why does your baby wake up once you lay them down?
In the newborn stage, baby is still so used to being attached to you that it’s normal and natural for baby to only want to sleep on you. However, this can be very difficult for moms who desperately need some autonomy back, who wish someone else could help put baby to sleep, or who just want a shower!
so, what can you try?
Before transferring baby, wait until they’re in a deeper sleep (about 10-15 minutes after initially falling asleep) to attempt a transfer.
Try warming the bassinet or crib with a heating pad (be sure to remove it before laying baby down.)
Lay a shirt down in baby’s sleep space. Use a shirt that you’ve worn so that your scent transfers. Be sure to remove the shirt from baby’s crib before laying them down!
When transferring baby, lay them down feet first, then slowly lower their head to the mattress. Lay one hand on baby’s chest and keep it there for a moment when baby is in their sleep space.
what if you want to attempt to lay baby down awake?
Try starting with the first nap of the day, as this is the easiest for baby to fall asleep for. Sleep pressure is still high after night sleep, so baby should be ready for a nap after an appropriate awake window.
In the newborn stage laying baby down drowsy for this nap is fine, but past this stage you’ll want to begin laying baby down fully awake for their first nap rather than drowsy.
set the stage for optimal sleep
Pay attention to your child’s sleep environment: is it conducive to rest? Follow these tips to set up your baby’s ideal sleep space:
Blackout the room (use the hand test: if you can still see your hand when holding it in front of you, it’s not dark enough!) Use foil, trash bags, or, my personal preference: Sleepout blackout curtains to cover the windows. (code PRENATALTOCRADLE saves you 10%)
Use white noise. Place the sound machine at least seven feet away from the crib. Set the volume to no louder than 50 decibels (you can use a decibel-tracking app to measure the volume.)
Use a sleep sack to send a strong cue to baby that sleep is the expectation.
Be sure to remove potential distractions from baby’s sleep environment. Night lights, and stimulating items like mobiles and toys can keep baby from falling asleep.
