Babies are adorable, as most will tell you. Watching their sweet little faces as they go into their dream world twists every parent’s heart. However, babies can be pretty fussy when falling asleep, which is really challenging for the already overtired parents. Most of the time, the little ones love falling asleep in the warm embrace of their parents, which makes getting them to sleep in a bassinet pretty tricky.
Getting their babies to sleep, especially for new parents, can be pretty difficult, and no matter how many parenting books you read, nothing can quite prepare you for the real thing. And learning how to get a baby to sleep in a bassinet will take a bit of time to master. After all, bassinets do not offer the same comfort of a mother’s embrace and being tightly swaddled.
Most babies are also light sleepers, so if you decide to first get them asleep in your arms before putting them down in the bassinet may prove to be tricky. Because as soon as you put them down, they may start crying again.
How to Get a Baby to Sleep in a Bassinet
It can take a bit of time for new parents to get the art of getting their baby asleep. However, we understand that sometimes everyone needs help, so we are here to offer you a few pointers on how to get your little one to fall asleep easier in its bassinet.
Step 1: Make Sure To Have A Bedtime Routine
This may be repetitive and annoying advice, but do not knock it till you try it. You may be tired of the non-stop advice you keep getting from everyone and their mother. However, ensuring that your baby has a steady sleeping routine is truly important. A good routine that you follow every night will help your baby fall asleep faster.
Ensure that you follow the same routine every night. Usually, a good nighttime routine should start with a warm and soothing bath for the little one, followed by a light massage. You can then feed the baby if it is hungry.
Step 2: Ensure The Baby Feels Your Presence In The Bassinet
A parent’s scent is easily recognizable by a baby, and it serves as a great comfort to them, which is why you must make your presence felt in the bassinet. You may be wondering how to do so as you cannot sleep in it with your baby due to its size, but you can make the sheet smell like you.
You can achieve that by sleeping with the sheet between your neck and chin for a couple of days. Instead of a sheet, you can do the same with your baby’s clothes. It may take a few days to get your smell transferred entirely, but after, your baby will have a much easier time falling asleep.
Step 3: Swaddle The Baby
Before putting down the baby in the bassinet to sleep, you can always first swaddle them. However, swaddling is only recommended while the baby is still small enough not to roll over. Once the baby starts rolling over, you should not swaddle them before putting them to sleep alone in a bassinet, as this carries a risk of suffocation.
However, if your baby is still very little, swaddling will make them feel protected and safe, as it gives the baby the comfort and warmth they feel in their mother’s womb. Swaddling improves the baby’s sleep and reduces the startle reflex activated by sudden changes. It also helps to reduce the baby’s anxiety.
Step 4: Put The Bassinet Near Your Bed
When you are training your little one to sleep in its bassinet, ensure that you put the bassinet close to your bed for the baby to feel your presence. This will serve to soothe your baby that mommy or daddy is near and there is no reason to be afraid of anything. With the bassinet close to you, you will be able to reach out if your baby wakes up during the night.
Step 5: Put The Baby Down Awake
If you want the sleep training to be effective, you should put the baby in the bassinet while they are still awake. You will want to give in if your baby starts crying immediately after putting them down because of the paternal instinct. However, you must resist it for the baby to get comfortable falling asleep in the bassinet. You can sing the baby a lullaby or a bedtime story, and when the little one starts to get drowsy, you can put them in the bassinet.
Step 6: A Comfortable Sleeping Environment
And lastly, for your baby to fall asleep easily, you should make their sleeping environment as comfortable as possible. If you keep your baby’s bassinet in your room, ensure to dim the lights for at least an hour before putting the baby in the bassinet. Furthermore, to ensure the sheets in it are soft and comfortable, you should buy sheets that are made of natural cotton that are soft and warm to the touch.
Moreover, the temperature in your room should be perfect to accompany the warmth of the sheets, making sure that it is not too cold or too warm, which will cause the baby to wake up. You could try warming the sheets if your baby gets fussy soon after putting them in the bassinet. With this, the baby will not feel the difference in temperature when being transferred and will fall asleep soundly.
Conclusion
There you have it, an easy step-by-step guide on how to get a baby to sleep in a bassinet. If you follow the guide, you will be able to get your baby to fall asleep in no time. Every parent has obstacles to overcome when it comes to raising their children, and getting babies to fall asleep can be challenging. This is especially true for first-time parents.
However, remember there is no shame in asking for help or searching for advice. There are plenty of blogs online that you can read to help you better deal with your baby’s fussiness and make it easier to learn all the tricks on getting them to sleep easier.
