Sharing a bed with the baby can be dangerous for the baby’s health which is why parents invest in baby bassinets. Parents try to buy the best bassinet for their infant but it becomes heartbreaking when the baby rejects the bassinet. So, let’s see why the baby won’t sleep in a bassinet and what you can do about it.
What to do when my baby won’t sleep in a bassinet?
There can be several reasons due to which your baby rejects sleeping in a bassinet. Let’s discuss those reasons:
- Habit: During the initial days of birth, parents usually make their babies sleep with them on the bed which makes them habitual of sleeping with their parents. After that, sleeping in the bassinet and changing their habit can be difficult tasks for them.
- Looking for comfort: Some babies like being around their mothers, so if your baby won’t sleep in a bassinet it may be because they just want comfort from you.
- Wants to be fed: The baby won’t sleep in a bassinet when he is hungry, look out for the signs of hunger. If the baby’s fist is closed very tightly, it means he is hungry and wants to be fed.
- It’s too hot or cold: The babies cannot sleep alone in the bassinet when the room is too hot or cold. Keep the temperature optimum to help them sleep in alone.
- Baby is not feeling well: Babies usually have a hard time falling asleep when they have reflux issues. To minimize this issue they should be fed while keeping them in an upright position and they should be burped after every feed.
How to get your baby to sleep in a bassinet?
Here are few tips that will help you to get your baby to sleep in his bassinet:
- Be consistent: When you start putting your baby to sleep in his bassinet make sure to be consistent. Do not let your baby sleep in your bed for even a nap. If the baby cries and resists sleeping in the bassinet, you can try soothing him by touching or picking up. Once the baby settles a bit, put him back in the bassinet.
- Put baby in the bassinet when drowsy: Teaching the baby to fall asleep on his own is a great life skill and you can start putting baby down drowsy but awake as early as 3 months of age.
- Swaddle the baby: Swaddling the baby decreases the limb movement of babies and gives them a sense of being in the womb which soothes them and helps them sleep peacefully.
- Play white noise: If your baby won’t sleep in a bassinet then you should try playing white noise in their nursery. It calms the baby and helps them fall asleep.
- Check the temperature: The baby won’t sleep in a bassinet if the room is too hot or cold. The temperature of the baby’s room should be ideally between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Final Words:
It can be a tiring job for parents when the baby won’t sleep in a bassinet because otherwise, it can be dangerous to co-sleep with the baby. But when they know the reason that why their baby is rejecting the bassinet, they can try different tips and tricks to help their baby to sleep peacefully in the bassinet. Baby sleeping in the bassinet is comfortable for parents and safe for the baby himself.