How to get baby to sleep in bassinet

EC2016 · January 2016

I didn't find this using the search function.
My baby is a week and a half old and she will only sleep at night while being held. Anytime I put her down she wakes up. I've been so tired I've ended up falling asleep while feeding her. Any advice on getting baby to sleep in her bassinet?

fragglemom · January 2016

Are you swaddling her? That would help her feel more secure. You could also try warming the bassinet with a heating pad so it's nice and cozy. Just remember not to let her sleep with the heating pad. When she starts to fuss you can try and soothe her by rubbing her belly or otherwise reassuring her without picking her up. It may take quite a few tries to stretch out her time until she's spending the night in there. Good luck!

gcolon7988 · January 2016

My LO is 2 weeks old and absolutely hates the bassinet. She screams bloody murder as soon as you try to set her in it. We finally gave up trying and decided to try the rock and play we had. She sleeps in that wonderfully and only gets up when it's time to nurse. Maybe try something else?

cali1710 · January 2016

I have the exact same problem. She was an amazing sleeper until a few nights ago. Shes 10 days old. She will be fast asleep in my arms and the second I put her down she cries. Its frustrating!! I'm going to try heating up the basinet first, fingers crossed it'll work.

EmmyMommy123 · January 2016

I second swaddling (we had the same issue at first, try different techniques - the one I'd always used as a nanny he would break out of in no time and that would wake him up, so I use a different technique now), and having somewhat of a routine (ours is feed one side, change, Swaddle, feed the other side, and then pat his back and rock until he's in a good sleep, then rock without pats, sit without rocking, then slow transfer to the bassinet...sometimes I hold onto him in the bassinet for a minute before letting go if it seems he's about to wake up). And repeat some steps over and over until you can put them down (like for us if he cries after being put down I'll offer the last boob again and do the rocking again).

White noise is something we're considering adding in that I'd had success with as a nanny to help him sleep a bit longer. When we first started this routine I also hummed the same song the whole time I was rocking him and putting him down and a few minutes after putting him down, but later stopped when he was able to be put down every time without issue.

Every few nights we still seem to have one stretch where he'll only sleep in our arms, but it's better than it was earlier! Hang in there!

ETA I also have all lights off except my phone flashlight sitting on the nightstand so I can see what I'm doing for latch and diaper changes. Considering getting a night light instead so I can quit carrying my phone around.

cali1710 · January 2016

My little ones hatessss being swaddled. Hates hates hates it! So thats out!

sallyjackson1981 · January 2016

I had the same problem...mine is one week old and I can now get her to sleep in the pram cot as it is smaller and cosier than the Moses basket/bassinet. She hates the bassinet!!! We also prop the rocking frame at a slight incline so her head is slightly higher than her feet. Seems to have worked last two nights

fishee333 · January 2016

I have the exact same problem! She spent the first week in the NICU thoughand was somewhat okay with the bassinet there (wouldnt cry for about an hour). Now that she's home (only 2 days now), she hates our bassinet and cries the moment she is out down. My plan is to just keep trying and hopefully she will slowly spend more and more time in it during the night. I haven't tried warming it though, so maybe I'll try that.

EC2016 · January 2016

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Today we started putting her down during the day for naps so I'm hoping she'll start to learn. She likes this vibrating bouncing chair we have that I put her in without the vibrating on. It sits up a little more so I'm thinking of moving it into the room at night of I need to. I'm gonna try a routine for when she wakes up at night. I read trying to sooth her in the bassinet with my hand and making a shh noise instead of always picking her up. I like the idea of holding her a little inside the bassinet before fully letting go. I'll try anything right now.

EC2016 · January 2016

We also swaddle her but she loves her hands in her face so I have to leave her hands out. A lot of time she wiggles so much she gets out of the swaddle which also causes her to wake up.

mrhargr · January 2016

DD2 will not sleep in her bassinet so we got a rock n play. She loves it. Also I keep the house as bright and loud as possible during the day so she is more tired at night. A short time before her bedtime feeding I turn the lights and volume down.

anightintunisia · January 2016

I have the same issue and I have to comfort nurse her in order for her to fall asleep. She won't sleep in the bassinet for anything! In the hospital she would which is strange. I just bought a swaddler from a Babies R Us so we will see how it goes tonight.

Wicked4589 · February 2016

We went through this too. Too many nights I scared myself because I'd wake up with him on my chest in the recliner. Ugh!!! He liked the swing glider but I didn't want to leave him plugged in all night long. Plus I didn't want him to get reliant on the movement. Finally someone gave me the Rock and play. He sleeps in it all the time now. We've actually given up on the bassinet and are putting it away. I put the R&P on my side of the bed on the floor so he's close to me.

pkpp · February 2016

What brand rock and play you guys are using

ChrissyD1203 · February 2016

I'm afraid to use the rock n play because of the warnings about it (but I understand sometimes there are just no other options and better than accidentally falling asleep) --- the halo sleep sack has worked pretty well, as has a little noise machine that we use, I also sometimes sleep with my hand in the bassinet on her. When she is tired enough and well fed she seems to stay asleep - I have to wait until she is really asleep to put her down though.

also bath before bed seems to help.

ctmamaoftwo · February 2016

I agree that the sleep sack swaddles have been a life saver. My little one broke out of every other swaddle I tried with the blanket. I also use a white noise machine. It was worked wonders for the last week.

jessfrks · February 2016

I'm having the same problem. My baby girl is 5 weeks old. She only likes to sleep being held. Some nights she'll sleep in bassinet but not very often. I've had to put pillows and the boppy around me and let her sleep on my chest. I do know that babies don't really go into a deep sleep like we do so therefore the littlest things can wake them. But once you get her alseep in your arms wait another 20 mins or so and then try to lay her down.

Blueyedsky · February 2016

I thought my baby hated swaddling until I tried the double swaddle method. YouTube it. She still starts out a little grumpy ant not having her arms out, but she sleeps so much better! Also just got meds for reflux and it is worlds better.

Wicked4589 · February 2016

I am using the Fisher Price R&P. I didn't know there was more than one brand. Lol

leap_frog · February 2016

Urrgh. I am having this exact issue!!!! I find if I use the rock n play (Graco) he'll sleep better than the flat bassinet. And by better I mean like 2-3 hours (maybe). I have been playing around with different swaddles. Last night I used the a&a swaddle then another a&a to tuck around that tight.

stephanienjer · February 2016

We also use the Rock and Play, right next to the bed. If she starts to protest being in it, I can reach and hand out and lay it on her belly. It seems to reassure her enough.
Side note: Our daughter had some pretty nasty reflux, and we suspect that's why she didn't want to lie flat. (We were using a crib in our room--not a bassinet.) My sister suggested something she used with my nephew, who also suffered from reflux. She worried about using a wedge in the crib, so they put textbooks under the legs of one end to put it at a slight incline.

ainverso · February 2016

If u want something safe in the crib /bassinet to keep baby elevated, look up AR PILLOW. it's a wedge pillow with harness to keeps baby safe as I have been told. Looks nice and friends swear by them

EC2016 · February 2016

We are using the infant napper inside of the pack and play right now which isn't completely flat. She'll sleep about 2 hours which is good. When she fussed a little when I put her down I just put my hand on her and that works to calm her but I wake up with my arm asleep because my arm is draped over the side of the pack and play. I wish I would have known about the rock and play before. We used the halo sack for one night but then it just got too hot because I'm in Florida so we've just been using gowns and I tick a receiving blanket around her.