My 4 month old baby is so used to sleeping in her bassinet and swing that every time i try to get her to nap in her crib she cries non stop. She can be sound asleep in my arms and totally exhausted, but as soon as i lay her in herc rib she wakes and just cries and cries. Help! How do I help her transition to the crib.
Thanks for all the advice! I love the comment that it is not my job to keep her from crying, it's my job to meet her needs. She needs to sleep and I need to meet that need. I will keep at it and get her used to sleeping in her crib!! ***** 10/16. I am revisiting all thw great advice on here while my little sweetie is screaming her lungs out over being placed in her crib! It is hard not to let her wear me down, but i am trying, I have gone back in a patted her and talked soothingly to her, telling her that it is nap time and she needs to sleep, just talking soothingly, and she immediately quiets while i am talking and patting, but once i leave the room again it seems as though she wails even louder. I am sure this is gonna work soon right.
Does she sleep on her tummy yet? Many infants will start sleeping for longer periods of time, if they can be placed on their tummies to sleep.
Also you can roll up towels and tape them, that way you can make the space in the crib seem smaller. Place the towels in there like bumpers, place her head right up against one of them.
ETA - Bookwormmom, so glad to hear your news... and to know that you're finally getting some SLEEP!! :)
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Swaddle her. She's not used to all the space.
You really need to get her used to falling asleep in the crib and not in your arms. Lay her down after feeding her, swaddle her and then pat her. Don't hold her. Yes, she's going to cry because crying is what gets her what she wants. You have to train her now. As she realizes that all she is going to get is you patting her, the crying will finally subside and she'll sleep. Don't wait until she is exhausted to put her down, though. Also try to keep her on a sleep schedule rather than just here and there. Watch her for signs of sleepiness - rubbing eyes, yawning, etc.
You really have to understand that crying is part of it. It's not your job to prevent her from crying. It's your job to meet her needs. She needs to sleep. She needs to learn to self-soothe rather than you hold her all the time. She needs to get used to her crib.
Don't pick her up - just pat her. It may take a week or even two, M.. Swaddle her and DON'T pick her up. She will get used to this after she gets used to you not holding her anymore when it's time for her to sleep.
Try the Woombie swaddler, it zips so its great for older babies. And yes to putting her down awake. I understand what you're going through. I had my first in the rock n play bassinet, and I never managed to get him to sleep in the crib. I just wasn't willing to let him cry. I used to get him sound asleep and transfer him, but because I couldn't do it all night, he wound up in bed with me after two hours. Now my second baby, five months, is sleeping in the crib. I have terrible problems with him waking up, but I was very keen to make sure he at least got used to the crib. Doris Day is right, there may be some crying, but if you swaddle, use white noise, lay her down awake, and lay hands on her to soothe her, you can get her used to it in a week or less.
Have you tried swaddling her?
She may have gotten used to the "closer" feeling she gets in the swing, with pressure around her, or the close feeling she gets in the bassinet....
worth a try, anyway. When we got my granddaughter in a good tight swaddle, she slept really well.
Put her in the corner of the crib so she will feel secure.
Just keep putting her down but drowsy not asleep but eyes starting to close
Just keep putting her is there and get her used to the mattress. It's often cooler and noisier than the smaller pads in the bassinet and swing. It's also a different position in the swing.
Well by the time all three of my kids were 7 mo old they were all on a sleep schedule. I think it helps when they have a full tummy. The baby is going to cry because she is letting you know she doesn't like the change. However the sooner you start the new sleep schedule the better. It will take about two tough days but after that it gets easier. Stay tough don't let her wear you down. Be consistent. Good luck.
