Newborns babies spend a significant amount of time sleeping and it’s VERY frustrating when they won’t sleep in a bassinet. You might love those newborn snuggles as a new mom at first, but after a while you’ll be craving some hands-free time to take care of everything else in your life!
In this podcast episode and blog post, I discuss why getting your baby to sleep in a bassinet is so important, why your little one might be struggling to sleep in their bassinet, and what you can do about it!
Newborns babies spend a significant amount of time sleeping and it’s VERY frustrating when they won’t sleep in a bassinet. You might love those newborn snuggles as a new mom at first, but after a while you’ll be craving some hands-free time to take care of everything else in your life!
In this podcast episode and blog post, I discuss why getting your baby to sleep in a bassinet is so important, why your little one might be struggling to sleep in their bassinet, and what you can do about it!
Eva (00:04):
Hey there, you’re listening to the My Sleeping Baby podcast, which is all about baby and child sleep. I’m so excited to teach you how you can get your little ones sleeping so that you can sleep too and enjoy parenthood to its fullest. I’m Eva Klein, your resident’s sleep expert, mom of three, founder of the Sleep Bible online coaching program, and lover of all things sleep and motherhood. If you’re looking for tangible solutions for your little one sleep woes or you simply want to learn more, this podcast is for you. For more information, check out mysleepingbaby.com and you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mysleepingbaby, and you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook at My Sleeping Baby.
(00:46)
Alright, welcome back to the show. So today we're going to talk about newborn sleep again, specifically how to get your newborn to sleep in a bassinet. This is something that comes up all the time because newborn babies spend a significant amount of time sleeping and it is so beyond frustrating when you are the parent of a newborn that you can never put down in the bassinet. And you might love those newborn snuggles at first, but after a while, you are going to want some hands-free time to take care of things or just have a break from holding your baby as cute as your baby might be. And so in this podcast episode today, we're going to be talking about why getting your baby to sleep in a bassinet is important, why your little one might be struggling to sleep in their bassinet and then what you can do about it.
(01:42)
Alright, so let's first talk about why this is very important. There's two main reasons why I definitely encourage parents to get their newborn babies sleeping in a bassinet even some of the time. Number one is safety. Bassinets are absolutely the safest place for your newborn to be sleeping because they are designed with safety in mind to prevent SSIDs. The a p American Academy of Pediatrics always recommends that babies sleep on their backs on a firm mattress without any pillows, blankets, bumper pads, or soft objects. And because bassinets often have that breathable side and it allows your baby to sleep on a firm flat mattress, it meets all the safety standards that we need to ensure that your baby is sleeping comfortably and securely. So from a safety standpoint, this is definitely something that you want to be prioritizing. Another reason why this is important is because it will help with gradually transitioning your baby to the crib when your newborn gets older.
(02:49)
So bassinets are definitely ideal in those first few months of life, but it's only a matter of time that you're going to literally snap your fingers, blink your eyes, and your baby is going to outgrow that bassinet because they're not a newborn anymore. And so having them used to sleeping on that flat surface and a bassinet is going to help with the transition to the Crip because ultimately starting your newborn off in a bassinet really helps them get accustomed to sleeping in their own sleep space. So those are the two main reasons why I always recommend attempting to get your newborn sleeping in a bassinet. And I'm sure that many of you listening have tried, but your newborn just won't have it. Sleep in the bassinet is just not happening, and there are some very common reasons as to why this might be the case.
(03:41)
So reason number one that your newborn won't sleep in the bassinet might be because of their startle reflex. So newborns have this moral reflex where their arms are jerking uncontrollably all over the place and as a result it can wake them up. And the thing is, is that when your little one is placed into a bassinet, the open space and the lack of confinement of that open space can sometimes trigger that reflex and as a result it can be very disruptive to their sleep and make it much harder for them to settle down. Whereas if they are in your arms, it is much easier to settle that startle reflex because very often you're holding them, you're holding even one of their arms. And so when they are much more confined, it keeps the startle reflex under control. The second reason why your newborn might struggle to be sleeping in the bassinet is because of their need for security.
(04:40)
You see, newborn babies are used to the cozy and secure environment of the womb and the bassinet, even though it is meant to be cozy, it is definitely more spacious than your newborn is used to, and that can be overwhelming for your newborn. They're ultimately craving that closeness and comfort that they experienced in the womb and being out of the womb and in a bassinet on that flat surface is very unfamiliar to them and that can lead to all sorts of restlessness and difficulty settling. The third reason why your newborn might be struggling to settle in their bassinet is because they're overtired. Newborn babies become overtired very easily. Remember they have very short wake windows and they can only be up for a very short period of time before they begin to get tired and need to go back to sleep. A brand new newborn might have wake windows that are 45 to 60 minutes maximum, and that includes the length of the feed.
(05:41)
And so if your little one becomes overtired because they're up for too long, that can make it much, much harder for them to settle because overt tiredness causes restlessness and difficulty falling asleep and night wakings across the board. So if you haven't already downloaded my free sleep chart, which has all of my suggested wake windows and nap totals and night totals for babies ages zero all the way up to age five, definitely grab a copy of that. I will link this in the article right below. The fourth reason why your little one might be struggling to sleep in the bassinet is because it's inherently uncomfortable for them. Some newborn babies are born with acid reflex or gas, and either one of those can make it very uncomfortable for them to lie on a flat surface, and so sleeping in a bassinet is going to be a lot harder for them.
(06:37)
The fifth reason why your little one might be struggling to sleep in a bassinet is because of habit habitually. They just got used to sleeping in your arms or sleeping in a swing or sleeping in anything other than the bassinet. Sometimes we forget the fact that babies, even newborn babies, are very quick to form associations and routines between certain actions or environments and falling asleep. And so if your baby is used to falling asleep in your arms, then there's a very good chance that they've developed in association or a sleep crutch when it comes to expecting to be held and in order to then be able to fall asleep. And so when you then try to place them in the bassinet, it's going to feel different, it's going to feel unfamiliar, and they're likely going to resist because it's not what they're used to. And remember, humans are creatures of habit.
(07:38)
Okay, so this sounds like the story of your life where you are so beyond frustrated because your newborn baby will only sleep in your arms. Hang tight, I've got you. And I want you to know that you should not feel the least bit guilty about this because while it is so normal to love snuggling with your newborn, it's also very normal to need a break sometimes. So here are my top five tips that you can begin implementing to help your little one begin sleeping in a bassinet. So tip number one is create a safe sleep environment for them that is conducive to good quality sleep. So the first step here is that you got to make sure that the room that they are sleeping in is actually going to encourage better sleep. So get that bassinet of your setup in your room away from any distractions or loud noises.
(08:31)
You are going to want to install some blackout blind or shades to keep the room nice and dark during nap time. Definitely invest in a white noise machine or a fan to provide that consistent, gentle, ambient background noise that ultimately mimics the sound of the womb and it helps create that calming, soothing sleep environment. What I also definitely recommend is to swaddle your newborn baby if you haven't already done so When it comes to addressing your little one's startle reflex, the swaddle is crucial because the swaddle when done properly creates a secure and cozy feeling. It mimics the warmth and feeling of the womb, and it prevents your little one's arms from flailing all over the place. So make sure that the room's temperature is on the cooler side, ideally somewhere between 19 and 22 degrees, which is recommended by the a p to decrease the risk of SSIDs From a safety standpoint, ensure that your little one's bassinet has a firm flat mattress with a fitted sheet.
(09:35)
No loose blankets, no pillows, no loose toys, nothing like that because we of course want to reduce the risk of suffocation. And lastly, when it comes to your little one's sleep environment, I am a big proponent of introducing a pacifier to help your little one activate what's known as their calming reflex. You see, newborn babies have an inherent need to suck on something which helps calm their little nervous system. And so when your newborn is sucking on a pacifier, it's going to naturally relax them. And then when your baby is relaxed and comfortable, it is much easier for them to settle in their bassinet and go to sleep. Tip number two is introduce a bedtime routine for your little one. Creating a bedtime routine even for your newborn baby is very, very important because it's going to help signal to your little one that it is time to wind down and prepare to go to sleep.
(10:34)
A lot of people don't believe me when I say that introducing a bedtime routine for a three week old is going to help. But I'm telling you that the research shows that babies this young can pick up on these cues that let them know that sleep time is coming. So for example, you could start off with a warm bath, followed by a massage. You dimm the lights, you offer a feed, you read them a story, sing them a lullaby. Now that being said, do try to avoid feeding them all the way to sleep because we don't want to create any sort of dependency on feeding exclusively for falling asleep. And always try to end the bedtime routine by placing your baby into the bassinet so that your little one learns to expect to sleep in the bassinet when it's bedtime. Tip number three, ensure your little one is napping very frequently during the day.
(11:25)
Again, remember, newborn babies become overtired very, very easily. And so we need to ensure that your baby is napping very frequently throughout the day so that they don't become overtired again. Their awake windows are typically 45 to 60 minutes maximum, and if they become overtired from being up for much longer than that, it's going to be much more challenging for them to fall asleep at nighttime. So always be mindful of your baby's wake windows and sleepy cues and ensure that he is not up for too long. Tip number four, maximize your newborn's daytime feeds. It is very important to make sure that your little one is eating as well as he can be eating during the day in order to then be able to sleep well in the bassinet at night. Remember, newborns have very small stomachs, and as a result, they require pretty frequent daytime feeds to meet these nutritional needs.
(12:19)
And if your little one isn't eating enough during the day, he's naturally going to be hungry or at night causing him to become that much more restless, causing it to be that much harder for him to be sleeping in that bassinet. Remember that a well-fed baby is much more likely to be satisfied and comfortable, which is going to allow for longer and more restful stretches of sleep in that bassinet. So this ultimately means feeding your newborn on demand during the day, not on a strict schedule. So for a newborn baby who is breastfeeding and breastfeeding is established and your milk has come in and everything is good to go in that department, usually this means they are nursing every two to two and a half hours getting in those full feeds. A bottle fed baby might be able to go three hours in between feeds, but not significantly longer than that.
(13:12)
Tip number five, try to get your newborn down drowsy, but awake once a day in that bassinet. Now don't worry, I am not telling you to do any sort of behavioral sleep training at this age. That's definitely not what we are doing for newborns. But at the same time, some newborns, many newborns for that matter, can actually learn how to fall asleep on their own or somewhat on their own in the bassinet when the right conditions are in place and when given a chance. And so you can try this by putting your newborn down, somewhat awake in the bassinet with a pacifier and see what happens. He might actually surprise you, give him a few minutes to fuss and try figuring this out. He might actually be able to pull this off if he starts to cry, that's when you can try rocking the bassinet or putting a firm hand on his chest.
(14:06)
Or if you have a bassinet attachment for your stroller, that's when you might try putting him in there and pushing the stroller to help him fall asleep so that this way he's still falling asleep in that bassinet. And then over time, you can try to reduce the amount of motion that you're offering him to fall asleep. Now, I only recommend attempting this for bedtime or for the first nap of the day because these sleep times tend to be the easiest to accomplish this. The reason is because there is much more external sleep pressure. IE help for your little one external help at bedtime as well as for that first nap. Whereas as the day goes on and the naps get trickier because of that sleep pressure, it's going to be a lot harder for your little one to be able to pull off any amount of independent sleep happening in that bassinet.
(15:00)
So that's why I don't recommend trying this for the naps later in the day. The more you practice with your newborn in terms of getting him to fall asleep independently, the better he is going to get at this. And it's very important and really pays off in the grand scheme of things because knowing how to sleep independently means that there is a much higher chance that you will avoid future sleep problems down the road. Now I actually got my son JJ falling asleep by himself in his bassinet by the time that he was two to three weeks of age. The background here, as I'm sure you all know, I've got three kids myself who are all great sleepers, but this wasn't always the case. My middle child, Eliana was that baby who was waking me up literally every 90 minutes all night long. And so even though I was working as a lawyer at the time, her sleep challenges inspired me to actually get my sleep consultant certification and start up a fun side business.
(16:00)
But the side business grew and here we are, haven't practiced law in a very long time. And so when I gave birth to JJ Baby number three, by that point, I had already helped thousands of families get their little one sleeping like champs, but I finally had my own baby that I could apply everything that I had been teaching to and holy moly, did this pay off knowing what I was doing the third time around. You guys, good sleep habits were a thing in this house by day one. And by the time JG was six weeks old, I had him sleeping eight hour stretches at nighttime consistently in his bassinet. And that stretch only ever got bigger with time. So how did I accomplish this? Well, one of the things that I was doing was that I was consistently putting him to sleep in his bassinet at bedtime from basically day one.
(16:56)
And I always attempted to put him down awake at first. He would definitely squirm and then cry a little bit, and so I'd have to pick him up and start the process all over again. But after a few tries of getting him to settle in that bassinet, he would actually go to sleep. Now, it was not always super smooth sailing in his bassinet from day one. There were definitely days that he was very fussy and wasn't settling well, or perhaps I was just too tired and at the end of my rope from a long day to work on getting him to settle in that bassinet. And that's okay. On those days, I would just rock him to sleep and try again for the next day. But as time went on, he definitely became more and more comfortable being placed into his bassinet wide awake with his swaddle and his pacifier, and he would happily put himself to sleep.
(17:48)
And so this meant that he was falling asleep by himself and he only woke up once in the middle of the night when he needed to eat, which was after five hours of sleep in his first few weeks of life. And then, as I said, by the time he was five, six weeks of age, that stretch became eight hours. This also meant that I could teach him to sleep well in the bassinet during the day, which allowed me some free time to recharge, take care of myself, do things that new moms are absolutely dying to do. You cannot put a price tag on that one. Now, as a side note, I do want to mention that J's amazing sleep as a newborn was actually the inspiration that I needed to create my newborn sleep course. You see, I had so many moms who wanted to know how to get their newborns sleeping well just like jj.
(18:47)
And so I had to make all this information and knowledge and know-how as accessible as possible. And so if you are either pregnant or you have a newborn at home and you are looking to establish healthy sleep habits from day one and maximize sleep in the newborn stage and avoid potential sleep problems down the road, check out my newborn sleep course so that your newborn sleep can also be maximized. Now, something I want to emphasize very, very strongly about what I am advising here and what I teach in my Newborn Sleep course, which is that we are not sleep training newborn babies of any kind. And so you might have a very fussy baby in that newborn stage who is just struggling like crazy to adjust to life outside of the womb. Do not make yourself crazy trying to get your newborn to fall asleep on his own.
(19:40)
If it's not going to happen without him screaming bloody murder, don't worry about it. Try again in a week or two weeks if you want or not. It's again, completely up to you. The good news here is that the vast majority of newborn babies are not high needs, fussy, colicky babies. And so if you have a more easygoing or a textbook baby in this age range, this could work. And so I definitely encourage you to try giving her some space to fall asleep by herself and see what she can do. She might really surprise you, but again, sleep training is not something that we do for newborn babies. And so if your little one is struggling to fall asleep by himself, whenever you try to put him in that bassinet, continue to help him fall asleep. For now, it is totally fine, totally fine to be rocking and snuggling your newborn to sleep for now.
(20:36)
When your baby reaches that four to six month mark, you can do sleep training. By that point. You can begin teaching him how to fall asleep on his own and connect his sleep cycles throughout the, so by that point, if your little one is still struggling to fall asleep at bedtime and you're getting tons of interrupted sleep, sleep training when done as part of a bigger plan can definitely help. So to sum up getting your newborn sleeping in the bassinet is very important. It might not happen right away, but it's definitely something that can be accomplished with the right plan, the right support, and the right intention. Now, before we go, I just want to mention a very quick word about my free Facebook community group. So for those of you who are on Facebook, I want you to know that I have a free Facebook community group where you can get your sleep questions answered by myself.
(21:29)
You can get access to free sleep tips and regular q and as you can connect with other sleep loving parents of little ones. And so if you are on Facebook and you want to come and join my free group, you scroll down to the bottom of this article or check out the link in the show notes, and all you have to do is just request to join and I will see you in there. Remember, you are not creating bad habits by rocking your two month old baby to sleep. Your little one is still in that fourth trimester and might need some help falling asleep, and that's okay. That being said, I strongly encourage you to try putting your baby into the bassinet awake or somewhat awake even once a day because he may actually surprise you. And I'm telling you, it will pay off because this means that you can gradually help your little one develop some really healthy sleep habits. I hope that this was helpful, everyone, and that you all have a great day.
(22:27)
Thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a friend who can benefit from it. I also love hearing from my listener, so feel free to DM me on Instagram at my sleeping baby or send me an email at eva@mysleepingbaby.com. Until next time, have a wonderful restful nights.