I quite often get asked what is the best way to introduce Sleepytot to your baby or toddler. Here are some hints that you can use to increase the success rate of Sleepytot.
Just like any comforter, baby needs to be old enough and mobile enough to be able to safely manoeuvre Sleepytot away from their face when they want to.
This age can vary with all babies, depending on their development. Strictly speaking SIDS say nothing in the cot until baby is 12 months old and of course every parent can make their own decisions after being informed of all the information available.
Having said this, many sleep consultants recommend a wash cloth sized comforter from 7 months onward. Our Sleepytots fits this size perfectly. It's small and very light, and of course with a dummy attached there is plenty of air circulating around the sleepytot. Swaddled babies should not use Sleepytots or any other comforters. Some little ones can start using their Sleepytots at around 7 months, others may have to wait until 8 months plus.
This age normally coincides with a stage of separation anxiety where they will start to form a strong attachment to a comforter. This is a key time in your babies life as she begins to understand you can go away and leave her and separation anxiety can set in. Baby comforters have been shown to make this time much easier for your baby and you!
If in doubt pop Sleepytot onto the cot bars and out of reach until you know it’s safe for them to have the comforter in the cot with them unsupervised.
A great idea is to wear Sleepytot around with you for a day or so, then attach the Sleepytot to the cot rails nice and safe, but where your baby can still see it.
Just being able to see the comforter at this early age can give your baby the security they need to fall back to sleep, especially if it smells all yummy like you. Sleepytot can also be placed between yourself and baby while feeding for additional comfort.
How do I use a Sleepytot?
To start with, make sure you give your baby lots of time to practice using their Sleepytot, supervised, during the day. Pop 1 to 4 dummies on his paws, and let your baby explore!
When baby loses Sleepytot, guide their hand down to find it. Don’t get into the habit of replacing the Sleepytot yourself, as you want your baby to be able to do this without you. It won’t take long at all before bubs realises their precious dummies are on the paws of the Sleepytot, and they can replace them all by themselves.
Give them lots of praise when they manage to find their dummies themselves. Again as a reference, my son Samuel at 7 months, took 3 nights to learn how to replace his own dummy using Sleepytot. He had previously been waking up, up to 5-6 times a night, and within 3 nights he was sleeping though the night.
If you are introducing Sleepytot to an older toddler, say 12 months they may be a little bit more hesitant to a new soft toy coming on board. They will wonder why on earth they need to share their precious dummy with a bunny! We have some tricks up our sleeve to combat this.
Sleepytot needs to be triumphed as the best thing since sliced bread. Talk about Sleepytot coming to help look after their soothers so they don't get lost at night time. Get really excited, and let your toddler open the packaging and do lots of cuddling and playing with their new bunny.
I have found that toddlers will rarely throw their bunny away with the dummy as they fall in love with them so quickly and love to cuddle them. They will not want to be away from bunny for too long.
Of course babies don't need to use pacifiers to be able to love Sleepytot. We have so many success stories from parents who say their little ones simply love cuddling up to their bunny.
I hope that helps. If you would like any questions answered please feel free to get in touch with us.
Please also check out our blog for tips on safely introducing your Sleepytot to your little one alongside the guidelines of the Red Nose Society.
Fiona xx
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