Getting your baby to sleep in their crib can be tough. You and your little one may be used to sleeping together. Or your newborn may prefer sleeping in a swing or a car seat.
When they’re in those familiar environments, they fall asleep quickly and without fuss. But these are not long-term solutions for a safe, successful newborn sleep schedule.
In this article, we give you seven evidence-based tips about how to get your baby to sleep in a crib so you and your family can rest easy again.
Key Takeaways
Table of contents
Why your baby doesn’t want to sleep in a crib
Before birth, your little one spent nine months in a cozy environment. They were used to the pressure, warmth, and motion your body provided. After they’re born, they experience more of the same.
Most of their time is spent being held, enjoying the warmth of your body, inhaling your smell, feeling you breathe, hearing your heartbeat, and being gently rocked back and forth. When you put them in a crib to sleep, you remove all of the sensory stimulation they rely on to feel secure.
Your baby’s crib is, in many ways, the complete opposite of what they’re used to, so they may become restless when you try to get them to sleep.
If this restlessness is more than just an isolated incident and stays consistent for days or weeks, there are a few common causes that might account for it.
Teething
For most babies, their first tooth doesn’t appear until six months or older, but soreness and discomfort can begin as early as three or four months. Chewing or excessive drooling in addition to general fussiness are telltale signs teething may have begun.
Giving your little one a gum massage, letting them gnaw on your (clean) fingers, or giving them a teething toy made from firm rubber or silicone before bed can help relieve their discomfort and make it easier for them to drift off.
Consult with your pediatrician, especially before giving your baby any pain relief medication such as Tylenol.
Growth spurt
It’s probably always going to seem to you like your little one is growing up too fast, but there are certain times when their growth really does accelerate.
During these growth spurts, your baby adds height, weight, and head circumference faster than usual. If this is disrupting their sleep, it may be because they’re hungry. Make sure they’re getting all of the nourishment they need to fuel their sudden burst of physical development.
The good news is that growth spurts typically only last a few days, so the disruption in their sleep habits should be brief.
Sleep regression
Just when it seems like it’s finally gotten easier to get your little one down for the night (and get some solid sleep yourself), they may refuse to go down or wake up repeatedly. What’s happening?
It’s called a “sleep regression,” and it’s usually associated with developmental milestones when your baby’s mind and body are rapidly changing.
In most cases, sleep regression periods last a couple of weeks. The specific developmental changes your baby is experiencing will determine the exact length.
Separation anxiety
If your baby is suddenly scared around people or places they don’t know and upset when you’re not with them, they may be experiencing separation anxiety. While this isn’t an easy time, it is completely normal.
Usually showing up around eight months old and leaving around the age of two, separation anxiety can affect your baby’s sleep. You might find they have trouble falling asleep alone or feel scared when they wake up alone.
A combination of reassurance and practicing their new routine will help your baby overcome separation anxiety.
Illness
If you can’t identify any other reason why your baby is refusing to sleep, there may be a health issue making them uncomfortable and cranky.
Some of these common issues include rashes, ear infections, colds, or reflux. With most of these, you’ll soon be able to tell if an illness is the culprit from symptoms besides sleep disruption. Consult your pediatrician if you have concerns.
How to get your baby to sleep in a crib
When you’ve decided to make the switch from your baby’s current sleep environment to a crib, the question then becomes how to make the transition easier.
1) Start with naps.
When you’re transitioning your baby to sleeping in a crib, it’s best to start with getting them to sleep when there’s less riding on the result.
So consider using the crib only for nap time while continuing to put them down for the night in the bassinet (assuming they haven’t grown too big for the bassinet to be safe).
2) Tire them out — but try not to overstimulate them.
Ensuring your little one gets some good exercise will go a long way toward helping them fall asleep quickly. Just be sure you don’t overstimulate your baby right before bedtime. Too much excitement can wind them up.
3) Create a consistent bedtime routine.
When you begin transitioning your baby into a crib, set up a bedtime routine that works for you and your baby. Your routine may include:
- Feeding
- Bath time
- Read a story
- Cuddling
The most important part of this routine is consistency. Once you’ve established the routine and run through it for several days, your baby will expect you to put them down in their crib during the final step. (A bonus: feeding first separates food from sleep, which helps with sleep!)
4) Transition to touching instead of holding.
When you first begin laying your baby down in their crib, they’ll protest. Your instinct will be to pick them up and rock them back to sleep. That’s completely fine!
But if they fuss when you put them down a second time, rest your hand gently on their chest or belly to provide reassurance that you’re still there. Eventually, your baby will accept this touch as the new routine.
5) Wake your baby as you put them in the crib.
It may sound strange, but waking your baby slightly as you put them down can make their switch to a crib easier. Over several nights, this will teach your newborn that when they find themselves half-awake in their crib, it’s safe to go back to sleep!
6) Make your baby feel safe in the crib.
Babies like to be held and kept warm throughout the night. But you should never include extra items in your newborn’s crib. Just a correctly sized, breathable mattress and a fitted sheet.
So how can you mimic the feeling of safety your baby craves? Wrap them in a swaddle or a sleep sack! Newton Baby offers an organic swaddle blanket that will keep your newborn warm, cozy, and comfy throughout the night.
For more information about swaddling your baby, check out this article: How To Swaddle A Baby: The Complete Guide For Parents.
7) Create good sensory conditions for sleep.
Make sure your baby’s crib is in an environment that promotes peaceful, easy sleep. Here are some sensory ideas for you to try.
- Temperature: Sixty-eight to 72 degrees Fahrenheit in all seasons is recommended.
- White noise machine: Block outside sounds.
- Mobile: Looking at something engaging can settle a baby.
- Dim light: Use nightlights or low-wattage bulbs that give you just enough light to see.
- Scent: Try sleeping with the swaddle blanket or sheet yourself so they smell like you.
Self-soothing is the goal here. Once you find out which ones click for your baby, focus on those. But it’s fine to try them all!
A good night’s sleep for all
When you successfully transition your baby to sleeping in a crib — complete with a Newton Baby breathable mattress, organic muslin cotton fitted sheet, and organic swaddle — you and your family will get a deep, restful night’s sleep and be ready to enjoy the new day!
For more information on helping your baby sleep through the night and to check out our crib mattresses, sheets, pads, and swaddles, visit NewtonBaby.com today!
Frequently asked questions
What is the 80/20 rule for sleep for babies?
The 80/20 rule for sleep gives you the freedom to “live your life” as you train your child to sleep in their crib. 80% of the time, you stick to whatever sleep schedule you’ve created, and 20% you can let it slide.
What is the 90-minute crib rule?
The basic idea is that you put your child down for their nap and they stay in their crib for 90 minutes. If they don’t fall asleep (or only sleep for a short time), you soothe them in your usual way until they fall asleep or until 90 minutes have passed.
You can learn more about this rule, as well as the ones that precede it, here.
How do you get your baby to sleep in a crib after co-sleeping?
While there is no one answer to any sleep question, one gradual method of transitioning from co-sleeping to crib-sleeping rises to the top.
When you’re ready to stop co-sleeping, take a gentle approach, moving farther and farther away from your baby until they’re in their crib. You might sleep further away from them in your bed at first, then you might move them to a bassinet in your room, etc.
