“Can The Cradle Coach help if my baby sleeps in an infant lounger?“
By now, you’ve probably heard of the popular DockATot or Snuggle Me infant loungers (among others) that parents swear by during the sleepless newborn days.
So, from a sleep consultant’s perspective…how should you use these products, and when should you stop?
First, consider your baby’s age.
We typically recommend that you discontinue using your infant lounger when you are ready to sleep train. You can sleep train as early as 4 months or 12 lbs…whichever comes first! Of course, if your baby is showing signs of rolling, it’s super important to make sure they are sleeping on a flat surface.
Next, we’d ask where and when you are using your infant lounger.
Is it a co-sleeping tool that you use for night sleep and/or naps in your own bed? Are you using it in the baby’s crib? Or is it a nap tool that you are using in another room? This tells us what our first step should be in the weaning process. Our ultimate goal is for your baby to sleep in their own crib exclusively, if possible.
The bad news is there isn’t a seamless way to wean from either product. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) tells us baby is safest sleeping in a crib, bassinet, portable crib, or play yard, along with a tight-fitting, firm mattress and fitted sheet designed for that particular product. They recommend nothing be in the crib except for your baby.
So, while the above is our ultimate goal, we absolutely don’t judge on your baby’s current sleep situation, and we recommend a weaning process that makes you most comfortable. We’ll work together to ensure we are moving at a pace that works best for both you and your baby.
For example, to start, we could begin with supervised naps in the infant lounger in the crib to ease baby into the idea of their new sleep space. Then, when you’re ready to move your child into the crib for night sleep, that’s when we would drop the infant lounger completely. This will be a big change for everyone, which is why it’s a great time to begin sleep training!
You’ve got this, Mama. If you need help with this process, The Cradle Coach is always here to help you. You can check out our packages here.
Sweet Dreams,
Meghan Harper
Certified Baby & Toddler Sleep Consultant
