To introduce a lovey or not to introduce a lovey, that is the question.
Infants to Adults wake up in the middle of the night but as adults, we have learned how to put ourselves back to sleep, such as moving our pillow or blanket a certain way. Although cuddling appears to comfort your little one at bedtime, the larger issue with laying with your child is when they fall asleep and you leave the room. When your child wakes up in the middle of the night they will need you, you are their “lovey” to go back to sleep. It makes sense when your child arouses in the middle of the night that they will cry for you or even get out of bed and go to your bedroom looking for you because they need you to fall asleep. At 12 months or older you may want to introduce a “lovey”, or a small and safe comfort item, to help your child go to sleep on their own. Always place your little one in their crib on their back drowsy, but awake. Allow them to take it from there and fall asleep on their own. If and when your child arouses in the middle of the night they can use their lovey for comfort to soothe themselves and to help them go back to sleep on their own. All children are capable of falling asleep on their own if we give them space to practice this much needed life skill.
