Baby Won't Sleep in Crib - Minneapolis,MN

Something that helped my baby get used to her crib was to lay her in it the short way, rather than the long way, and towards one end so that she was more enclosed on 3 sides. I also second the suggestions about swaddling, mom-scented shirts, and keeping baby very close until he's touching the crib. I also used to leave my hands on my baby, one on her head and one over her arms, for a few seconds after I put her down until she relaxed again. Really, though, it's good that he sleeps in his bassinet and as he grows and develops in the coming months you can gradually work him into his crib instead.

You could buy one of those sleeping wedges (intended to keep them on their back) or a crib hammock intended to make the crib feel smaller and more "womb" like.

Good luck,
S.

Totally normal. The crib just seems like a huge empty thing to a tiny baby. Give him time and let him sleep where he wants and just keep trying the crib and eventually he will take to it. I've mentioned this before, but one thing you can do to make him "like" the crib better is basically to make it smell like you (your body odor - not scented products). For me this meant throwing all my worn t-shirts in the crib instead of the hamper at the end of the day - just remember to remove everything before putting the little one in the crib. Good luck. Our son eventually became a great crib sleeper - just not at first.

seems like all of your replies are giving you alternatives to the crib or suggesting the crib itself is the issue, or the baby is too young. I don't think that is necessarily true. Here are a few things to think about - is his upstairs room brighter, noisier, or a different temperature ( warmer or colder) than what he is used to in your downstairs room? Both my kids started sleeping in their cribs for night time at 8 days old, they would also sleep in pack n play or bassinets sometimes, but actually did better in the crib.

We did have to make sure the windows had room -darkening curtains, we used a circular floor fan for some white noise, a white noise machine would work too, and a CD with classical lullabies on it on repeat all the time they were sleeping. My son we did have to swaddle for about 3 months, otherwise he would startle after being laid down and wake right back up.

I would suggest 2 sleep books that proved invaluable to me - Dr. Harvery Karp's "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and Dr. Marc Weissbluth's "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" - they really helped me get through the stages of their little lives where you think you have them figured out and then something changes and you can't get them to sleep!

Good Luck - every baby is an individual - you just have to experiment and see what works for yours! Be consistent, and try one thing at a time for a few days to a week, before deciding it didn't work, don't just try one thing after another in rapid succession. Babies will adapt and get used to a new thingin the routine in a few days usually.

Jessie

I remember moving the bassinet to the main level during the day so that my daughter would nap better. Is yours moveable?

i remember my baby didn't let me put her down to snooze until 6 weeks - and that was at the insistence of my wise aunt!

4 weeks seems awfully young to be able to sleep on his own. i'd count you as lucky that he sleeps well in the bassinet!

if he's sleeping well in the bassinet, keep using that for his daily naps too. don't push the crib just because it's in his room. or else use the other spots you mentioned - the carseat, the bouncy seat.

i mentioned my aunt being able to get mine to sleep out of my arms. she definitely took a very firm approach to putting baby down: tight swaddle, and held baby close to her until baby was in the bassinet so there was no time that baby was just free-floating between human and mattress.

hmm.... that makes me wonder: you may not be able to lay him down as smoothly into the crib as you are in the bassinet. that might be one difference. when you do try the crib, try to keep him up against your chest until he is solidly on the mattress.

When my 3rd DD was 2 mths old and not sleeping well, someone suggested I try the Fisher Price Newborn Rock and Sleeper (Amazon is where I ordered mine from). Check it out and read the reviews...it has been well worth the $49.99 I paid for it.

You just have to give it time. I remember when my little ones would do this too. The swing was their best friend during the day. They had no problem sleeping in their bassinets at night, but during the day, they wouldn't (or their crib). They also liked their bouncer. I remember thinking they would never sleep in their crib, but eventually they just do. I moved my son into his crib overnight at 3 1/2 mo and my daughter was 2 mo. And around this same time, I started laying them down in their crib to sleep for naps. It takes some getting used to, but eventually they do. I think it has something to do with them getting older and sleeping better/more soundly. I have nevr had any problems with my kids sleeping, they have always been great sleepers. 12 hours at night and 2 - 3 naps during the day. So, just give it some time. You just have to keep a close eye on them when they sleep in their carseat/bouncer/swing. Check on him often... those places are sids risks. Good luck!

this is normal for babies. do what you can, but do not sleep in a pack and play, bouncy seat or car seat, they arent safe for sleeping. the basinette will be fine, but at his young young age, you can and should keep him in the room with you (at least for now!)

hes SO tiny and SO young, he doesnt even realize that hes a separate being from you yet. :) listen to YOUR instincts, you are mom, you have them because he is your child, no one else feels the way you do about him. :) so just tune into the things your heart is telling you. even if what your heart wants is something that seems "socially unacceptable" do it anyway, because you wont ever regret following your heart, but you will regret doing things you are comfortable with.

if your basinette has wheels, you can roll it around and put him in it wherever you are. theres nothing wrong with him being in there; i think my son was in his until he was like 4 months old? they are safe as long as baby isnt rolling over yet. :)

www.askdrsears.com is GREAT for help and resources.
so is www.llli.org (if you are breastfeeding)

just trust yourself. you know what you need to do, and best part is that you dont have to explain your choices to anyone that way. you dont have to say "well, so and so told me that i have to do this" nope. you do something because its just what your baby needs. :):)

When I first read your question, I mistakenly thought you said your child is 4 months....he is 4 weeks! I remember when my little ones were that age. So he just got done living in the womb for months (some would say almost a year), and now he is expected to sleep alone without you in a separate room? The transition to his own bed may not happen for months...or even years. As long as you do not have any of the risk factors which would preclude you from safely cosleeping with him (obesity, AODA issues, etc.), I suggest you look into the method that Dr. Sears teaches. You state, "He will sleep forever in my arms, too."--this is his way of communicating to you that although he's living outside the womb, he still needs to be comforted at sleeptime during this fourth trimester. Even if you cosleep with him now, it doesn't mean that he will like it so much he'll never ever sleep in a crib!! Right now and probably for months, he just needs more of what he got in the womb, which was feeling your heartbeat as he slept, warmth, and closeness.

Our twins had the same problem after coming home...they slept great in the hospital, because they were in bassinets, but once we got them home and into regular sized cribs, they would never sleep. After about a week of no sleep for anyone, I called one of the NICU nurses that took care of the boys and asked her for some suggestions. She said that the boys most likely slept so well in NICU because they were comforted by my smell, as I was there from 8am-11pm every day, and their blankets smelled like me also. She suggested that I take a shirt that I had worn for a day (one that wasn't super dirty or anything), and thread it through the bars of the crib so that they could get my scent. They found it comforting. We tried this with one of my shirts, and one of my husband's shirts, and the boys have slept with no problem ever since! After about a month or so, we didn't have to do the shirt thing any more, as they were used to sleeping in their cribs by then.

Good luck to you!

Since your DS seems to perfer snug sleeping then you might try swaddling in a light blanket before you lay him down, that way he will feel cozy and sleep in his crib

Try getting a good sling and just wearing him during the day and letting him sleep there. Enjoy this newborn time, too - it's gone before you know it!

A crib is huge to a 4 week old. All of my boys slept in the bouncy seat until they were 2 months old. A lot of babies like to be swaddled to sleep, too. Or you could wear him in a carrier while he sleeps and still have your hands free to do other things.

Can you move the crib into your bedroom for a bit since his room is on the second floor? That's too young to leave upstairs and you be downstairs or get a second bassinet to sleep in upstairs if he has to be up there. He has gotten used to the smaller sized bassinet and the crib seems so big. Remember he was confined to a small space for 9 months. Arms are nice but should not be a substitute for a sleeping place. Habits start now and become hard to break down the road so think them through now. Good luck to you. The other S.

If he hasn't grown out of it, I would just keep letting him sleep in his bassinet. He's still pretty young and pretty little. My babies weren't comfortable in their cribs for months. One way to get him used to the crib is to have him sleep in his car seat and put the car seat in the crib. He's in a smaller space, but within the crib adjusting to it. I know the manufacturers have warnings about the car seat straps and leaving the child unattended so be wary of that, but I think the straps can be removed or even buckled underneath him.

It may be awhile before he feels comfortable in the crib because it is so large and roomy. Babies usually prefer to be in a closer quarters. Try swaddling him when you put him down, it can help, and be sure you are putting him on his back to sleep.

Here are some great sleep articles by expert Dr. Sleep that can help:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp