Getting your baby to sleep is probably one of the hardest parts about being new parents! You finally think that you have a great nighttime routine down and then your baby decides otherwise as soon as you put them in your crib. One of the most common questions that many parents ask is how to get your baby to sleep in their crib, and we are here to give you some answers! Whether your newborn won’t sleep in crib only in arms or you are having trouble getting your baby to sleep in their own crib after co sleeping, we are here to offer our tips and tricks.
As two sisters with three children under the age of three years old, we know all about baby sleep and how important it is for both baby and mom. In the beginning it feels like your fighting a battle that you will never win! You try to copy exactly what you did last time to try to get your baby to sleep in their crib and it doesn’t work which can be very frustrating to a new mother. We can totally relate to those nights where you are just done so you let your baby co sleep in the bed with you! Not to worry, we are going to give you some tips to help get your baby to stay in their crib and make both of your lives just a-little easier.
In this blog post, we will show you how to get you baby to sleep in their crib like a pro. From how to get your baby to nap in their crib to ways to encourage your newborn to like their crib, we have the secrets you need to know. So let’s get ready to improve both you and your little one’s sleep!
This blog post is all about how to get your baby to sleep in their crib.
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How do I get my baby to like their crib?
Here are some ways to get your baby to like their crib:
- Keep trying to put them in the crib for naps and bedtime
- Create a bedtime and nap time routine around the crib
- Swaddle your baby
- Make sure the temperature in the room is comfortable
- Use a sound machine
Best Sleep Advice Book
This book was highly recommended from new moms that had babies that slept through the night before two months.
How To Get Your Baby To Sleep In Their Crib
Now let’s dive into some ways to get your baby to sleep in their crib!
1. Sound Machine
Best Sound Machine To Help Promote Sleeping in the Crib
A sound machine is one the easiest ways to help your baby to sleep in their crib and help your baby understand that it is time to sleep. A sound machine can also help your baby focus on sleep and drown out all of the noise in the house like kids screaming and dogs barking!
After using the sound machine during each sleep, your baby will hear the noise and associate it with sleep. It is important to have the sound machine near the crib and make sure it is on loud enough for you to hear it just outside of the door.
We love the Hatch sound machine because it can be easily controlled from your phone or in the room for your sleep needs. The Hatch also has a red light that will actually help encourage your baby to sleep.
2. Swaddle
Best Baby Swaddle On Amazon
Swaddling your baby is one of the most important and effective ways to get your baby to sleep and most importantly sleep in their crib. When your baby is a newborn, you may think they don’t like being swaddled and skip this step in the sleep routine, however it really makes a difference in the quality of their sleep.
Newborns have a startle reflex and you may notice their arms jump up in their sleep and that can disrupt their sleep cycle throughout their naps. When you swaddle your baby, they won’t get startled and will sleep longer and better which is part of the recipe to get them to sleep in their crib and actually like their crib.
From personal experience, two out of our three children were swaddled and slept through the night at 8 weeks. The baby that wasn’t swaddled did not sleep through the night until about four to five months old. This does not mean that if you don’t swaddle your baby they won’t ever sleep but we suggest you just stick it through and keep trying to swaddle your baby even if they don’t “like it”.
3. Create a Bedtime and Nap Time Routine
Bedtime Routine
It may seem silly to read a book to a newborn as part of their bedtime routine, however the point of creating a bedtime routine is to get your baby’s body programmed for sleep at certain times of the day. Babies love a routine and repetition is key when trying to establish a routine in the crib.
TIP: Pick a time (usually from 7-10pm) that your baby will start their bedtime routine. No matter what is going in your life, stop what you are doing and start the routine. If you have guests over, tell them baby is going to bed.
Nap Routine
To get your baby to take naps in their crib, just starting putting them in there each nap. If your baby cries, soothe them and put them back down. Keep trying during every single nap.
4. Repetition
If you want your baby to sleep in their crib, you have to put them in it. Repetition is key when it comes to getting your baby to like the crib.
At two months old, my baby only wanted to sleep with me at night or in my arms during the day for naps, I quickly new that was not a good habit to form so I just started putting her in the crib during her naps and kept trying even if it meant she lost a little sleep. After consistently putting her in the crib, now she wont sleep anywhere else.
TIP: Don’t pick up the baby every single time they wake up in their crib, try to put your hand on them on offer their pacifier first.
5. Make the Crib Comfortable
Make sure that your baby’s room is at a comfortable temperature (68-72 degrees Fahrenheit) and that the crib’s mattress is not too cold. Sometimes baby’s don’t like to sleep in their crib or cot because it is cold as soon as they lay down. If this is the case, you may want to consider putting your baby in a sleep sack so that they can have that extra layer of warmth.
TIP: If you notice the mattress is very cold, try to put a heated blanket on it as your baby is falling asleep in your arms. Remove it just before you are ready to place your baby in their crib.
6. Put Your Baby Down Gently
Make sure that you are putting your baby down with their bottom first and their head last. If you tip babies head down, they may think they are falling and wake up. Be sure to take you time when you place your baby in the crib and slowly remove your hand off of them.
You also want to make sure you are putting your baby down when they are drowsy and not too awake. (when the pacifier falls out of the mouth time)
How To Get Your Baby To Sleep In Crib After Co Sleeping
Getting your baby to sleep in their crib after co sleeping can be a challenge. As a new parent, it is just so much easier to sleep right next to your baby to comfort them and feed them conveniently which is why so many people co sleep. However, co sleeping can be dangerous for your baby and is not a great habit to form during a bedtime routine.
At first, most babies won’t like sleeping in their crib because they are used to the warmth and comforting scent of their parent right next to them. The best way to get your baby to sleep in their crib after they have been sleeping with you is to just do it. Just start putting the baby in the crib even if they cry or wake up every time you put them down, eventually the baby will sleep. You have to make the sacrifice and continuously put them in the crib even though it will be so tempting to put them next to you.
As someone who co slept with their baby for the first two months, I can understand how hard it is to put your baby in the crib because you just want to sleep. But now that my baby is used to sleeping in their crib and I couldn’t even imagine her in the bed with me (she actually does not like co sleeping anymore).
I just started putting the baby down in the crib every night no matter what and I slept in the chair right next to the crib so that baby new I was right there and I didn’t have to travel far for the frequent wake ups. Eventually, my baby started enjoying the crib more and I started sleeping in my own bed.
Newborn Won’t Sleep In Crib Only In Arms
If your newborn only likes to sleep in your arms, do not worry that is very normal in the beginning! It will get better! You have to just start putting the baby in the crib even if they will wake up. With newborns, it is important to keep them swaddled because they love to feel secure and comforted. Keep practicing small naps in the crib with your baby swaddled and you will notice your little one will actually start enjoying the crib.
During the first year of your babies life, there will be sleep regressions and sick nights where they won’t want to sleep in their crib, but just stay consistent and stick as close to the routine as possible.
This blog post was all about how to get your baby to sleep in their crib.
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