Baby's sleep is a never-ending topic for parents. Either your child doesn't sleep or doesn't sleep through the night, falls asleep too little, too late, doesn't like to sleep in their own bed, only with a bottle and so on. Fortunately, there are many tips on how to help your child fall asleep better. One of them: a soft toy.
Some mothers and fathers swear by a cuddly companion as a sleeping aid for babies. Teddy bear, bunny or tiger: how to get your baby used to a cuddly toy to help them fall asleep
What should you look out for and why does the cuddly friend usually play an important role in your child's life, and not just at bedtime? We have summarized all the answers to these and other questions for you in this practical article.
Getting baby used to a cuddly toy to put to sleep: A few good reasons
Babies are born with a great need for security and physical closeness, for affection and love. This is why most children calm down particularly well in the arms of mom or dad. The physical closeness usually works wonders - especially if the child is in a phase in which it has problems falling asleep.
Whether hunger, teething, growing pains, light, noises or simply sensory overload: there are always situations in your baby's life that bring uncomfortable feelings and disturb sleep. A cuddly toy can be a way to get through the night more relaxed.
Just like physical closeness, cuddly friends also give babies and toddlers a sense of security and safety. Especially when they are paired with parental scents. Your baby won't feel alone and will feel less anxious.
The importance of cuddly toys for babies and children
If your child gets used to the cuddly toy in the first few months of life, it will probably become a constant companion in later developmental phases.
That's perfectly okay: soft and cuddly toys can fulfill a protective function in many ways and make your child feel less alone when mom and dad are not nearby. They can help to overcome separation anxiety and provide reassurance.
Sleep aids can not only help your child to fall asleep in the evening, but also during the day and help them to learn how to deal with their emotions. For example, if you explain to your child at naptime with the help of the soft toy that their cuddly friend also needs a little rest and a break, going to bed is usually easier.
Your child learns about relationships and emotions in a playful way.
Promote motor and social development
Not only can the beloved cuddly toys be used to put your child to sleep, but motor skills are also promoted by handling the cuddly friend.
They usually consist of different textures and elements and have firm, soft and rough components. This allows your baby to stimulate and train their senses by touching them, even as an infant.
Later, at toddler and primary school age, most cuddly toys become everyday companions and give the child support when experiences are being processed.
The connection to the cuddly friend is then strengthened, the soft toy can become an emotional projection surface and also strengthens your child's social skills, for example by imitating everyday situations experienced with the cuddly buddy. This can make it much easier for your child to cope with difficult experiences, such as the first day at nursery or school.
How do I get my baby used to cuddly toys to put to sleep?
Everything takes time. And even cuddly toys, as many functions as they can fulfill for your child, are not a miracle cure that will suddenly help them sleep through the night.
Your baby will sleep very irregularly and a lot in the first few weeks of their life anyway. Only after a few months, from around the third month of life, does a day-night rhythm slowly develop.
This is something completely new for many babies, so patience is required from you parents. However, this is also a good time to slowly get your child used to sleeping aids such as a pacifier, cuddly blanket or cuddly toy.
It is important that you create a pleasant atmosphere at bedtime and always keep to the same rhythm in the evening. Create a bedtime routine that suits you and addyour cuddly friend to it.
Sleeping aid cuddly toy: pay attention to safety
This is important: You should still stay next to the bed from the third month onwards as long as the cuddly toy is with your child. For safety reasons, babies should not sleep alone with the cuddly toy at first so that they cannot choke or inhale fibers while sleeping.
As soon as your child rolls into all positions under their own steam, lifts their head safely and sits upright on their own, you can put your cuddly friend to bed with a good feeling.
You can also use the companion during the day when playing and cuddling. Your child will then quickly accept the new friend as a comforter and companion.
Cuddly toys: What to look out for when buying?
- Quality and safety: It may be obvious, but we want to mention it again. The cuddly toy for your child should be free of harmful substances, and the filling and outer fabric are particularly important. It is best to clean the cuddly friend in the washing machine, otherwise it can quickly become a dirty and unhygienic affair. Pay attention to test seals and standards, for example the CE mark. This means that the cuddly toy has been manufactured in accordance with European guidelines. The LGA seal of quality stands for pollutant-free processing, while the TÜV seal shows that the cuddly toy has been tested at educational and technical levels.
- Pay attention to the material: Plush, nicki fabric and microfiber are possible materials that the cuddly toy is made of. Rougher surfaces, such as terry cloth, are a better choice for babies.
- Workmanship: The cuddly toy should be firmly stitched and robust, as your child will probably be carrying the plush friend around a lot. It is therefore important that the products are resistant and that small parts or seams do not come loose quickly.
A cuddly toy for your baby to fall asleep with
Soft toys are a great way to help your baby fall asleep. They are also ideal for helping parents, as a cuddly companion can become a good friend and source of comfort in difficult situations in your child's everyday life.
Both emotional and motor skills are strengthened by a cuddly toy. However, it is important that you do not leave your child alone in bed with the cuddly toy in the first few months of life.
The risk of inhaling fibers or choking on small parts is still too high at this stage. As soon as your baby can sit up, the cuddly toy no longer poses a safety risk. Then the cuddly toy becomes an everyday companion, best friend and worry eater.
We hope this article has given you a good overview of how you can establish a cuddly toy as a sleeping aid for your child. Another sleep aid that many parents like is, of course, our swing2sleep, which uses gentle movements to make the transition to sleep easier for your child.
