Raising a baby is a big job. You’ve got to feed them, entertain them, and keep them safe. One of the most important things you’ll need to do is transition them from co-sleeping to a crib. Here’s a step-by-step guide with tips and tricks to make the transition as easy as possible.”
Transitioning a Baby To a Crib: A Guide for First Time Moms 2021
Co-sleeping with your newborn baby has benefits like easy access during breastfeeding and closeness that you get from snuggling with your baby. But, it also increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. You must carefully consider the risks over the benefits of co-sleeping. It is advised to transition the baby to a crib when it’s already unsafe to keep them co-sleeping with their parents.
Ready Your Child
When your baby is used to co-sleeping with you, they won’t find the crib comfortable easily. Do the transition when your child is ready. Before the transition, here are the things to consider on how to transition baby to crib.
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The right crib
There are already many options in the market for baby cribs. You may find it hard to decide which crib to use. Consider the pros and cons before choosing the right crib for your baby. Your choice would also depend on the functionality that you look for, the budget, and the space that you have. You can choose from the standard size crib, the convertible crib, mini size, to folding cribs.
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Pick your bedtime
Take into consideration the child’s age when you pick the time for bed. When your baby is already drowsy, place your baby in the crib so they will associate the crib as a place of sleeping. Incorporate bedtime routines like warm bath massage, reading books to your baby, singing a song, and dimming lights in the room. Your baby will get used to the routine eventually.
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The right mattress
Babies need to have a safe sleeping space. Not only do you look for a good design but consider safety precautions for a mattress. There are standard-size mattresses that fit in a crib. In choosing a mattress, we think to avoid suffocation and head entrapment. Choose a specifically designed mattress for safety reasons. It is advised that a firm mattress is safer than a soft mattress. We don’t want to create a suffocation hazard for our babies and increase the risk of SIDS.
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Make the transition
When the day of transition of the baby to a crib is near, spend lots of time in the nursery so your baby will get familiarised with the place. Transitioning is easy when knowing what to do.
These are things to consider during the transition:
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When making the transition, make sure everything is safe. Do not put anything in the crib except for your baby. Instead of blankets, use a sleep sack or swaddle sack for younger ones.
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Every time you put your baby to sleep, let babies sleep on their back. When they roll back and forth, they will end up on their tummy by themselves.
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A cosy and comfortable environment is perfect for a baby to have a good sleep. Make the baby room dark, with minimal noise and appropriate room temperature.
- Gradually transition your baby to a crib so they won’t get overwhelmed with the sudden changes. They can still use their bassinet if they are using one. And when they are already asleep, you can transfer them into the crib.
- If you want to have peace of mind while your baby is already using a crib, you can use a baby monitor to check on them without moving from your room. A smart baby monitor is recommended nowadays because of its advanced features and you can monitor your baby every minute, even from your phone.
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Follow up and troubleshoot
Once your baby has already transitioned to a crib, facing some problems is inevitable. Make a list ahead of time of the possible problems that you may face when they are already using the crib. Prepare countermeasures so if any problems will occur, they will be resolved quickly.
Bonus Tip
When you’re using a crib, mounting a baby monitor in it is recommended.
If you are looking for a safe and functional baby monitor, we can recommend the Cubo Ai plus smart baby monitor. It has functions focused on your baby’s safety and gives you 100% peace of mind. Including a smart baby monitor in your must-have list for your baby will lessen your anxiety on how to transition baby to crib.
Conclusion
Parents cannot help but be worried and anxious during their baby’s milestone. Transition is also part of their growth and development, so we can’t stop them from going through that phase. As parents, it’s our responsibility to nurture, help them develop, and keep them safe.
Especially for first-time parents, do your research and seek pieces of advice on what to do. It will also ease your worries and anxieties, and you will enjoy the journey of transitioning your baby to a crib.
