Becoming a mother is overwhelming both before and after the baby is born. The first few months after a baby’s birth are very stressful for both parents. However, the real challenge begins when you try to put your baby to sleep in a crib. Many parents complain that their newborn won’t sleep in crib no matter how hard they try. This guide will help you understand why this happens and how you are supposed to rectify the situation.
Why is it important for the baby to sleep in a crib?
Let’s be honest, sleeping with your baby in the same bed is very uncomfortable. You have to be cautious all the time, you can’t roll over your bed freely, and the worst of all, your child is not that safe in the bed. This is why parents spend a big fortune on buying the perfect and the safest crib for their child. However, buying it doesn’t ensure that your child will easily start sleeping in it. It takes a lot of effort to make a child get accustomed to new environments and along with that, a lot of effort.
Reasons why a newborn won’t sleep in a crib
Before we get to the solution, you have to understand why your newborn won’t sleep in a crib? Well, there are a number of reasons for that, but the primary one is that parents do not start working on their child’s habit from an early age. You have a few months to shape your child’s habits and these could last longer in their life. So here is why your newborn won’t sleep in a crib.
Weaning is hard for the child
There is nothing as comfortable as a mother’s lap. A child has a very strong sense of recognizing its mother. It can feel her touch and her arms very easily. A mother is warm and soft and this is what a child is accustomed to. You have to understand that no matter how good you are at understanding why your newborn won’t sleep in the crib, the process is still going to take some time and effort because it’s hard for the child.
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You took too long to start the weaning process
At times mothers do not start weaning until the child is too obsessed with the mother already. It is very hard to start the weaning from scratch once the child is 6 months old. This is when they start developing habits. To successfully make the child sleep in a crib you must start early when it is just a month or two old. This will make it easier both for the child and the parents.
However if you couldn’t do it in time, this doesn’t mean that your child will never sleep in a crib. This only implies that the process will take more time and effort and you would need a lot of patience.
The crib is not comfortable enough
Choosing a crib is a very technical thing but most parents are not that careful while purchasing one. If your newborn won’t sleep in the crib this is because the crib doesn’t feel as comfortable. It must be similar to what a mother’s hug feels like. However, you should not use a lot of blankets or pillows since they can increase the chances of suffocating the child. But the environment has to be more mother-like in the end, a little warm and soft.
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How to make your newborn sleep in a crib?
Now when we have understood the problem, let’s start looking for solutions. Yeah, it is hard for the baby to leave the mother’s arms but it is not entirely impossible. You have to give your child some time to adjust. Here are a few tips that will make the process easy for the mother and the baby.
Start weaning in time
Many parents do not realize that their child starts developing habits at an early age. When a child is 6 months old, they start becoming used to the sleeping patterns that they have. These patterns can last longer than you know. Hence it is advised that you should put your baby to bed early.
Also, start making them sleep in the crib when they are just a month old. You can keep the crib close to you for being there for your baby. The earlier you start, the faster you will see the results.
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Create a mother’s arms like the environment
The mother’s arms are very comfortable, with perfect temperature and softness. If you are shifting your newborn in the crib, they have to feel something similar to their mother in the crib. A blanket or multiple pillows are never recommended because of the fear of suffocation.
However, some companies do make special pillows that have curves and ridges for the child to sleep on. If they are comfortable enough, your concern that your newborn won’t sleep in the crib will be gone in no time.
Also Read: My Newborn Won’t Sleep Unless Held – Should I Be Worried?
Help the newborn in adjusting to the new situation
After making all the arrangements you cannot expect your child to adjust on the very first day. There will be a lot of crying and you would have to get up multiple times as well. However, to make a child fall asleep in the crib, stand next to it until your baby is asleep.
Putting your hand on the baby’s belly will make it feel warm and comfortable. Stand near them for a while and wait until your child is asleep before you leave. This is the quickest way to put your newborn child to sleep in the crib.
The key is consistency
At times, it is hard for the parents to stick to a routine. Putting the child to bed early and keeping it regular can be very hard. You might go somewhere and disturb your baby’s routine altogether. But the key is your consistency. As soon as you are back on track, fix your child’s routine immediately.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, raising a child is not an easy job; it needs your time, energy, and patience. And putting a child to sleep in a crib is one of the many duties you have as a parent. But once you are committed to doing everything with discipline, the job feels much easier than it actually is.
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