Baby Won’t Sleep in Bassinet: What You Need to Know

If you’re like the majority of parents, you’ve undoubtedly tried everything to get your baby to sleep in his or her bassinet. Don’t worry if nothing appears to be working including rocking, singing, white noise, and sleep training methods.

We understand!

While it’s tempting to just give in and pick your baby up, it is important to stay persistent. So, how do you get rid of your sleepless nights?

Let’s find out:

Reasons Why Your Baby Won’t Sleep in Bassinet

Has your baby been giving you a tough time when it comes to sleeping in the bassinet? Well, there might be a few reasons for that.

Let’s look at the reason why your baby won’t sleep in bassinet 

Your Baby’s Physical Needs Aren’t Being Met Properly

• Getting a baby to sleep in his or her Bassinet can be super easy and simple if their physical needs are being met. Is your baby hungry or thirsty? In the first few weeks and months, newborns eat a lot and go through numerous growth spurts when they’re hungry. You may have only completed feeding your baby half an hour ago, but they may be hungry again!

• While they’re happy to sleep in your arms, they’ll want to keep you close until their hunger is satiated. Therefore, if your little bundle of joy is refusing to sleep in the bassinet, see whether they are hungry or not. The same can be applied to a soiled nappy. If your infant requires a diaper change, it will be difficult to get them to sleep in a bassinet.

Your Newborn Is either Overtired or Under-Tired

• Just like us adults, babies must stay awake long enough to become tired enough to fall asleep at night. The tough part is determining when that is.  Unfortunately, it is not as simple as waiting till your newborn is fussing and plainly.

• Your baby is almost probably overtired at this stage.  It will be nearly impossible to get an overtired baby to sleep in a bassinet. Keep a tight check on your newborn’s awake times if they refuse to sleep in a bassinet.  This is the moment when they will joyfully stay awake till they become overtired.

• A baby under 3 months old will have brief waking durations, ranging from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. This covers all feeding time. Look for weariness indicators other than the clock: looking into space, lying still, and avoiding eye contact. When you see these sleep cues, don’t put off putting your baby in his or her bassinet.

The Newborn Is Not at Ease

• It is likely your baby does not want to sleep in the bassinet because he or she is restless. A filthy diaper, an uncomfortable mattress, or an itchy swaddle or receiving blanket will cause a sleeping infant to wake up.

• Check your child’s bassinet and diaper for any irritation if they wake up shortly after you put them down to sleep. Moreover, check their toes and fingers as well, since long hairs tend to get twisted around these tiny places. If these hairs go unchecked, they can shut off circulation to that spot.

Your Little One Is Overstimulated

• It is usual for infants to be overstimulated before going to bed. Excessive activity or stimulation soon before bedtime can make it difficult for your infant to go to sleep. Overtired babies are fussy and stay awake for a long time.

• One of the most common ways to deal with this is establishing a nightly routine. A fatigued newborn baby normally requires soothing rhythms and routines. These rituals alert them that evening is approaching and assist them in sleeping soundly.

Your Baby Is Not Feeling Well

• It’s possible that your child’s refusal to sleep in the bassinet is due to sickness. Examine your baby to see if they have a stuffy nose, coughing, or other signs of infection. Many babies have gas and tummy discomfort, which can also keep them up at night.

• Help your baby sleep in their bassinet peacefully by alleviating pain or supporting their respiratory system if they are feeling unwell. Hold your infant upright in a hot bathroom to ease congestion.

The Moro Reflex Keeps Waking Your Baby Up

• The Moro reaction is a birth reflex that can startle your baby awake in a nanosecond.  The Moro reflex will not bother them when you are holding them in your arms. When attempting to lay them down in their bassinet, you can unwittingly provoke the Moro reaction.

• Therefore, you need to be smarter about getting your baby to sleep in the bassinet. The Moro can be triggered by the sensation of falling, such as by lowering them too quickly. Furthermore, place them bottom first rather than head first. This will reduce the sense of falling.

Your Baby Likes to Sleep in Your Arms

• Sleep patterns have yet to establish in neonates under 3 months old.  Although a mother’s arms can feel the most soothing and relaxing, this is unlikely to be habitual. Babies become more aware and their sleep cycles become more individual between the ages of 3 and 4 months.

• This is the point at which they can grow attached to specific sleep props or aids, such as napping in your arms, and form sleep associations. They will want to continue sleeping in your arms once they have become accustomed to it.

How Long Will My Baby Sleep in His or Her Bassinet?

There are no hard and fast rules here. The easy and quick answer is that as long as they fit in their bassinet comfortably. It will depend on your baby’s size, how quickly he or she grows, and the size or weight capacity of the bassinet.

As a general rule, you should wait between 2 and 3.5 months. However, as a parent, you’ll know when it’s the right time to transition to a cot.

For instance, if your baby is visibly bumping the edge of the bassinet and appears cramped, or if hands are contacting the walls of the bassinet once out of the swaddle, you should probably consider a cot.

Related Read:  How Long Does a Baby Sleep in Bassinet

Tips to Get Your Newborn to Sleep Peacefully in a Bassinet

If your baby won’t sleep in bassinet, we have a few tips for you:

Establish Your Baby’s Bedtime Routine

Establishing a nighttime routine is one of the most effective ways to get your infant to sleep in their bassinet. Here’s how to do it:

• Lullabies
• Bath time
• Book reading
• Massage with essential oils

Even if you are rushed for time on certain nights, it is critical to stick to the pattern, even if it is a shortened version. It is worthwhile to spend a few extra minutes ensuring that your infant is quiet and ready for sleep.

Ensure Your Infant’s Sleeping Area Is Comfortable

A big part of making sure that your baby is comfortable is by creating a cozy sleeping space.  Here’s how:

• Use a sturdy, snug-fitting bassinet mattress. This will help support your baby’s growing spine.
• Dress your infant in light, breathable clothing to avoid overheating or sweating.
• Keep pillows and plush animals out of the bassinet, as they can cause asphyxia.
• Prepare a few soft blankets to swaddle your baby in for extra warmth and comfort. This also minimizes the jerking movements made by a sleeping baby.

Avoid Any Kind of Over stimulation Before Bedtime

Overstimulated babies are cranky and difficult to calm down. Even when exhausted, an overstimulated baby will not sleep. They may also have disturbed sleep cycles and wake up frequently during the night. If your infant isn’t sleeping at night and appears exhausted, make sure you’re establishing excellent sleep patterns throughout the day.

A baby that sleeps more throughout the day will most likely sleep more at night. Similarly, an overtired child who misses naps would most likely wake up frequently at night. Dimming overhead lights and minimizing stimulus from television will help keep your kid from becoming overstimulated. Turn off electronics and dim the lights an hour before your infant goes to bed.

Swaddle Your Infant

If your baby won’t sleep in bassinet, you could try swaddling. This will assist children in settling down, falling asleep quicker, and decreasing their startle reflexes. Swaddle blankets assist newborn newborns fall asleep by providing them with womb-like comfort.

You can swaddle your infant using a specialized swaddling wrap. The swaddle should be tight enough to prevent their arms from twitching. The wrap, however, should not be so tight.

Lay Them Down When They Are Awake

Many parents choose to rock their newborns to sleep. However, this can lead to practices that prevent self-soothing. Try not to let your little one sleep when you are rocking or nursing them. Instead, place them in their bassinet to sleep while they are sleepy but still awake.

Allowing your baby to fall asleep on their own will establish a healthy sleeping routine. There are numerous sleep training strategies that you can try.

Is It Ok for You to Leave Your Baby in Their Bassinet Awake?

Absolutely, yes! That shouldn’t be a problem.  It is an excellent way to make sure that your newborn grows acquainted with their bassinet.  Because infants are comforted and calmed by their own smell, this permits the baby’s own scent to remain inside the bassinet.

When the baby is awake for small periods of time other than feeding, the bassinet is an excellent spot for him or her to stretch and kick their legs or try a few minutes of tummy time while you’re nearby.

Can You Sleep Train Your Baby?

It depends on your definition of sleep training. If the phrase sleep training brings up images of rigorous schedules and forcing your baby to cry himself or herself to sleep in an attempt to self-soothe, then absolutely not.

However, fostering excellent sleep patterns gently from the start can pay off. This is referred to as sleep training by some.

So, we’re talking about things like establishing a bedtime routine and waking your baby from day naps, both so they can eat. Not to mention attempting to get that baby to sleep in a bassinet.

Related Read: Sleep Training Method

Conclusion

If your little one is under 8 weeks old, you should be keeping notes to determine if there is reflux or gas at work that is making your baby uncomfortable. If not, there is still time to concentrate on getting your kid to sleep in his or her bassinet. On the other hand, if your baby is 4 months or older and solely sleeps on you, you will most likely need to conduct some sleep training to help your kid sleep on their own.

FAQs

My Baby Does Not Sleep Unless I Hold Him, What Should I Do?

Move your baby’s feeding time to the start of their routine, and then place the baby in their cot tired but awake. Plus, you can try to wean your baby from contact napping and select a settling approach that will assist you in putting your baby in a bassinet.

My Newborn Does Not Sleep Flat on Their Back, What Should I Do?

If the infant isn’t sleeping well, you might be tempted to take safe sleep shortcuts. This is one of those things you should not give up on. You can swaddle your infant, place them on their back in their resting environment using a specific settling procedure, and then allow them to move around as they like.

How Can I Get My Newborn to Sleep in the Crib Instead of My Arms?

• Make a comfortable sleeping environment
• Begin a relaxing or sleeping habit
• Wean off any feed-to-sleep linkage
• Feed at the start of the cycle
• Select a settling technique.
• Put your newborn to sleep in his or her bassinet using their preferred settling method.