Moving a child from crib to bed is one of the first major challenges facing parents (especially first-time parents) and children, and while we may think there is an exact age, understanding each case as unique may be the key.
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Making The Transition
Two factors are major in making the transition from crib to bed for a child: age and height. On the one hand, the age of two is the best time to move our baby to his or her first bed, since this is the time when they can already talk and move with more autonomy. At that age, the baby will also be a considerable height that can be a risk if the cradle is short or does not have high bars.
Taking these two factors into account, we must then think that every child is a world. Surely there will be babies who do not cry when you move them from the cradle to the bed, but others instead will spend the first few nights crying non-stop. To get the right thing done, we can follow these steps.
Prepare Your Child
The first step is to have a good conversation to explain that a change will occur, but you have to make it clear that it will be for the better. If we go through a preparation period first, we will let the child say goodbye to his crib and wait for a new space. This will help him to mourn the loss of this stage of his life, a situation he will experience many more times throughout his life.
It will be good to tell your child that he is no longer a baby, that he can already talk and eat with a spoon. Assessing his growth and gains from a new stage will encourage him to move forward with his development. Think that parents’ belief that it is good to grow is what helps the child become interested in change.
Let The Child Participate
When changing from cradle to bed for the child, it is good not only to inform them about the transition but to make them participate in it. For example, we can go with our child to buy a new bed, or to buy all the accessories that are necessary. In the meantime, we can take the opportunity to tell her that the crib is a small bed for babies and that they now deserve a bed that is bigger.
Make Change A Party
The positive attitude of parents is crucial for a natural and smooth transition from cradle to bed. And the happier the moment, the better the acceptance of the new reality. Remember, though, that surprise is not always a good idea. Some children may be unsure due to a lack of preparation time to get used to the change.
Make Sure The New Bed Is Safe
With the change to the bed, the child will have more autonomy and freedom and therefore will be able to access places that were not available when sleeping in the crib. All care is taken to adapt to the room and the house as a whole. Windows must be protected, as they can easily climb over furniture. Cables and appliances should be out of reach. Low drawers should not contain dangerous items such as knives, medicines, and glass items. It is also important to avoid very high beds, such as bunk beds, and to start with a bed that may have a railing like the one in the crib.
Don’t Go Back To The Crib
A very common mistake is to move the child to the bed and, at the first sign of difficulty in adapting, give up. There’s no turning back from this kind of behavior. The child will soon get used to his new room. We can keep him company until he sleeps for the first few days. But, always in her room and in her bed, without taking her out.
Therefore, placing the bed next to the crib and waiting for the child to change in the middle of the night is not the best option. It gives the image that the child does not have to make up his mind, that he can have both at the same time, which ends up creating more uncertainty.
Avoid Getting Into Their Bed
The child’s bed must be in her room, and we cannot set her up in the parent’s room first until she is used to it. The child must have his or her own space and get used to being in it without the parents getting into bed until the child falls asleep. We can sit at the foot of their bed to read them a story or be by their side for a while, but if the child gets used to us always getting into bed with them to show them that they are sleeping well in it, we will only make them want to sleep with us.
Making the transition from cradle to bed is not easy, but with patience and the necessary confidence that our child is capable of doing it, we will achieve it before we realize it.