How To Get Baby To Sleep In Crib?

Co-sleeping or using a bassinet is okay for infants (less than 4 months old). But once the pass the stage, it’s time to move to the crib. New parents have mixed feelings about the baby sleeping in a separate bed. But, it is best for both of you! 

Like adults, babies do have a sleep association that they develop while sleeping in a bassinet. Co-sleeping is also very common among parents and babies get used to that sleeping pattern. 

Believe it or not, it is really hard to break this association and transition your baby to the crib. Your excitement will turn into a challenge for yourself. But fear not! I am here to help you with making this transition easy. I will share some tips on how to make the crib comfortable and turned it into sleep heaven for the baby. 

How To Get Baby To Sleep In Crib? 

The challenge is to make your baby comfortable sleeping in the crib for the whole night and possibly for some nap time too. Sure, this will take some time for the new adjustment. So, be mentally prepared. 

Take Time: Depending on the age of your baby, it may some extra days to get used to the new sleep environment. But your baby will get there. She may refuse for the first few nights to sleep alone. That’s normal. Nothing to scared and never give up! This guide will show you how to achieve this transition smoothly. 

Smooth Change: Don’t change everything else abruptly. Your baby will react negatively when she notices a massive change in a short time. Except for the sleeping place, try not to change anything. Don’t change the bedtime routine as well. 

Age Consideration: Your approach towards making comfortable the baby in the crib should take into account the age of your little one as well. Let’s assume your little one age is less than 4 months. You have to be very gentle while picking the baby up and down. 

Lay down the baby in the crib and notice if she starts to cry. If she does, pick her up and soothe her. Try again. Let the legs of your baby touch the bed first and then the head.  

However, if she is more than 4 months, maintaining a little bit of distance is still okay. If she starts fussing after you put her down the crib, soothe her by rubbing the tummy or apply some verbal soothing.  

Some babies love to have a companion like stuffed toys while sleeping. Just for safety reasons, don’t put stuffed toys in the crib. Your baby will get used to the idea of sleeping without her stuffed toys.  

The main idea during the transition periods is that you have to be more supportive during the early stage of the transition. Offer less support as some days or week passes. Every change should be gradual and at a slow pace. 

Tips That Work From Experienced Mommies! 

There are some other techniques that you may apply when you find it too difficult to keep the baby in the crib. Along with following the regular bedtime routine, you can follow these techniques. I collected these tips from experienced mammas around the world. I hope you will find them effective as well:

No Distractions: Just like all the adults, babies need a sleeping environment. Just like you can’t sleep in a noisy environment, don’t expect your baby can sleep in such an environment either. Before 30 minutes of the exact sleep time, turn off all the lights. Turn off all the TV and music as well. Keep the room temperature cool. 

Develop A Habit: This is important. Humans are not machines. For the sound sleep, babies need to do some other activities like reading a book or taking a bath. Make sure your baby is well-fed. Put her in the bed when she is still awake but feeling drowsy. 

Try A Musical Crib: You should attach a musical mobile safely with the crib. Modern mobiles have ambient white noises which your baby may find useful to fall asleep fast. That will help you stop telling stories for hours!

Maintain Consistency: People are prone to follow the habit that they develop over time. To develop the sleeping pattern, you must follow the same routine for some days or even weeks. A little break in maintaining the routine is still okay. But stick with the routine if you want to get success!

Conclusion 

Yes, parenting is exciting but it comes with a lot of challenges until your little one becomes fully grown. Transitioning the little one from the bassinet to a convertible crib is one the most daunting challenge. Every parent has to go through this phase. But with a little patience and consistent try will win that challenge easily.