Many parents find that when they return home from the hospital, or after they've been co-sleeping, that their baby is reluctant to go to sleep in the fashionable crib that was purchased for her. Babies love to be snug and warm, and the open expanse of a large crib can be disconcerting. Ease into the transition by helping your baby feel comfortable and get used to sleeping in the crib each night. babies are creatures of habit, so soon sleeping in the crib will be preferred over other locations.
Step 1
Make the crib a little more comfortable and snug. Remember that your baby has spent nine months curled up in tight quarters, and being out in the open can be scary. You can make a safe and comfortable "nest" for your baby by tightly rolling two blankets to put on either side of him, and then covering those rolls with a receiving blanket to ensure that they don't come loose. Laying your baby in between them can help him feel more secure. Just make sure you don't add anything that could fall onto his nose or mouth.
Step 2
Give your baby a small square of T-shirt that smells like you. Newborn babies relate through the sense of smell, as their eyesight is not yet matured. The smell of the mother can be a calming influence, especially if the baby is used to sleeping with mom. Cut a small 4-inch by 4-inch square of a T-shirt that you've worn for a day and allow your baby to use it as a small soothing item. It will be small enough to not be am asphyxiation concern for SIDS. You can place it to the side of the crib, out of your baby's reach so that he can smell it without touching it.
Step 3
Keep a routine, with the crib being the most important and the most positive aspect. You may want to give your baby a bath, swaddle him tightly or sing a few songs. Lay your baby down in the crib while you talk and coo to him. He'll learn to prepare himself with the routine for sleep, and learn to associate positive feelings of warmth and happiness with his crib each night.
Step 4
Lay your baby into the crib awake at night. If you rock her to sleep, and then lay her in the crib, she may become startled and afraid when she wakes up and is no longer in your arms. Instead, lay her down when she is sleepy, but not fully asleep. This way she is aware of her surroundings and becomes more comfortable with falling asleep, and hopefully staying asleep in her own crib.
Step 5
Be consistent with your routine and having your baby sleep in his crib. If you give in one night and bring him into your bed to sleep, you're confusing him and he may always expect it. If your baby is fussing in his crib, instead of bringing him into bed with you, rub his back, sing him songs or take him out to feed him, but put him promptly back in to foster good habits.
Things You'll Need
- Blanket rolls
- Receiving blanket
