How to make my baby sleep in the crib??

smy2012 · February 2012

My daughter is 5 wks old and she sleeps in the bed with me and my husband but my husband and I now want her to start sleeping in her crib. But as soon as we put her in her crib, she starts crying and fussing....!!

What should we do to make her sleep in her crib without crying and sleeping in there for a few hrs???

rayskit10 · February 2012

She's still so small. YOu need to ease her in. She can't just be plopped in there and be expected to sleep. The world is a very new, scary and overwhelming place.

A couple of things that will help:

Be patient. She'll get there.

You might want to buy/borrow a cosleeper or basinette. This was she is out of your bed but still close by where you can put a hand on her when she starts to fuss.

Spend more time in her room. Put her in her bed on her back when she is awake and play with her. Get her accustomed to that being her space.

Hold her and rock her to sleep in her room. Start putting her in her crib after she has fallen asleep. Then gradually start to put her in there awake- 1st when she is just about to doze off, put your hand on her head or her tummy and rub, shush her and stay close until she falls asleep. This will get her used to sleeping in the crib but allow her to still feel safe. It sounds like a lot but it's not and has worked for me and several other people I know.

But please keep in mind, she's not even 2 months old yet. I know so well how you want your sleep, but this too shall pass!

SigmundsGirl · February 2012

rayskit10 gave you some great advice and she gave me similar advice when I was trying to transition Evan to his crib when he was 4 months old. He didn't sleep in our bed, but I had him a foot away from me in a PackN'Play. And at 5 weeks he would still only sleep in his swing with one of us on the sofa next to him.

We started playing with him in his room/crib, and then I started putting him in there for naps. the more he would sleep there during the day I knew he would be okay in there at night. The transition went much faster than I thought.

I totally feel for ya and hope you get some sleep soon!

CareBear01 · February 2012

We didn't start DS in the crib until around 8 weeks. He was in the PNP by our bed or swing up until then. With DD, she was in the swing or with us up until around 12 weeks, and then I moved her over and the transition went very well. She has been in her crib for about a week, now. She wakes up at night, but nothing different than anywhere else she slept. And sometimes she will give 6-10 hour stretches! yay!

smy2012 · March 2012

Thanks for the advice but we have her crib in our room right next to our bed. I guess we should just give her some more nights on our bed and then move her into the crib.

AmyDrinkie · March 2012

I used to put my son in the crib during awake/play times when I'd be hanging out in his room putting laundry away, refilling changing table supplies, etc. to get him used to it. Then one day I went to get him out and he had fallen asleep! It was all crib, all the time from then on.

erica_kaspar · March 2012

Have you tried a rock and play? My daughter would only sleep in that thing for 3 months.

How to make my baby sleep in the crib??

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