How To Get Your Baby To Sleep Without Being Held
There is nothing sweeter than cuddling your baby to sleep. The warm snuggles from a little person that you made are unlike anything else! It’s a great way to not only squeeze in some extra lovin’ during the day but also to bond with your baby.
But what happens when your baby starts to get older, and you need a bit of a break when it comes to putting them to sleep? While it is great to enjoy each other's comfort, it is important that they eventually learn how to put themselves to sleep!
It might feel like there's no hope when trying to put your baby to bed without your warm embrace, but rest assured, it's possible. Continue reading to learn more about how to put your baby to sleep without being held.
Can Babies Sleep Safely in Arms
Why would your baby want to sleep anywhere else when they can snooze nice and warm in your arms? While in your arms, your baby feels connected to you, enjoying your warm skin and the familiar sound of your heartbeat.
Cuddling close to your baby is one of the best things that parents enjoy with their small baby. But is it safe for your baby to sleep in your arms? Your baby can sleep safely and soundly in your arms as long as you are awake and alert the entire time.
If you feel drowsy, it is safer for you to place your baby in their bassinet or crib. When you are holding them and begin to fall asleep, your grip could loosen, and they may fall out of your arms or roll into a crevice that they can’t get out of.
How to Get Your Baby to Sleep on Their Own
A lot of parents rock their newborns to sleep and allow them to fall asleep in their arms instead of putting them to sleep right away in the crib or bassinet. This could go on for months and can become exhausting for the parents! After doing this night after night, you may decide that it’s time for your baby to learn how to fall asleep on their own. Here are some helpful tips to use when putting your baby to sleep without being held:
Put your baby in a swaddle. A swaddle offers comfort similar to the womb as they are tightly wrapped in a cozy blanket. This can also reduce the Moro reflex, which happens when your baby flails their arms as if they are falling. When this happens, it can startle your baby awake from the sudden movement. Rest assured, this will only last a couple of months. An important thing to note is if your baby is rolling around in their crib at night, they should be using a sleep sack as a swaddle is not recommended as your baby grows and develops.
Invest in a white noise machine. Not many people fall asleep to complete silence. Using a light sound machine may help reduce the amount of time it takes for them to fall asleep and the number of wakings throughout the night.
Offer your baby a pacifier. If they don’t use one at night already, a pacifier can help soothe your baby to sleep. Babies naturally use a sucking motion to help calm themselves, and it can also reduce their heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels to help them unwind for sleep.
Gently rock your baby. Just because you want them to fall asleep on their own doesn’t mean you can’t comfort them before bed! Babies love the rocking motion because it reminds them of when they were in the warm womb, rocking to the rhythm of your every move. Complete your normal bedtime routine and rock them in their dark room until they begin getting drowsy.
Lay them down while they are awake. To help your baby fall asleep without being held, they need to be put down before they are asleep. This can be done while they are drowsy yet awake. If they cry, you can help soothe them by patting their back, rubbing their stomach, and shushing them to sleep. Eventually, they will learn that you are still there to comfort them, but they don’t need to be in your arms to drift off to sleep.
Conquer your baby’s wake windows. Each baby has wake windows that signal the approximate amount of time they should be awake and how long they should be sleeping. Learning what your baby needs and following this pattern will help them be ready for sleep when it is time for bed! Keep your baby busy during their wake times, and this will help them settle down later at night.
Say goodbye to reflux. Like adults, babies can experience reflux, which can make them uncomfortable. If you feed your baby before bed, be sure to keep them upright for at least 20-30 minutes after their feeding. If you lay them down too soon, they can experience reflux or, even worse, spit up in bed!
Keep Track of Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule with Baby Connect
Sleep is something that adults and babies alike need each and every day. Making sure your baby gets enough sleep is one of your most important duties as their parent! Some babies have no problem catching a snooze whenever (and wherever) they can, while other little tykes need a little more assistance to fall asleep.
Monitoring your baby’s sleep has never been easier with Baby Connect. Baby Connect is a diverse app that allows you to track not only sleep but all of your baby’s important milestones! Never again will you forget when your baby’s last bowel movement, feeding, and nap was, as you can track it with ease on this accommodating app.
