Milestones and Your Baby’s Sleep
Does your baby ever roll over in the crib and get stuck in a corner?
Have you watched your baby on the monitor get up on all fours or pull up to standing, only to get frustrated that he can’t get back down?
Are you wondering why she keeps doing it if it seems to just frustrate her?!
I hear ya. These are a few of the most commons situations parents ask me about when there baby is going through a milestone. 99% of parents experience them – it’s completely normal!
If you think about it, it’s amazing that in 18 months, your baby will learn how to roll over, sit, stand, crawl and walk. That’s a lot of learning in a pretty short amount of time!
When she’s working on one of these skills, she’ll have an uncontrollable urge to master these new skills! This new thing she’s discovered is so amazing that it’s all she’ll want to do…until it becomes easy for her and then she’ll lose interest.
But while she’s mastering these new skills, you’ll notice your baby trying to roll repeatedly at the most inconvenient times – like when she’s in the crib and you’d like her to sleep!
So what’s a parent to do?
Tip 1: Practice
I recommend LOTS of practice during non-sleep times. If your baby is starting to roll over, then bring on the tummy time! If your little one is pulling up to standing and likes to stand up, get that coffee table child-proofed and let him stand up and cruise around. This will help your baby master that new skill even faster and it won’t be as exciting to keep doing once he goes into the crib at nap or bedtime. Added bonus: it’ll help wear him out so he’s extra ready for that next nap!
Tip 2: “Quick help”
If you find he’s still getting stuck next to the edge of the crib or in the standing position, quickly go in and roll him back over (or lie him back down). The key is not to give him attention, just get him unstuck and exit quickly. A lot of babies are smart enough to realize every time they roll over, mom or dad will come in and see them. Your job is to make this a non-social visit! You may need to go in several times in the beginning and flip him back over, but that shouldn’t last very long.
The great news is that mastering a new skill takes a short time (typically 7-10 days, but as long as 3 weeks), so as long as you haven’t changed how your baby is falling asleep and he’s self soothing independently, he’ll get back on track quickly after that skill has been mastered!
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This post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you, your child and/or your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your child’s physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.