Tips on Putting a Baby to Sleep in a Crib

Biological anthropologist Gwen Dewar of Parenting Science recommends that babies get 16 to 17 hours' sleep in the first months of life. If your newborn spends that much time snuggled in a bassinet or co-sleeper, prepare to meet some resistance when it's time to switch to a crib. It's a task that literally keeps parents up at night. You can help ease your baby's transition to a crib with patience and a few strategies.

  1. Timing

    • Put your baby in her crib while she's still awake. While a baby who's wide awake won't often go to sleep on her own, a drowsy baby is less likely to resist her crib. Help your child calm down before bedtime by feeding her, giving her a bath or singing her a song.

    Association

    • Always put your baby in his crib when it's time to sleep, so he learns to associate bedtime with lying in his bed. Doing so will help him establish a normal sleeping routine as he grows. If you must leave your baby in a safe place when it's not time to sleep, place him in a playpen with some baby-safe toys.

    Space

    • Move your baby's crib to a room of her own. According to "What to Expect The First Year," babies sleep better when parents aren't around to disturb them, and it prevents overzealous parents from picking up their baby unnecessarily. Although pediatrician Lane France warns that newborns should sleep in their parents' rooms, use a monitor from the time the baby's 1-month-old so you can hear her as she sleeps in her own room.

    Security

    • Help your baby feel safe when he is in his crib. Make the crib comfortable by positioning it away from drafts, using age-appropriate bedding and removing stuffed animals or other potentially dangerous items. Check on your baby frequently while he's awake in his crib so he knows you are there if he needs you.

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