What To Do If Your Baby Won’t Sleep In Bassinet or Crib
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Navigating baby sleep can be one of the greatest challenges faced by new parents. One common hurdle that many new parents face is the struggle to get their little one to sleep in their own sleep space, such as a bassinet or crib. In this post, we’ll share our top recommendations for what to do if your baby won’t sleep in their bassinet or crib to help everyone get more sleep.
What happens when baby won’t sleep in bassinet
Typically, parents in this predicament are either constantly “nap trapped”, i.e. their baby typically only sleeps while being held and/or rocked, or they are relying on motion such as car rides or stroller walks for sleep. While I’m a huge advocate for soaking up as many precious newborn snuggles as possible, there is definitely a benefit to helping your baby transition to sleeping in a bassinet or crib. A baby who only sleeps while being held, rocked, strolled, or in a car can cause extreme exhaustion for parents. Additionally, the safest place for baby to sleep is alone in their own independent sleep space.
What to do if baby won’t sleep in their bassinet
Top 5 strategies for when your baby won’t sleep in bassinet or crib
Practice One Nap A Day In Crib Or Bassinet - Just like many other things in life, creating new skills and habits takes practice. Your goal is to have baby sleep independetly in their crib or bassinet, but instead of putting the pressure on you (and them) to go from zero to 100%, take a baby-steps approach with practicing at least one nap a day in their bassinet to start. Personally, I like to start practicing at least one nap a day in baby’s bassinet or crib starting day 1 home from the hospital, so there’s no such thing as starting this “too soon”. Feel free to start practicing right away. With time and exposure to their sleep environment, baby will become more comfortable in the space and will be able to fall asleep more easily. Even if other naps are in your arms, in a stroller, in the car, and so on, having at least one a day in a crib or bassinet will get you closer to achieving your goal of having baby sleep in their bassinet.
Learn Your Baby’s Cues for Tiredness, And Put Them To Sleep When Tired: I always recommend working on independent sleep when baby is already tired and most ready for sleep. If you’re not sure how to reliably and consistently know when your baby is tired and most likely to have a successful nap, you will benefit from learning how to recognize your baby’s cues. The optimal time for sleep is right after you’ve seen at least one or two tired cues. If baby isn’t tired, you are less likely to be successful in putting baby down for a nap in their bassinet or crib. Read our full article on understanding baby’s cues here to learn what the cues for tiredness are and how to apply that knowledge to improving your baby’s sleep.
Use A Swaddle - I am a huge fan of using swaddles on newborns to help improve their quality and length of sleep in their bassinet or crib. Swaddling a baby reduces their startle reflex, which can cause them to jerk their arms upward and ultimately wake themselves up out of sleep. It also helps simulate the cramped, cozy environment of the womb, which brings them comfort. Personally, I prefer velcro-style swaddles like these as opposed to linen blanket-style swaddles due to ease of use with overnight diaper changes.
Optimize The Sleep Environment - Create an ideal sleep setting in baby’s bassinet or crib by following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations, ensuring your baby sleeps alone, on their back, and on a firm mattress in a dark, quiet room. I have found great success with sound machines with all four of my newborns to help provide soothing comfort that promotes better sleep by mimicking the environment of the womb. Baby will be more likely to sleep in their bassinet if the environment is safe and comfortable for them.
Practice Sleeping Horizontally On Their Back As A Transition To Bassinet: As they say, practice makes perfect! If your baby hasn’t figured out how to sleep in their bassinet yet but sleeps well in your arms, you can help them transition holding baby horizontally, on their back, as they fall asleep. While they are still receiving warmth and comfort from your arms and lap, they’re in a horizontal position that is similar to how they will sleep in their bassinet. Once they can fall asleep in your arms in that position, it’s a simple transition to the bassinet.
helping your newborn sleep better
With the strategies in this article, you’re now ready to help your newborn sleep safely and comfortably in their bassinet or crib. By being patient with yourself and your baby, and by implementing the tips above, you can help everyone get more rest.
If you feel like you need more help with improving your newborn’s sleep, our guide, “Better Baby Sleep”, is here to help. It provides more strategies as well as more detailed, step-by-step specifics on how to implement them with your newborn in a way that is gentle and without crying. By incorporating these techniques, you can create healthy sleep habits that last a lifetime and navigate the newborn phase with a lot more confidence (and a lot more sleep)! Click here to learn more.
