Fourth Trimester Podcast Episode 47: Help Your Little One Prepare For Sleeping In Their Own Room
AAP sleep guidance says keep babies in the same room for the first year
Parents following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Updated Safe Sleep recommendations have their infant sleeping in the same room. A major question following your little one’s 1st or 2nd birthday may be “How to make the transition away from room-sharing?”
Here’s a quick reminder of what the AAP says:
“It is recommended that infants sleep in the parents’ room, close to the parents’ bed, but on a separate surface designed for infants, ideally for the first year of life, but at least for the first 6 months.”
Sleep Consultant Dr Angelique Millette
Dr. Angelique Millette is a Family Sleep Consultant, Parent Educator, and creator of The Millette Method™. We welcomed her back on our show for a third time because she is simply that amazing. we discuss toddler sleep and emphasize the importance of responsive and flexible parenting.
Here’s what we discuss:
- How to prepare a baby for sleeping in their own room in a way that emphasizes safety and love for the child
- When to start thinking about making the transition from room-sharing to the baby being in their own room (around 12-24 months is pretty typical)
- What considerations to make for having siblings sleep in the same room together
- How sleep solutions vary from child to child
- How to identify and address nightmares and sleep terrors
Preparing your toddler for sleeping in their own room
We talk about the phases of preparation for helping a baby prepare for sleeping in their own room, including practical exercises you can do at home with your child right away. For example, you can use pretend play to demonstrate safety, as well as draw pictures and tell stories about the bedtime routine. Play-based therapies and sensory-based activities like this one can help prepare children for sleep.
Dr. Angelique Millette recommends introducing a prep phase to help toddlers feel safe and secure when separating from a parent at bedtime. Dr. Lynelle Schneeberg has a unique approach to helping children with sleep issues and stresses the importance of separation in sleep. She recommends parents use play and sensory activities to help their child feel safe.
Dr Millette recommends using stuffed animals or toys in pretend play to prepare a child for sleep changes. Night terrors and nightmares are common in young children and responsive parenting can help reduce fears and anxieties around sleep.
Dr Millette provides tips on improving toddler sleep habits, including establishing bedtime routines, limiting screen time, and snuggling and discussing the day before bedtime. She also addresses sleep issues for families with both toddlers and infants. Flexibility and responsiveness are crucial in solving sleep problems.
Selected links
Connect with Dr Angelique Millette angeliquemillette.com
Learn more The No-low Cry Sleep Method | Dr Angelique Millette on Sleep Training
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The content provided in this article(s) is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or other professional advice. Neither Sarah Trott nor Buckeye Media LLC (DBA Fourth Trimester) are liable for claims arising from the use of or reliance on information contained in this article.