How to Teach a Baby to Fall Asleep on His Own? Helpful tips for Parents

A calm and deep sleep is very important for babies as their nervous system is still weak. Children can fall asleep by their own starting from the age of 2-3 months.

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How to teach the baby to fall asleep by their own?

How To Help The Baby To Get Comfortable In Their Crib?

From the very beginning, leave the baby in their crib as often as possible. They should associate it with their usual place for a sleep. The baby can play in the crib during the day. You can stay nearby, so the baby will get used to being in the crib.

You should teach the baby to fall asleep in the crib step by step. Start from the daytime sleep. Usually, the child is already sleepy in the afternoon. And they don’t care that it’s light outside. As soon as the baby is used to sleeping in the crib in the daytime, you can leave the baby there at night as well.

How to Teach a Baby to Fall Asleep on His Own?

If the baby cries in the crib, try to calm them down with a lullaby or gentle speech. Don’t take the baby in your arms immediately after they start crying. Children often wake up at night when the phases of sleep change. Teach your baby to switch from one phase of sleep to another without your help. For the first few nights, leave the baby in the crib and stroke them. Then, you can just sit near the crib and talk to the child, but don’t touch them.

In such a way, the baby will get used that you calm them down only with your words. At first, the baby will protest, as they used to fall asleep next you, holding your hand. But already in a week, you’ll see the result. Try to teach your baby to fall asleep on their own as soon as possible.

Be very patient. It’s hard for the baby to fall asleep without mom at their side, but following that strict order, the child will fall asleep in the crib without whims in a week or even earlier. Let your child enjoy your company before the bedtime: read fairy-tales, sing songs, show pictures to your baby, spend as much time together with the child as possible.

Sometimes, the baby is afraid of darkness. Here, a night-light can help.

Put a soft cushion at the headboard of the crib. It’ll imitate the conditions when the baby was in mom’s belly.

If the pacifier helps the baby to fall asleep, put several pacifiers around them. The baby will be able to reach one of them if they wake up.

The process of getting the baby to bed should have a definite time every day. Also, you should follow the same rituals before the bedtime, like having a bath, massages, feeding, telling a fairy-tale.

If the baby is afraid of sleeping alone, put their favorite toys in the crib, and tell the baby that the toys will guard them at night.

Before the bedtime, it’s better to listen to a nice fairy-tale or calm music instead of watching cartoons with bad characters. Read the fairy-tales about how little babies fall asleep in their cribs. Tell your baby that they are grown-up and grown-ups always sleep in their own beds.

During the whole day try to do as many activities with your child as possible. And at the end, they will easily fall asleep. You can have a long walk on the fresh air, dance a lot, or play active games.

Also, a relaxing and light massage before bedtime can help.

Check our To Buy or Not to Buy – What Not to Get For a Newborn Baby, to make sure that your baby’s needs are met and that you have everything perfect for them.

Get cute outfits for your little ones, check out bodysuits, T-shirts and bibs.

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Liliana

Liliana is a Licensed Montessori teacher known for her passion and dedication to education. She's been a teacher in the United States for many years, and she truly believes that education is the key to making the world a better place because today's students are tomorrow's leaders. Her experience with Toddlers, Beginners, VPK with Montessori methodology approach; Kindergarten, and first grade made her an authority and trusted resource. Liliana's family taught her important qualities like love, a positive attitude, strong motivation, and leadership. These values have guided her on her journey to becoming a professional and expert teacher. Her mission is to help children grow and contribute to a brighter future for the country.