Encouraging Sleep Independence: Introducing Comforters
Teaching your baby healthy sleep associations can greatly aid in settling just before bedtime.
Babies thrive on routine and repetition, so implementing a consistent routine with certain cues can help them understand what to expect at different times of the day. These sleep cues or associations can be introduced at any age, from newborns associating white noise and swaddling with sleep, to toddlers relying on sleeping bags or comfort toys.
However, choosing the right sleep cues is crucial. While certain cues may seem helpful initially, they can become problematic in the long run. For example, while rocking your baby to sleep may seem magical, it can become unsustainable for parents as the baby grows older and continues to rely on it for sleep. It's important to choose cues that help your baby feel happy and secure without always depending on you.
Healthy sleep cues include loveys, comfort toys, white noise, lullabies, swaddling, sleeping bags, dummies, special blankets, or even a piece of clothing. These cues allow for more freedom and stress-free napping and bedtime, removing the need for constant parental intervention.
One highly recommended comforter is the Sleepytot, which serves as both a comfort toy and a dummy holder. This innovative product helps babies find their own dummies during the night, reducing the need for parents to constantly intervene. Countless families have experienced improved overnight sleep with the Sleepytot, making it a tried and tested solution for sleep challenges.
If you can relate to any of the following scenarios, the Sleepytot may be the perfect choice for you:
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Constantly searching for dummies in the dark
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Needing a solution for safely keeping dummies in the cot
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Getting up multiple times at night to replace the dummy
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Dealing with the frustration of constantly losing dummies while out
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Wanting to continue using dummies but also needing uninterrupted sleep
