EXCLUSIV

Sleep consultant Diana Rațiu draws parents' attention: "We are tempted to put children to bed with us. It is NOT a good choice for them" / FOTO: freepik.com @stocky01

Diana Rațiu emphasized that one of the main challenges is establishing an appropriate sleep schedule. Among other aspects raised by the expert are sleep associations, which represent another challenging issue for parents. She also mentioned sleep regressions and short naps during the day as problematic.

"The most pressing issues are related to the schedule. It's very hard to get that schedule right if you don't have the minimum information, and it's a problem for parents. Too much sleep, too little, at inappropriate hours, we are tempted to continuously count and think about the quantity of sleep, but we don't think about the quality. Quality is important too.

Another issue would be related to sleep associations, certainly one of the most challenging. Another is related to regressions. I would even say short naps during the day. Because many children, in the first year and a half of life, deal with those short naps, 30-40 minutes. And then, your temptation as a parent is to live with the impression that your child is perpetually tired, that he never sleeps more than that", said Diana Rațiu at Părinți Prezenți, a show by ParintisiPitici.ro.

When do we stop our child's nap? Diana Rațiu: "They sort of stop it themselves. We just need to consider THAT!" / VIDEO

Diana Rațiu: "There must be this sleep hygiene"

PHOTO: freepik.com @davidpereiras

Diana Rațiu was asked by the show's host Loredana Iriciuc if she noticed any changes in children's sleep habits in recent years, given the increasingly chaotic lifestyle of parents. The expert emphasized that she has observed a positive trend in this regard.

"I can say that I have noticed a positive trend. This trend of informing yourself about sleep has gained momentum, with more and more of us becoming certified consultants in child sleep in Romania. A good thing, I say, because we are trying to educate on this aspect, to provide the information that a few years ago almost no one had, and to try to convey the idea that when we have a baby, there must be this sleep hygiene. That's what it's about: hygiene, discipline, a combination of factors.

Indeed, there is still much work to be done to get where we need to be and to dispel those myths we were talking about. But I see a positive trend. So, it's good, even though we have a chaotic style and we are increasingly caught up in various things.

It seems to me that when we have a child, the role of being a parent takes precedence, as if you are not as focused on your career in the first 2 years and you focus only on the child, or already after 2 years, you think about ways to start your own business just to have more time with the child. There was a study in Romania that said that women, after becoming mothers, are very inclined towards the idea of ​​becoming entrepreneurs. Precisely so they can have more time with the child.

I am very happy to see that we are managing to bring rest into every family and practically convey the idea that sleep is a very important piece in the growth and development of the child", the expert pointed out.

When should we send the child to sleep in their room? Diana Rațiu: "Parents believe that where the little one sleeps is related to attachment. It's wrong!"

Diana Rațiu: "A child who sleeps well is a healthy child"

PHOTO: freepik.com @pvproductions

The sleep consultant made an important parallel between sleep quality and academic performance, emphasizing that a child who does not have adequate sleep may have difficulty concentrating and performing daily activities at school.

"A child who sleeps well is healthy, is a child who develops harmoniously, is a child who can focus, who can concentrate.

This, by the way, makes a parallel with children who arrive at school and nod off at their desks. This is because they already come with the baggage of not having slept enough or having been put to bed very late. Because that's another issue: we are tempted to put children to bed with us. Which is not exactly a correct and good choice for them, because, again, their needs are different.

As an adult, it is recommended to go to bed at 10:00 PM to catch a good sleep wave until midnight. Theoretically, neurons are restored, and it's good for us. It's logical that for a child, an early bedtime helps them catch those good hours of deep sleep in which the body recovers, cells regenerate, tissues regenerate, and it helps the immune system.

So, it's important to focus on sleep, to elevate it to the level of food. We are tempted to focus there, on plenty of food, on plenty of milk.

But let's also raise sleep a bit because it's very important. Food is the nourishment of the body, and sleep is the nourishment of the brain. If we bring this balance into the child's life, the direction should be a good one!", Diana Rațiu added.

Co-sleeping, bed-sharing? Sleep consultant Diana Rațiu: "This is the reality that needs to be spoken about, not swept under the rug!"

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