KORSINA / Photo: Tobias Stern

The Return of the Baby Cradle

Sleep is a basic biological need, like hunger or thirst, and therefore of great importance in our daily lives. The importance of adequate and restful sleep is already evident in newborns: Babies need a lot of sleep to recover from the stress of birth, to process the many impressions of the day, and to support their brain development. The best place for a newborn to sleep-whether in the family bed, an infant crib, or a crib of its own-is a matter of debate. But one thing is clear: the cradle is back - and rightly so.

KORSINA / Photo: Tobias Stern

Where once there were living rooms, sometimes shared by whole families, it is now the norm for the sleeping people in a household to be spread out over several rooms and especially beds. The need to sleep alone is not natural to humans. Rather, we have become accustomed to it over time through various social and general developments. In fact, humans seek and need to be close to other people, even when they are asleep - especially newborns. Around 1800, the invention of cribs and bassinets marked the first turning point in the way babies slept. Their mobility made it possible for newborns to sleep in the presence of their primary caregivers.

With the later invention of the cradle, there was not only the spatial mobility that made it possible to integrate baby's sleep into everyday life, but also another essential advantage: the movement characteristic of a cradle. The rocking motion is said to have a calming effect, similar to being rocked in someone's arms - a movement experienced by newborns from the very beginning. The rocking motion suggests closeness and has a soothing effect on the baby. Classic baby cradles are designed so that the rocking movement can occur both from the outside, through gentle pushing, and from the child's own body movements. This avoids or shortens unwanted waking periods, as the baby partially rocks itself to sleep.

KORSINA / Photo: Tobias Stern

Due to its proven positive effect on baby's sleep, the baby cradle has made a comeback in recent years after being considered old-fashioned and outdated for a while in the mid-20th century. Today, more and more babies are being rocked to sleep to the rhythm of the rocking motion with the words "Twinkle, twinkle little star...".

KORSINA / Photo: Tobias Stern

Text: Vanessa Schwarkow
Layout: Carolin Epp


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