Sleeping feels good!
Going to sleep is experienced as a real separation by some children… Whether it is during a nap or at the start of the night, this form of isolation which forces Baby to be far from his parents and those who love him is a test for him. All the more difficult to overcome if certain conditions are not met.
How can you believe that sleeping is great when Mom suddenly stops your game of “building a rickety cube tower” to lead you to your bed? Or that your older brother has the right to continue frolic in the living room? No, really no, for most babies sleeping is a waste of time. Some, excited like crazy when they reach their bed, are even ready to fight for hours not to fall into the arms of Morpheus. A way of their own to say to their parents: “You won’t get rid of me like that!”.
This is why it is important to give Baby a positive image of his bed and sleep in general. But be careful if you feel like transforming your crib into a small “cozy” corner, you risk making it a real danger for your toddler. Be especially wary of fleece bed bumpers. Better, avoid them. As cozy as they are, they represent a real threat to your little one who, during his sleep, very quickly sticks his nose to them… at the risk of running out of oxygen. In the same sense, duvets, blankets and pillows are to be avoided. This is also part of the recommendations of health professionals to prevent sudden infant death.
Practical advice too: always leave his sleeping bag open on the mattress to facilitate the installation of your baby when the time comes. If he has a “king-size bed”, do not line it “squared” (we are not in the army!), Prefer (as far as possible) a soft duvet (not before the age of 2 years) to a scratchy blanket: your toddler will enjoy hiding in it at the slightest sign of fatigue. In the evening, while waiting for the sandman, be firm while remaining conciliatory: “You stay in your bed because it’s time to sleep but you can keep two or three toys with you”. It is a way of making him understand that the bed is neither a place of constraint, nor of punishment.
Et “Positive” the role of sleep by explaining that if we are well rested, we grow better and we are especially in great shape to have fun and make discoveries throughout the day. Do not hesitate to take a “nap” like Baby on weekends to show him how going to bed and sleeping can be a pure moment of happiness…
The BA BA du Dodo
- From the start, always differentiate between the daytime nap (s) and the nighttime sleepover.
- Always thank you for leaving with a tender “Good night. Sleep well. See you tomorrow morning ”: your little one will receive the message five out of five.
- Once he is in bed, if his tears redouble until the walls of the house shake, whisper reassuring words to him but do not get him out of bed!
- If you are breastfeeding, no stimulants (coffee, tobacco, alcohol, etc.). It is neither good for your nervous system nor for Baby’s!