Baby Milestones: Night in Her Own Room
How long should a baby sleep in mommy and daddy’s room after coming home from the hospital? There really is no set answer, because it’s a personal preference based on your baby’s development and what works for each family. For our family, my daughter slept in our room for three weeks until we decided it was time to put her beautiful new crib to use in her own baby room.
We knew we were ready for this big baby milestone; we were ready to stop tiptoeing around our new baby, and to stop being afraid of waking our daughter when we turn in. While we knew it was the right decision for us, I began to miss her and worry about her incessantly, even though the baby room was just a few feet away).
To help ease the worry that came with this transition, we put together an away-from-baby survival kit. The kit included:
· Video monitor with audio Many moms find an audio monitor adequate, but there is something reassuring about seeing your baby in the crib while she is peacefully asleep.
· Sleep sack This helped to keep her warm and ensure her safety in the crib. Our little one never enjoyed being swaddled, as she preferred her arms to be free.
· Comfortable glider Since I couldn’t just grab my baby next to me and bring her into bed for nighttime feedings, we invested in a glider where I could comfortably sit in her room while feeding her. It was enjoyable for me, and I was able to rock her back to sleep.
I remember the first time we achieved this baby milestone. We put her to bed in her crib, which made her look even tinier, and immediately turned on the monitor. There sat my husband and I, for what seemed like an eternity, staring at our little one laying in her crib. I knew we had done everything right to ensure her safety, but as a new mom, I couldn’t help but worry.
I found myself looking forward to hearing her “I’m hungry!” cries, knowing I could spend that time with her. I also found myself sneaking into the baby room, holding my ear up to her face in the dark, listening to her breathing.
Our first night was a success, and with each night in her room, I became less and less worried. My husband and I were able to get back some semblance of normalcy and reconnect on our positive feelings about being new parents.
Photo by Ádám Szabó on Unsplash