How to get newborn to sleep in crib?!

[foxcote90]

Hi everyone,

Our first baby arrived last week and has been a good sleeper so far.... when she sleeps on me or my husband!

As new parents were a bit clueless as to how to transition her into a cot so we don't have to worry about her sleeping in our bed so would appreciate advice from people who've had the same problem.

Unfortunately she protests when we try to set her down in a next to me cot or a sleepyhead in the cot. She has slept in the sleepyhead a few times in the day but after a few minutes in it at night (after settling on one of us) cries until we pick her up.

I did try swaddling one night which she didn't like. Also tried a hot water bottle to heat the sleepyhead before putting her in last night which didn't help. We usually dress her in a Love to dream Swaddle Up at night which she seems happier in than swaddled.

Any tips? We're not really sure what to do!

Thank you in advance 

[Justtryingtobehelpful]

The first two weeks, they can't really great, so they sleep great.
Let them sleep on you off that makes making in the day easier. They'll grow out of it.
Classic responses:

• put all item of yours in the cot somewhere securely so they can smell you
• feed them until they are sleepy then gently lay them down
• gently roll them back so they are putting in your arms, then move them away from your body heat, slowly lower into cot, lay down, keep hands underneath incase the coldness wakes them, wait, once they relax, allow your hands to go limp and slide out. If they startle, pause, wait, continue. If they whimper, maybe lean in and cuddle. If they whimper as you slide your hands out, maybe hold their cheek.
• try wrapping them in a warm flannel sheet for feeding then lay them down with it
• lie them down to sleep on your beef with your smells, wait for them to drop off then transfer them in their sheet into the cot.

It's tough, it'll get easier.
I spent lots of nights day upright as it's fall asleep BF, only now getting better at putting baby back into cot.

[Justtryingtobehelpful]

LO2 goes down better than LO1.
Buy the Wonder Weeks. Wish I'd had our first time around.. ..

[cathyj87]

Congratulations!
If you haven't already google the 4th trimester, it explains why babies don't like being on their own. They're so new and only know the warmth and safety of you.

I've no advice really because mine was the same and at 8.5 months still has contact naps and bedshares with me after being fed to sleep

[abbs1]

My little boy is 2 1/2 weeks old and we had this same issue.
We found that just keep putting them there and when they cry let them cry a bit and then we comfort him while he is in the crib and its helped a lot and he settles much better now.
We mainly lay him down once hes fallen asleep on us or after feeds which makes it a lot easier but as pp said they like the warmth of you and feel safe with you.

[ShirleyPhallus]

lie them down to sleep on your beef with your smells

What was this sentence @Justtryingtobehelpful?

[Mum637k]

Hello, DS was also not very fond of his crib at first and always just wanted to sleep on us (which I think makes sense, why wouldn't he?). We ended up putting a very soft slightly plushy blanket over the insert/mattress and tucked it under like a sheet. We thought it might make it feel more cosy for him. This helped and he would then sometimes be okay with laying in there. I would say in addition to that we just tried to put him in there for every single sleep and accepted we might need to pick him up. At first I thought if he allows even just one sleep that's great. Lowered my expectations but kept trying every sleep and gradually got more sleeps in there every few days. He slept there the whole night from about 3-4weeks

[yikesanotherbooboo]

Some of this is down to your child. You are not missing a trick or doing wrong by your baby. My middle child was no trouble , first was patchy and third never got the hang of it. Do what works, congratulations.

[RhymingRabbit3]

Some babies are just like this unfortunately. Our baby likes the white noise machine - we have one that does a heartbeatsounds she seems to find soothing