A lot of parents reach out to me with the same question- "How do I move my baby into their own room in a crib?" SUCH a popular topic!! So let's get to work (meaning grab your wine glass & hide in a closet to read this post before bedtime!)

First off, this can be a pretty loaded question- one SO loaded that I often advise parents to contact me here for a quick Mini Session to chat about your particular sleep or napping situation. With that said, here are the most common tips & tricks that I advise to my parents who JUST WANT THEIR ROOM BACK (but the baby monitor volume on high, of course):

1. PLAY. At least 30 minutes a day in the child's room you desire them to begin sleeping in. We want your child to know this is a safe, loving room- not a baby jail cell for Bad Kids.

2. Always begin at nighttime first. Children are most ready for sleep then, and will usually fall asleep no matter what....eventually. Make sure the room is PITCH black to signal night vs. day to your child's internal clock. We use this custom black out shade that I can easily pull on & off and it's under $50.

3. End your bedtime routine in that room from #1 above. This means pajamas, diaper, stories, last bottle of milk, etc. Ending the routine in another room and THEN moving child to their room can disrupt the overall "calm" feeling you're attempting to create.

4. Invest in some white noise. We are currently using this humidifier from Crane. Keep the room at 70 degrees on average.

5. Expect some protest for at least a week- this takes TIME. Stay consistent- meaning don't let them cry every night for 30 minutes before "rescuing them"- this will teach them "Ok, I just have to cry now for 30 minutes until Mom picks me up- check." Not good. For anyone. Including that bottle of champs you just opened downstairs with your significant other.

6. "Ok, wait." you're thinking. "How exactly do I do this?" Read my blog post HERE to give a good example of the soothing/put-down process.