Friday, April 3, 2009

Getting A Baby to Sleep in a Crib - The Seemingly Impossible Task

By Court

To make the transition from a baby bassinet to crib a smoother one, get your child used to being in a large crib. Perhaps let him play in his crib for a while during the day. The article recommends letting him watch you tidy up from his crib.

One side of the crib sets lower so the baby can sleep next to the parent's bed but in his own sleeping area. While this does allow the mother to sleep near her baby without the danger of rolling on top of him it doesn't prevent bedding from sliding into the co-sleeper in the middle of the night. This could possibly be a dangerous situation.

Babies who love motion will often only sleep in a swing. When the motion stops after being placed in a crib, they become restless and wake up. Just as they felt a lot of motion in the womb, it also becomes a source of comfort for them. If this is the case, you can either try patting the baby or getting a vibrating mechanism to put under the mattress. Many of the newer play yards come with these and the motion can be controlled very easily with a switch.

The mattress should also not be more than six inches thick. If the crib mattress is too soft there is a danger that it will conform to your baby's shape and cause suffocation or SIDS. Also, if the mattress is too small, gaps in the crib could become danger zones for your baby. Both foam and innerspring mattresses are good choices as long as they meet the above criteria. Remember, don't add anything soft or plushy to your baby's crib including pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, or positioning devices. These all increase the risk of suffocation and SIDS.

The crib that you will buy new will follow the safety guidelines that you should follow when you are choosing baby furniture. Over the years there have been a number of changes that have been made to the design of the crib to make it a safer place for your baby to sleep and spend time. If you are choosing an older crib, there are some things you should look out for. This is especially true if you are choosing one of those stunning antique cribs for your new baby.

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