Getting your Baby to Sleep and Nap in their Crib

There are so many issues surrounding getting a baby to go to sleep in their crib. During the first few months of a baby's life you may have to encounter some crying when placing your baby in the crib. Instead of picking the baby back up every time he or she cries, try a few things first. It may surprise you what works. First try turning on a moving musical mobile which will soothe many babies in record time. Music is a great baby tool and we often forget about this simple option. Then try lightly stroking your baby's head to relax them. If you started early with a pacifier this is the time to try it, but once some time passes and a baby has not been using a pacifier, it my not work. Another benefit of using a pacifier is if your baby wakes up in the middle of the night, (do not let them cry too much since then they will really be awake) go to their room as promptly as you can to give them the pacifier and in most cases the baby will go back to sleep. Once you give the pacifier leave the room. I found my baby cried more when she knew she had an audience. If you are not using a pacifier, if you leave the room and the baby is still crying I have found after a few short minutes my baby would suddenly drop off to sleep. So do not rush in the room until you have given the baby a chance to fall asleep.

If none of these things work you can pick the baby up but don't go too far from the crib. It is common to find a trapped burp or a leak from the diaper which has made baby damp. Take no longer than 3 minutes to cuddle your baby, burp your baby, or change your baby if there is a leak and they are damp. Then place your baby back in the crib again. If the baby cries again, go through the options above again, then again, and once again. Eventually it will pay off. You will be sleeping longer in no time. The key here is to start to establish some type of routine. A routine makes a baby feel safe. Predictability is good for your baby and everyone else.

It might sound harsh but use your crib the first night home from the hospital. This way your baby does not know anything different exists. If you think the space is too big, swaddle your baby for a snug feeling and then use a sleep positioner to further add to the coziness. If you swaddle early on, most babies love it. Also, make the crib a fun place to be. During the day lay your baby in the crib to play with the light on so they understand that this is not just a night time place. One thing I did and still do to this day which has worked wonders is always placing the baby in the crib awake. It really does eventually teach the baby how to doze off. Normally a baby will wake many times during the night. This does not mean you have to wake too. Having your baby know how to fall back asleep is a good skill for a baby to acquire.

Many books will advise against sleep aids which can just turn into habits to break. I agree with this up to a point. A sleep aid is something you do every time you want your baby to go to sleep. In my opinion, sleep aids stem from routines which are not a bad thing. But what I do believe is a problem is how the sleep aid affects you. If you have to rock your baby to sleep every night for 20-30 minutes this obviously affects you more than if you go in your babies room and take 10 seconds it give your baby a pacifier. I know moms who will drive their baby around in their car a few times a week when their little one will not take a nap. This might happen on occasion but none of these things need to become a habit, unless you want them too. Also, many babies cry for 1 to 2 minutes before falling asleep. This seems to happen more often during nap time. I think naps are a bit harder because:
1. It's light out
2. Baby may not be as tired as in the evening or get overtired
3. Baby was just playing or is more active near naptime
4. Baby has to go from high energy to low energy
5. Their just having too much fun

Once you get into a "sleep struggle" it can be a while before you can get out. It is best never to start in the first place. Unfortunately while most parents blame the baby, "My baby won't sleep in their crib," it may actually the parents who can make these matters worse and have these struggles drag on longer. By now you hopefully have seen Nanny 911 and Supernanny on TV. You see numerous examples of parents getting in the way of problem solving and progress on sleep issues in many episodes.

Here is one thing to look at closely, as your baby grows, they should be sleeping better and better. If their sleeping habits are not improving or are getting worse, you might be the cause. Colic is the exception or a baby that is sick or premature might not sleep through the night as early as a healthy full-term baby. If your baby is not sleeping well, it can be a short phase. But regardless of how long it lasts, being more structured and consistent will help these matters clear up faster. You can retrain a baby in a few days with consistent behaviors coming from you. For organized people this is easier. I must admit, I have never put my baby in her crib asleep and I have never had to tip toe into or out of her room for any reason.