When should I change my baby to a crib?

When your baby is just born, you decide to put your baby to sleep in a crib, and it will be placed in your room. This is the best option for this stage because at night you have to wake up 2–3 times to breastfeed. By the time your baby is 6–8 months old, he or she can sleep all night without feeding. Is this the time to move your baby to a separate crib? If you have this question, please join aFamilyToday Health to follow up on the following shares to get answers to this problem.

There are many factors that make you think about putting your baby to sleep early. However, if you want to let your baby sleep in the crib for longer, there's nothing wrong. However, you should be aware that the longer you let your baby sleep in the crib, the harder it is to move your baby to a crib.

When should I change my baby to a crib?

Some of the factors below will help you make your decision:

Cribs are usually small in size, while the baby is growing very fast. Most cribs limit the baby's weight. If your baby is heavier than the allowed weight, you should move your baby to a crib.

You should move your baby to a crib before he can sit down. This transition will take a few days for your baby to get used to.

When deciding to move your baby to a crib, ask yourself a few questions and answer yourself to make sure it's time to switch:

1. How many kg does the baby currently weigh? Has your baby's weight exceeded the allowed limit of the crib? If you exceed the limit, you should move your baby to a crib whether he is ready or not.

2. Cribs usually have one side high and one low, so you need to pay attention to the safety of your baby. Can the baby sit up and roll down by himself? If the answer is yes, move your baby to a crib. Observe your baby carefully to know your baby's developmental milestones and make appropriate adjustments.

3. Is the baby too big for the crib? Baby cribs are usually small, if your baby feels uncomfortable or cramped, move your baby to a crib.

4. Has your baby started sleeping for 6 hours or more without waking up? Most babies will do this when they are 4–6 months old. This is when you should move your baby to a private room before he thinks your room is his or her room.

5. Would you like to regain your couple's private space? At some point, you will find that you need your own space. At this point, you should move your baby to a crib.

In addition, you can read more lessons  on How to practice your baby's own bed to learn how to apply it!

How to transfer baby to a crib?

Here are a few things you can do to make the transition easier:

Sleep in the baby's room in the early nights

This helps your baby see you when he wakes up at night. Once your baby gets used to the new room, you can move back to your own room.
Give your baby a comfortable sleeping space in a new room. Leave the lights dim and keep quiet. You don't have to be absolutely silent, but make sure there's no loud music or talk while your baby is sleeping. A soothing music can help your baby fall asleep more easily. In the early days, you might want to try putting some of your scent items in the crib to help your baby fall asleep.

Baby room with dim light

Too bright lights will make your baby awake and have difficulty sleeping. Therefore, leave lights with dim light in the baby's room and in the hallway to avoid waking up.

Help your baby relax by giving him a bath before going to bed

It can also be a regular sleep routine you can maintain to let your baby know that it's time to go to bed. After bathing, gently pat your baby and read stories to him.

Do not put toys in the crib at night

During the day, you can put your baby in the crib a few times and keep a few toys, but don't let your baby sit for too long as he may be mistaken for the crib to play. Before going to bed, keep all your toys.

Make sure your baby always sleeps in the crib, including napping and sleeping at night. This will help your baby understand that the crib is intended for sleep.