It’s very common for babies to prefer one individual over everyone else. This is usually the person that they spend most of their time with, and in most cases this is mom. Mothers often take charge of taking care of the infant and ensuring that they’ve eaten enough and putting them to sleep. But babies tend to wake up often and need to be rocked to sleep throughout the night and day. And it can be extremely exhausting for the mother to be the only one who is capable of putting the baby to bed. This is why it’s important that babies get used to their dads as well, so that they can step in and help out when mom is overworked. But what do you do when your baby refuses to sleep when dad holds them? You can’t be the only caregiver forever. Here are a few tips to get your baby accustomed to falling asleep in their father’s arms. Read on to know them all!
1. Give Dad Full Responsibility During The Night
One main reason for why your child is pushing their dad away is probably because they are used to you catering to their needs at every hour in the day and night. And contrary to popular belief, this isn’t always a good thing. You need to rest and your child needs to have the opportunity to bond with your partner. So, make the time and give dad the night shift. Sure, he may not know all your little one’s quirks and he might get a few things wrong before he figures out exactly how your baby likes to be held and put to sleep. But this is a learning curve you had to go through too. If you want to see some change right away, then the best thing you can do is give up full responsibility to the dad for the entire night. This way irrespective of if your child is cranky because of a new tooth, or wakes up wanting to eat, dad has the chance to soothe them and bond with their baby. Once your baby realizes that they can trust dad to care for their needs, they’ll stop crying for you.
2. Let Dad Handle Baby’s Sleep Routine In The Evening
Babies absolutely love routine so sometimes they need to be eased into accepting dad’s help and care at night. Waking up to find someone else looking after them can be jarring so it might be a good idea to have the father handle their sleep routine as well. Taking responsibility for the entire night can also be quite overwhelming for dads. So, they can start with handling your baby’s first sleep routine in the evening or put them to sleep when they need to take naps during the day. Once they get a knack for it, they can slowly transition to caring for them for an extended period of time. The tip is to give your baby and their dad space in order to come up with their own routine without any interference. This way they will come up with their own routine and you won’t have to intervene everytime something goes a little south.
3. Put Your Baby On Your Bed When They Wake Up
Another trick is to not simply carry your toddler or baby in your arms whenever you need to put them to sleep in the middle of the night. Instead place them on your bed in between you and your partner for a while. This way both mom and dad will be around while your little one falls back asleep and this can help them sleep better when only dad tends to them on other days. However, you do need to be aware of the consequences of co-sleeping and ensure that your baby doesn’t stay on your bed with you for a long period of time. Make sure that they make it back into their own crib or bassinet after they drift off to sleep.
4. Handle Your Own Emotions
You’re only human but so is your partner. It can be hard to stop yourself from waking up every time you hear your baby cry or every time you hear your toddler ask for mommy, but you must. If your child is ever going to have the chance to bond with their father, you need to make sure that you stay out of the picture for a while. Allow your partner to figure things out on their own and bond with their baby in their own way. That’s what makes it all so special.
Putting a baby to sleep is no easy task, especially if you barely get to see your baby during the day. This is why it’s so important for dads to take over at night and form a personal connection with their little one. Slowly, your baby will allow their dads to care for them with ease!