When is the best time to stop swaddling your baby and whether you need to rock it

Time runs fast, and your baby does not grow by leaps and bounds. It seemed that he was born only yesterday, but already three months have passed, and he has already grown up, you think that the time has come to teach the baby to fall asleep without swaddling clothes. How to be? How to teach a child to sleep "in an adult way"?

All the impressions that the child absorbs during wakefulness accumulate and involuntarily “reproduce” in a dream. The nervous system of the newborn is still not formed at all and the reflexes are not controlled while he is sleeping, and therefore the baby is moving involuntarily. The sleep of crumbs depends on its genetic and individual qualities and character. The more active the baby, the more often he wakes up due to the fact that he can move freely in a dream. The child often trembles, sharply moves his hands and therefore wakes himself up.

The calmer babies, respectively, sleep better, and therefore the need for swaddling such children is much less. It also happens that kids like it and it’s more convenient sleep on my stomach. Such babies sleep better than those who are used to sleeping on their sides or backs. They do not wake themselves with the movement of arms and legs and do not require swaddling from birth.

Sleep as an important component of a newborn’s life

Contrary to the opinion of children's psychologists that newborns just need warmth, affection and parental involvement, some mothers believe that you can teach a baby to sleep on her own without taking him in her arms. Let them shout a couple of nights, they say, and then he will get used to falling asleep himself, there’s nothing, they say, to accustom him to his hands.

Unfortunately, it is not so rare to hear from parents: “I will not swing and swaddle him. Let him cry a couple of nights, then he will fall asleep. ” Or: “I let him cry - it will cease anyway. It is he who shows the character! ”

But what can this attitude lead to? Definitely - to a bad dream and undermining trust in parents. The child understands only one thing: that he is completely alone, that they do not sympathize with him. Remember: the most likely result of using the “give a shout” method is the shaky psyche of the child.

The baby who has just stepped into this world needs protection and the love of his parents, and he can receive this only when he is picked up and warmed.

The information that the infant receives in the first months of life at the time of activity is processed by him in a dream, and therefore the moment of falling asleep is very important for a child at this age. Impressions received at the time of wakefulness can become a “brake” and affect the process of falling asleep. Mom needs to help the baby fall asleep. Sleep in the first months of a small person’s life is an important component of the child’s psychological and physical development.

While the baby is resting, he has:

• the nervous system as a whole and brain neurons in particular are formed;
• hormonal growth is activated;
• there is a “tuning" of the clear and proper functioning of the nervous system;
• the speech and motor apparatus is formed;
• There is a balanced mental development.

Even adults cannot feel alert and healthy if they sleep poorly. What then to say about the baby. In order for the child to grow and form correctly, it is necessary to provide him with a full and proper sleep. It is unacceptable to disturb the baby's rest and thereby deprive him of normal psychophysiological development.

We also read:

• When the kids start to sleep all night
• Why does a newborn baby startle in a dream?
• Why does a child sleep poorly at night: how to establish a child’s sleep?

5 ways to teach a child to fall asleep without swaddling

Now that it is clear what role sleep plays in the life of crumbs, it is necessary to answer the question of when and how to teach a baby to sleep without swaddling and whether it should be rocked when laid down? Of course, there are many more ways to accustom a baby to an "adult" dream. Everything will depend on the character of the baby and the patience of the mother. Experienced mothers advise:

• You can start with free swaddling, slightly pulling the child's hands so that in a dream he can free himself. Further, do not swaddle it during daytime sleep, and subsequently abandon night swaddling;
• At night, you can carefully unfold the baby and lay him next to him on his bed, covering the baby with a blanket;
• You can immediately put the baby with you, without wrapping it in diapers. After some time, he will get used to sleeping unswitched.

We also read:

• How to swaddle a newborn baby
• Swaddling the newborn: “FOR” and “AGAINST” - types of swaddling the baby

Swaddle or not swaddle your baby?

By the age of three months, the baby is already growing up so much that my mother hardly wraps it completely. The activity of the baby does not allow him to quickly fall asleep, so it is simply necessary to begin the process of weaning from the diaper. But how to do that? Quickly, cutting off all the paths to retreat and resolve this issue in one fell swoop, or gradually?

There is no definite answer to this question. Everything is decided individually. You need to resolve this issue yourself by trying several methods and choosing which one suits you the most. But the main thing in this difficult matter is still the patience of my mother. Patience and, of course, love.

Here are 5 basic techniques to wean a baby from swaddling:

1. We fall asleep at mom's handles. There is an opinion that the baby should not be taught to fall asleep in the arms of mom, it will become a "bad habit" and an extra waste of energy for mom. Nothing like this. Mom's hands are protection, and falling asleep on them, the newborn feels safe. But if you are afraid that the child will never be able to become "independent" and fall asleep without your presence, then you can, without waiting for the stage of deep sleep, put him to bed, but not go far. And if the child wakes up, then reassure him, making it clear that you are nearby.
2. We sleep with mom. Moms too get tired and want to relax. So why not put the baby next to you? Mom’s warmth, her smell, the sound of her heart and her mother’s hands will quickly calm the baby, and he will sleep peacefully. Later, you can put him in a crib and cover him with a blanket, just as he was covered when he was sleeping next to his mother. This method will teach him fall asleep and sleep separately in your bed.
3. The gradual acquisition of freedom. This method of gradual weaning from the "fetters" of the diapers is quite effective and is suitable for patient mothers. It is necessary to weaken the swaddling every time, watching the crumbs sleep. Mom's patience will be rewarded. Soon the child will get used to sleeping in the unfolded diaper, not only during the day, but also at night.
4. We are tourists. For a child during sleep, the main thing is warmth and comfort. It is quite possible to replace the diaper with a blanket, folding it with an envelope. You can use a real children's sleeping bag or envelope blanket. It is clear that being in a too warm blanket all the time is harmful for the baby, and therefore mom can unfasten the bag and give freedom to the little “tourist”.This method of "swaddling" rescued more than one mother.
5. Hold the pens. This method of weaning from diapers is also for assiduous and patient mothers. Perseverance will help to be near the baby and hold his hands while he falls asleep. And since the time of falling asleep in all infants is different, then there should be plenty of patience in mothers. You can remove your hands only when you are convinced that the baby is fast asleep. But then you should not go far from him. After all, he can inadvertently wake himself, and then you will need to calm him down in a quiet whisper and again put your hands on his hands.

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We also read: how to wean a baby from swaddling

Well, each mother chooses for herself how to wean her baby from swaddling, and decides for herself that it is better and more comfortable for her and her baby - quick or slow weaning. Some babies, for example, fall asleep quickly during motion sickness. But not all mothers are in favor of this method of teaching to sleep. How to be, do you need motion sickness or can you do without it?

It is believed that by the age of three months the cognitive activity of the crumbs is growing, the diaper fetters its movements - as a result, development slows down. In fact, you need to again turn to the individual characteristics of the child. If he sleeps much better in the diaper, it means that he is comfortable. And it is much better than constant awakenings all night, and then whims during the day (just because parents suddenly decided to stop using the diaper).

Rock or not rocking: looking for a compromise

To begin with, while still pregnant, mom involuntarily rocked her baby while walking. And so the baby, when already born, psychologically perceives the pitching as a rhythm of calming. From ancient times to the present day, the tradition of rocking babies to sway in unsteady, cradles or carry on. Indeed, while walking, the child, being on his chest or on his mother’s back, feels calm, not only because of the heat emanating from his mother, but also from rhythmic swaying.

In general, the rhythm, as such, plays an important role in the psychological formation of the child. It not only gives the baby confidence and security, but also balances the work of all organs, including the work of the brain. But a constant, erratic and intense pitching will not benefit the baby. You must always remember that you are not preparing your child for astronauts, and be moderate in your aspirations to euthanize a baby by any means. Moreover, not all children like to be pumped.

Each mother has her own way of rocking and lulling the baby. Someone wears a baby in their arms, and someone - sitting in a rocking chair, Someone in the cradles of older children can be euthanized by swaying in special swings. When the child falls asleep, the mother shifts it either to the crib or to her bed, or you can shift it in other ways. After all, not all children immediately fall asleep soundly and therefore they can:

• Shift in 2 stages. Lay first in your bed, and then, making sure that the baby is sleeping - in the baby's bed;
• Half asleep. As soon as the child begins to doze, he can immediately be put to bed. Well, if instead of a crib there will be a cradle, and it can be shaken. If not, then you can quietly sing a lullaby.
• Always be nearby. You can put the child on the sofa or in his bed, and just sit nearby, holding the baby's hand;
• Help relieve stress. Light strokes on the back will help the little man to relax and fall asleep.

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True, there are frequent cases when the children who were put in the crib suddenly wake up and do not see their mother next, cry. What to do? Most importantly, do not ignore this cry, believing that the child himself can calm down; do not hurt the psyche of the crumbs and make him think that he was abandoned. Go to the baby and calm him down, let him know that you are nearby. Over time, he will get used to this thought and learn to fall asleep on his own.

We also read: The child sleeps only in the arms, but put it wakes up - a problem or not

If the child is highly excitable or hyperactive, wakes up immediately after motion sickness and cannot sleep for a long time, then do not be discouraged, this will pass with time. The main thing for such children is to be near them and to accustom them to remain calm after motion sickness. This will help your personal example and the development of a certain ritual of going to bed. A bedtime story or a lullaby will calm and relax the baby, and a soft toy under the barrel will instill confidence and a sense of security in it.

Tip: Introduce the ritual of going to bed. Up to 1.5 years, this is bathing, feeding, motion sickness under a lullaby. From the age of 1.5 - to "lay down" your favorite toy, bathe in a warm bath with herbs, listen to a short good tale or a quiet song, take a soft toy "guardian" with you (already without motion sickness). The longest and most consistent ritual should be for excitable children - so as not to disturb sleep.

High excitability of a child can be a problem for the whole family. For example, some time after shaking hands and, seemingly, a quiet transition to sleep, the baby suddenly wakes up, gets on all fours, sits down or quickly crawls. Such phenomena do not need to be treated; they disappear in the course of natural development. But if the baby sleeps restlessly for a long time and this is accompanied by other disturbing phenomena in behavior (not only at night, but also during the day), it is better to consult a specialist.

Well, weaning the child from swaddling and from motion sickness, you should gain patience and understanding. Your baby still takes all sorts of changes very hard, but because for him these changes will be one of the first steps in his long life. And help to take the first step is necessary as tactfully and accurately as possible. Otherwise, you can injure the still fragile children's psyche.

We also read: Whether to rock the baby before bed: how old can you rock the baby

How to wean a child from motion sickness? My experience

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