesn't sleep well because he's teething... This is one of the most common excuses for poor sleep. A common belief is that teeth cause such pain that the baby cannot sleep peacefully at night. So: it has not been scientifically proven that the appearance of teeth is a painful process. If your baby wakes up “because of teeth”, most likely he woke up before (due to “colic”, “hunger”, “thirst”, etc.) If your baby slept poorly before, calm down about teeth and start "re-education".
We have twins. Can they sleep together?
Two children can safely sleep in the same room, provided certain conditions are met. If both sleep well, no problem. If they are 6 months old, you can put them together. But if they sleep poorly (or one of the two sleeps poorly), it is better to separate them during sleep training. If you don't have such an opportunity, train both together.
My son doesn't want to sleep during nap time. Maybe it's better to give it up? For quiet time, you need to behave the same way as when putting your baby to bed for the night. If we feed the child with a spoon for breakfast and lunch, I also don’t see any difference between going to bed during the day and in the evening. Many children stop sleeping during the day by age three, when they start kindergarten. If a 3-year-old child does not sleep during the day, he will be too tired at night - his night sleep will be deeper - problems such as nightmares, sleepwalking, enuresis, etc. may appear.
A child should sleep during the day at least until he is 4 years old, and preferably longer.
If for some reason your baby goes to bed later than the recommended time (at 21.30 or even at 22.00), we advise you to move the bedtime to an earlier time. Remember: we are talking about your baby's health! The recommended schedule is explained by biological rhythms (“biological clock”). If this clock is not set correctly in early childhood, the child is at great risk of having various types of problems in the future (from poor performance in school, problems concentrating, to poor growth and insomnia in adulthood). Some parents postpone going to bed until later because the father returns from work late and wants to see the baby. Don't give in to this temptation! These are your selfish tendencies, which in the future may result in problems for your child.
How to retrain him to go to bed earlier? First, start waking him up earlier in the morning, don't let him sleep until 9-10 am if he goes to bed late. Under no circumstances should you skip your nap in the hope that you will want to sleep earlier in the evening. In the evening he will be too tired to sleep well. Let him sleep during the day, but not for too long: 1.5 - 2 hours. Go to bed earlier in the evening, do the same the next day, and so on until you achieve the desired schedule.
How to teach a child not to disturb his parents early in the morning?
Small children do not feel time and are not very interested in it. They wake up in the morning because they no longer want to sleep, not because “it’s already 11 am.” Many children wake up early. If the baby wakes up and cries and calls you, it is better to go to him immediately. It's no use pretending you don't hear.
If your baby is awake and chatting to himself or playing in the crib, do not approach him, even if you are already up. This way he will get used to occupying himself a little. Sometimes it helps to give your baby a bottle or a toy, change his clothes and give him something interesting and maybe you can sleep for another hour. If your child is older, analyze why he wakes up so early. Was he woken up by a tram outside his window? Lantern light? He is cold? Hot? If your baby wakes up for one of these reasons, try to eliminate them. If he wakes up because he has already slept, come up with some activity for him that you prepared in the evening: leave him on a chair next to the crib at night, so that he can get out a coloring book and pencils, a bottle of tea, a glass of water, a toy, etc. surprise, etc. When the baby wakes up, he will find what you left and do it for a while.
If your child is three years old or older, he may already be cooperating with you. We offer you a method that will teach him the days of the week, hours and help you sleep longer on Saturday and Sunday. Draw on paper or buy a calendar where you can see the entire month (or by week). Explain to your child what a calendar is. Explain the names of the days of the week. Every day, together with your baby in the evening, put a cross or a circle on the calendar and say: today is Monday, Monday will end, tomorrow will be Tuesday, etc. Tell him that there are two special days a week when his parents will not wake him up, but he will have to wake up his parents. This is Saturday and Sunday. Highlight them on the calendar in a different color. Buy a wall clock for your baby or use one you already have in the house. Hang a clock in front of his crib. The baby doesn't know how to read a clock yet and you need to help him. Attach a 10 o'clock sticker to the clock. (If you want to get up at 10, and your baby wakes up at 8.00) When your baby returns from kindergarten on Friday, tell him:
“Look, today is Friday. Tomorrow will be a special day, tomorrow will be Saturday and tomorrow you will have to wake us up.” Look at your watch. When the big hand covers (touches, is under, etc.) the sticker, it is 10 o'clock. You will have to wake us up and you will get an interesting surprise.” What a surprise? Depends on your imagination. You can hide a balloon under your bed, buy a kinder surprise, organize a pillow fight, etc.
There is no need to buy something new every time, it is important to make something that your baby likes. You can’t answer him at 10 o’clock: “Wait a little, now we’ll play with you.” If he waited until 10 o'clock, you should also keep your word and show him the surprise (play the game) right away.
How to make it stay for up to 10 hours? Some tips: On Friday, go with him to the store to buy him breakfast for Saturday (Sunday).
It is very important to do this with him, so the baby feels involved. Place breakfast on a table/stool next to his crib. When the baby wakes up, he will be able to have a snack himself. Buy him a toy (make one, etc.) that you will only give him on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Leave her on the chair next to the crib. On the first Saturday, the baby will wake up at 8.00 and at 8.05 will be already at your bed shouting: “It's time to get up! Where's the surprise?
It’s normal that this happens, he hasn’t learned to wait yet. Then proceed as at night. Take him to his crib. Explain that it is still early. Show the clock and explain again when the correct time is. If he protests, return to him according to the time table in Chapter 4. This time not to put him to sleep, but to teach him to wait and play on his own. Remember that the baby is still small and it is difficult for him to wait so long, if he wakes up at 8.00, and you want him to wake you up no earlier than 10.00, first you will have to cheat: turn the arrows forward. When the baby wakes up, in reality it will only be 8, but the clock will already show 9.00. He will only have to wait an hour. Encouraged by success, he will be more willing to wait for the appointed hour. And you gradually set the clock to the correct time. This way the baby can wait longer and longer.
Be realistic, do not demand from a 3-year-old child that he plays on his own for 2.5 - 3 hours in the morning. Good luck!
Difficult cases.
Since the publication of this book (1996), we have received a huge number of letters from parents. Most are expressions of gratitude and appreciation. However, in some there is a description of difficulties that parents could not overcome. Now we will look at the perceived and real difficulties of sleep training. We decided to trace the process of sleep training and identify what problems parents encounter. The following is the result of an analysis of the sleep training process of 823 children aged 6 months to 5 years.
Analysis of the application of our method and its results:
- 96% of children learned to sleep without disturbing their parents at night
-in 4%, parents encountered difficulties that they could not overcome. Some children never learned to fall asleep on their own, some learned at first, but after a while they began to wake up at night again.
We analyzed in detail the reasons for the failures. There are objective and subjective reasons. Objective:
- parents did not quite understand our instructions correctly
- the book was read by only one of the parents
-the child is cared for by several people who could not act in the same way
- a third person lives in the house (grandmother, aunt), who influenced the application of the method
- the child fell ill during re-education
- global changes occurred in the child’s life during the period of sleep training: parents divorced, a brother was born, he moved, went to kindergarten, etc.
- one of the parents has serious psychological problems (anxiety states)
- the family sleeps away from home every weekend
- travel with a change in the child’s schedule or time zone
The method was not understood absolutely correctly.

Is your baby already two years old? It seemed to you that he should have already “outgrown” all the problems with sleep, but you are still in the battle for putting him to bed at night and during the day?

You are not alone. Among our clients there are many mothers of two-year-olds, and here are a number of typical problems they face:

• Baby takes a long time to fall asleep
• The baby does not know how to fall asleep on his own, does not “let go” of his mother when falling asleep, he has to sit until he falls asleep
• The child often wakes up at night and has difficulty falling asleep
• Coming to parents' bed in the middle of the night or early in the morning
• The child “stayed late” in the parent’s bed, it is impossible to finish sleeping together
• Very early morning awakenings
• Avoiding daytime naps

Where to start solving sleep problems for two-year-olds?

You should start by looking for the reason - why does the baby fall asleep and sleep like that? What prevents him from falling asleep and sleeping independently and continuously? And the reasons may lie at different levels.

The reasons may be hidden in the health of the baby or his mother, in the sleeping conditions that are organized in his bedroom. Or in the incorrect organization of sleep and wakefulness. Often, too late bedtimes negatively affect the speed of bedtime and the duration and continuity of the child's sleep. The emotional state of the mother and the emotional overload of the baby can cause a long time to fall asleep and awakenings at night.

But one of the main reasons for poor sleep in children over 2 years old is the lack of the ability to fall asleep independently. The baby wakes up every sleep cycle and calls for mom to help him fall asleep.

This is why it is so important to teach your child to fall asleep on his own!

Difficulties in sleep training and age characteristics

Teaching your baby to fall asleep after 24 months can be a real challenge for parents. A child at this age is already much more interested in being awake than sleeping, and sleep habits are well established. Every day the baby tests the boundaries and rules of his parents for strength; he can already express protest with words, be mobile enough to get out of bed or even run away from the bedroom.

A crib that your baby can easily get out of (a bed without sides or a parent's bed) can create additional difficulties. There is no need to rush into switching to a crib without sides for children who have not yet developed the habit of falling asleep on their own. First, teach your baby to fall asleep on his own, and then decide to rearrange. In a crib without sides, it will be more difficult for you to teach your smart companion to follow the rules of sleep.

If you moved your baby to before you taught him to fall asleep on his own, then it is better to take a step back and return the crib with sides. This will make the process of learning to sleep faster and easier.

Restore the bumpers before your sleep improves.

Magic and motivation

How to teach a child to fall asleep and sleep continuously? You can already explain simple rules to a child aged 2 years and older, and also take him as an ally. The most effective way to teach such an adult child to fall asleep on his own is through magic. Write letters with tasks from the Dream Fairy or his favorite hero and put the letters under your pillow. You can include sleep rules in your letters - when it’s time to go to bed, when to get up, describe what behavior you expect from your baby. Let the child think that the rules are introduced by a magical hero, and you have nothing to do with these new rules. So it will be more difficult to challenge them J

Visibility and motivation play a big role. How to make the rules of the Dream Fairy clear:

• use
• write down all the requirements of the Dream Fairy in it, for example: Fedya must, at his mother’s request, put on his pajamas and go brush his teeth; Mom tells Fedya only one bedtime story and sings only one song; Fedya lies quietly in his crib and falls asleep on his own;
• place the poster in a prominent place in your child's bedroom
• talk through the rules, explain to the child what behavior is required of him and what he will receive for completing tasks
• For each completed task, reward your child with a sticker or a small gift (candy, small toy, surprise)

If your child has followed all the rules for a week and all the slots are filled with stickers, promise him a more meaningful gift or a small adventure, such as ordering pizza or going to the park. These simple rules of behavioral therapy will help your baby learn the skill of falling asleep on his own.

Additional challenges at age 2

Over the age of 2 years, children face a number of difficulties with sleep:

Refusal of daytime sleep.

Most often, at this age, a false baby resists daytime sleep, which his nervous system needs so much to reboot and quality night sleep. To make it easier to fall asleep during the day:

• Try to maintain daytime naps until at least the age of 4 years, and preferably until school.
• Look for factors that distract your baby from sleep during the day - too much activity before bed, a stimulating environment, noise, older children.
• Gently but firmly continue to offer your baby naps every day. Even if the baby was unable to fall asleep, lying in the crib will help him rest from excessive external stimulation and not become overtired by the time he goes to bed in the evening.

Potty training.

Potty training is an important developmental milestone for a child that can negatively impact nighttime and daytime sleep, or even be accompanied by sleep regression. The baby wakes up on the potty and calls his mother for help.

• Include potty sitting in your bedtime (day or night) and wake-up rituals, but leave the diaper on during bedtimes until your child regularly wakes up dry.
• If your child asks to go potty to pass time while getting ready for bed, take him to the potty once, and only once, and make it as “boring” as possible.
• There is no need to first teach your child to sleep through the night, and then “confuse” him by waking him up to go potty at night. The ability to “stick it out all night” will develop with age. But the habit of going to the toilet at night can become ingrained.

Nightmares.

Nightmares are bad, scary dreams. Nightmares occur in the second half of the night, during the REM stage of sleep. The child wakes up crying, tries to tell what scared him and LOOKS FOR MOMMY'S PROTECTION. Nightmares usually occur in children aged 2 years and older, and peak at age 3. In most cases, nightmares go away by age 5.

Childhood nightmares are a normal physiological process of an immature and undeveloped nervous system. This is a temporary feature of the baby’s brain, which consists in the inability to switch from the stage of overexcitation to the stage of inhibition. Nightmares are not a hereditary trait in children.

• Eliminate scary, frightening books, cartoons and films
• Read fairy tales about children and animals, without scary or fictional characters
• Respond quickly to a scream
• Don't give vitamins before bed
• Make sure your child is not overtired and gets enough sleep!

Preparing for the garden and mom going to work.

Most often, at this age, children begin to attend kindergarten, as mothers go to work. Of course, it is necessary to help the child take this step. By this time, the baby should already have learned to use the potty; he needs to have experience of falling asleep in his own bed not only with his mother, but it is better to teach the baby to fall asleep on his own.

We cannot in any way influence the daily routine in kindergarten, but if you adhere to the recommendations of Sleep, Baby of the Day, you will not have any big disagreements.

• Try to adapt to the kindergarten routine in advance (shift your wake-up time in the morning and nap time in advance)
• Do not change your routine on weekends and holidays
• Try to spend as much time as possible with your baby in the evening and in the morning so that he does not experience a lack of communication with his parents
• Try to save!

If you see that the child is lethargic in the morning and wants to lie in bed, then the evening bedtime should be moved half an hour earlier, which means the child did not get enough sleep. For a child aged 3 years, the best time to fall asleep at night is at 19:30, strictly no later than 20:00.

Transition to a bed without sides.

If the transition to a bed without sides occurs along with the move to the children's room, then try to make it as joyful and calm as possible.

How to arrange this? During the day, spend more time in the nursery, examine, discuss, pay attention to the pieces of furniture in it, kiss the child. The baby should fall in love with his room through positive associations with it.

It is advisable to take care of the side for the first time; it will protect it from accidental rolling off and provide the comfort of a “secluded mink”. While awake, praise the child in every possible way and be surprised that he has become such an adult that he is ready to go with his parents to choose a new bed and bedding. Have a small family holiday. Perhaps the choice of a new bed will come during the celebration of the third anniversary, then the exciting time will be filled with a feeling of adulthood and significance.

If you are unable to cope with your baby's sleep independently, contact us. Our consultants will teach you sleepy tricks and help you improve your child's sleep.