Oh oh! Are changes coming for your little one? One of the most frequent questions for new moms and dads is when to move the baby into their room . After the first months of cohabiting with the parents at bedtime, the change to their own room will be one of the most important steps for the baby.
From Alondra we want to give you all the peace of mind in the world because, although there are recommendations on the most appropriate age, it will be a decision made by and for your family . So, you should consider what is best for you as a family nucleus... and forget about the rest of the comments! Of course, make the best decision based on the recommendations and opinions of your pediatrician .
What we would like you to take into consideration is that turning this moment into a tragedy is the worst approach you can give to the situation. So, relax, find out and face this very important change for your baby in the best possible way.
Think that, for your son or daughter, it can become a dramatic moment, however, what your little one does not know is that it will be of vital importance for them to develop their own natural rhythm of life and, above all, their autonomy . The Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP) points out that the fact that the baby is installed in a different room from that of the parents is an advantage .
At what age to move the baby to his room?
Something that you must be clear about when your baby arrives home is that until six or nine months you should always keep him close to be able to watch him at all times. The AEP notes: " The safest way for infants under six months to sleep is in their crib, on their back, near their parents' bed ." There is scientific evidence that this practice reduces the risk of SIDS by more than 50% ».
Based on this, you will already be imagining that the time for the baby to sleep alone in his bedroom can be established after six months of life. As we anticipated at the beginning, the decision on when to move the baby to his room corresponds to the family, therefore, you must set a date in which you believe it is prudent to take the step .
In addition, you will know that the moment has arrived because the need to do so will be marked by the child himself or because you, as parents, will need to have your space again. As regards the little one, he may have a more dependent personality or, on the contrary, he may be more independent. This will be a clear indication that the baby is prepared or not to sleep alone.
Many times it is recommended that the age to move the baby to his room is between six and 12 months . This is because, after eight months, the baby already begins to perceive that it can become separated from its mother . For this reason, it is at this age that separation anxiety begins to manifest in the child. If the change is made before or some time after beginning to manifest this anxiety, the separation at bedtime will not be as distressing for the baby.
So, it is important to avoid making the transition when the little one is going through this evolutionary change . Although, let us tell you that separation anxiety is the most normal thing in the world!
You will also need to take other factors into account. For example, if your little one still takes milk during the night, you should go to his room to do so. Most likely, the response time to your demand for the shot will be longer and, consequently, your state of alteration will be higher. Therefore, it will be much more difficult for you to go back to sleep afterwards.
How to make the change so that the little one sleeps alone in his room
Getting the baby to sleep alone in his room will be part of his growth process in which you will have to impose limits on him in all areas of life that you consider appropriate. This does not mean that the process should be hard and traumatic for the little one, for this reason it is best to do it at a time that does not coincide with other important changes in his life.
Next, we leave you a series of tips to make the change more bearable for both the baby and the parents.
The best thing for the little ones in the house is to have clear routines that guide them when facing a new day. The best thing about bedtime routines is that they can be relaxing and calming to prepare for bedtime . For example, a bath, putting on pajamas, dinner and reading a story.
It is about preparing the moment to go to sleep with relaxing activities or as calm as possible with the intention of avoiding over-excitation before sleeping . It is best to start this routine some time before the final step to sleep alone in your room, to get used to it.
Learn more about children's sleep and find out how to put a newborn baby to sleep with this guide to tips that work !
It is also important that during the day the little one has enough activity so that when bedtime comes he is tired. In the same way, the day that the room change is made, you must strictly follow the same routine that we have mentioned.
Try that when you pass the baby to his room he does not interpret it as a neglect on your part. To do this, you must give him much more affection and pampering during the rest of the day so that he feels as cocooned, safe and protected as possible. In the same way, you may have to wait in his room for the first few days and accompany him until he falls asleep .
It would be very interesting to set the date of the change in a period in which the whole family has more time and you are more relaxed. For example, during the weekend, on vacation or during a holiday that lasts a few days. In this way you will all have more time to adapt without any other concern intervening in the process.
The best thing is that at the moment you make the decision to move the baby to his bedroom, be very firm when executing it . If at the slightest time the little one protests or cries you let him go back to sleep with you, he will interpret that this is the correct formula to get what he wants, so that he will always repeat that behavior.
You should never threaten him with going to sleep and, on top of that, alone . This can cause him to interpret this moment as a punishment that he will want to repel, logically, by all means.
The lighting in the baby's room can also play a very important role. Or don't you yet have a cozy dim light to plug in near her bed? Well, now you can get one 😉 ! This light source and leaving the door ajar can cause him to wake up and go back to sleep only when he sees that he is safe and sound in his bedroom. In addition, he will know that you are close thanks to the background noise that comes from the open door.
oh! And, above all, the change of moving the baby to his room does not imply having to change his bed immediately! If the process is done with the same crib in which you sleep with your parents, much better! In the event that, due to size, he has to change beds, you can gradually get him used to the new environment , for example, to take a nap.
Alondra beds so that your baby feels safe and comfortable at bedtime
At Alondra we try to make the lives of children and parents easier with our convertible and evolving children's furniture. Among them are the wide variety of cribs and mini-cribs whose main characteristic is the possibility of using them for much longer . What do you think if we tell you a little more about our best options in cribs and beds so that your baby sleeps alone in his room in the safest and most magical way?
We present three equally valid options. Go for it!
1. Co-sleeping crib and convertible crib
When Alondra moms and dads opt for a convertible crib , we always advise purchasing an EQUO mini co-sleeping crib for the baby's first months. In addition to being practical, durable and very easy to move and install anywhere in the house, it is perfect for practicing safe co-sleeping with your baby.
Alondra advises you
The Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality in the Clinical Practice Guide on breastfeeding recommends that in order to practice co-sleeping safely, a sidecar crib or a bed with the ideal characteristics for co-sleeping is used.
A sidecar crib is one that allows it to be attached to the parent's bed . Therefore, it must have specific characteristics and components that allow the cot to be attached to the large bed.
This is the so-called safe co-sleeping , since the baby will always have its space and a suitable rest environment designed specifically for it .
Our 50x80 cm EQUO 5-in-1 co-sleeping crib covers five stages of your baby's growth. In the same piece of furniture you have the crib, with which you can also practice co-sleeping thanks to the kit that comes standard. After a while you can turn it into a children's sofa, a small desk or a toy box.
When you decide to move the baby to his room after the mini-crib, any of our 60x120 cm convertible cribs or 70x140 cm convertible cribs will be perfect for the little one or the little one. The 60x120 Just Bubble , Just Joy or Just Even convertibles are the best for small-sized baby bedrooms.
With them you will have two stages of your baby's growth covered. First of all, when it is still smaller, they offer the cot, a chest of drawers and a changing table in the upper part. In this way, you have everything you need until your little angel is approximately three years old.
Secondly, when converted, you will get a 90x200 cm bed with a headboard, a nightstand and a desk with a drawer attached. A complete children's or youth room that your little treasure can use perfectly until it is much older.
On the other hand, with the 70x140 cm convertible cribs Sero Even , Sero Life , Sero Kubo , Sero Joy , Sero Bubble and Sero Evolutive you will cover three different stages of baby growth . In the first stage they offer the cradle; a three-drawer dresser with a changing area on top; a shelf next to the bed; a book shelf on the side and, at the bottom, two drawers for storage or a trundle bed.
For the intermediate stage, you simply have to remove the railing and you get a child's bed. Optionally, and for the little one to have better access and safety, you can purchase a toy-ladder and our safety barrier . The best thing about this stage is that it will facilitate the transition of the boy or girl in the change from the crib to the older bed, since they are designed to allow them to get in and out of their bed alone.
The third stage of the crib consists in the complete transformation of the furniture to a youth room. Thus, you get a 90x200 cm bed, a nightstand, a desk and a bookcase on wheels.
2. Co-sleeping crib and youth bed of 90x200 cm
The second option to ensure that the baby sleeps alone in his room is to opt, firstly, for a 60x120 cm co-sleeping crib and, later, a 90x200 cm youth bed .
For the crib we propose two options. First of all, the NEXOR 4-in-1 co-sleeping crib of 60x120 cm , with which you can use it as a conventional crib, co-sleeping crib, optionally acquiring the co-sleeping kit to practice it, a children's bed with the availablechildren's barrier kit and as desk.
Secondly, the 60x120 cm OMNI 5-in-1 co-sleeping crib is a conventional crib, co-sleeping crib with the same kit mentioned above, children's bed, again with the barrier, sofa and desk.
As you already know, moving the baby to his room with the same bed that he slept in the parents' bedroom can be more successful, since it will not change his sleeping environment so abruptly.
Once the baby is already sleeping alone in his room and, due to his size, he needs more space, you can transfer him directly to a large 90x200 cm bed that he can use until he reaches full maturity.
3. Montessori teepee bed
Finally, we recommend the most fun option, as well as educational, for the little ones in the house. Children's teepee beds are the favorite beds for children to sleep in! And right now you will understand why. They are so cool!
Alondra's Montessori beds are specially designed so that you can adapt an environment to the height of your little one and their needs when it comes to growing and developing as a person. The Montessori philosophy helps to promote the independence of the little ones in the house, since it offers them an adequate space to develop their autonomy.
Tipi beds HOMY 70x140 cm , HOMY XL 90x200 cm and INDY 70x140 cm by Alondra, in addition to helping them enhance this autonomy, they are beautiful! They have a minimalist style that you can decorate and decorate as you prefer, although our entire textile collection adds extra magic and sweetness to these very special little beds.
These cabin-type beds are flush with the ground, although they have a few centimeters of separation from the ground to insulate the mattress and the baby from the cold in the coldest seasons of the year. Despite this, they continue to fulfill their objective of allowing the little one to access them on their own, so they will be perfect when you decide to move the baby into their room.
These types of beds are the best to let your imagination run wild and turn bedtime into one more adventure that you don't want to miss for the world!
In the case of wanting to use the teepee-type bed when it is still small, you can purchase a Montessori Safety Guard bed barrier . We also have the protective roller cushion for Montessori . Depending on the size of the bed you choose, you must combine it in one way or another. If you are interested in knowing more about these protectors, discover the keys to choose them .
With all these options your baby will be able to have the best experience when sleeping alone in his room. The most important thing is that you keep in mind that the decision of when to move the baby to his room corresponds to the family nucleus and there is no written rule that says exactly when to do it.
We, from Alondra, hope we have helped you to dispel your concerns regarding this issue. And remember, each step and progress of your baby can become one of the best experiences of your life! Enjoy them all to the fullest!
