Whether you've been co-sleeping for the first portion of your baby's life, sharing a room with them, or they've simply refused to sleep unless being held, getting your baby to start sleeping in their own crib and their own room is a huge priority for many parents of infants. After all, once your little one can sleep independently, it can dramatically improve sleep and quality of life for parents who need a little more rest. Babies, however, often disagree. Being alone in a room and soothing themselves to sleep can seem stressful at first as they crave the comfort of being held and close to their parents. To ease the transition, try a couple simple steps to soothe their worries and get them sleeping like a champ!
1. Start with nap time
Sleeping on their own overnight can be something of a tall order, but a short nap might be much more manageable! Get your little one used to their own room and crib by starting with nap time, and don't worry too much about getting them on their own overnight until they seem comfortable with being independent for naps. Babies also often have an easier time falling asleep for nap time than they do in the evening, so you might find the transition even easier than you'd think!
2. Develop a bedtime routine
Having a consistent and soothing routine can help wind kids down for bed and, over time, come to understand what they should expect from the evening routine, including that it ends with being in their own bed and drifting off to sleep. Including baths, teeth brushing, a snuggle with a parent, a story, and a song can help ease your baby into relaxation and get them ready to sleep. Easing into bedtime can ease their stress of being alone to sleep as they grow to anticipate sleep.
3. Use white noise
Babies find white noise very comforting. In addition to drowning out the sounds of others in the house, the sounds of passing cars, and any voices they might overhear, it also provides a strong sense of comfort. Babies are used to the whooshing and shushing sounds of being in utero, so similar sounds offer them a sense of familiarity and comfort just like being swaddled.
To find some white noise sounds for your child to sleep to, check out Fade Away Sleep Sound's broad variety of baby soothing white noises, or choose from our selection of musical, spa-like, or natural white sounds.
4. Put your baby to sleep while still awake
While it seems counterintuitive, putting your baby down in their crib before they're fully asleep is one of the best things you can do. While they might offer some resistance at first, they'll be developing the critical skill of soothing themselves to sleep. Having them be fully asleep can actually make the transition into the crib very physically jarring, and make them more confused and alarmed when they wake up somewhere different from where they fell asleep. Once they've adjusted to drifting off to sleep alone, they'll have both better sleeping and waking!