{"id":29016,"date":"2025-12-29T08:00:45","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T08:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=29016"},"modified":"2025-12-30T10:47:44","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T10:47:44","slug":"what-to-do-if-your-newborn-wont-sleep-in-their-crib","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/newborn\/what-to-do-if-your-newborn-wont-sleep-in-their-crib\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do if your newborn won\u2019t sleep in their crib?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It can happen that your newborn falls asleep easily in your arms but starts crying the moment you lay them down in their crib. Why won\u2019t they sleep in their crib? How can you help them fall asleep? How can you lay them down without waking them up?<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What to do if your newborn won\u2019t sleep in their crib?<\/strong> Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding why your newborn won\u2019t sleep in their crib<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your baby can\u2019t manage to sleep in their crib, it\u2019s not a whim. Several factors related to their basic needs can explain these difficulties falling asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The need for safety and closeness<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From birth, it\u2019s essential to maintain physical closeness with your baby until they are able to <strong>move away from it safely and at their own pace<\/strong>. Newborns adjust more easily to the outside world <strong>when they find sensations similar to those experienced in the womb<\/strong>. In fact, they are not ready to face an existence that is still, silent, and without smells, since these stimuli have always been an integral part of their world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From birth, your infant therefore has a strong need for security and<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> closeness with you<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This need is completely natural and contributes to their emotional well-being. When your newborn won\u2019t sleep in their crib, <strong>it\u2019s often because they are seeking the reassuring contact of a cuddle\u2014your scent, your warmth, and the need to feel held<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Good to know:<\/strong> contrary to some popular beliefs, your baby won\u2019t ask for your arms more because you hold them \u201ctoo\u201d often. <strong>On the contrary, the more consistently you meet their need for closeness, the easier it will be for them to separate from it later<\/strong>. If your infant has trouble going to bed or starts waking up after being placed in their bassinet, it\u2019s because they need to feel your presence in order to sleep well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Closeness promotes the release of oxytocin, the bonding hormone, helping them feel protected and fall asleep more easily. Room-sharing, meaning having your baby sleep in the same room as you in their own crib, makes it possible to respond quickly to their cries, ease their anxieties, and help them fall back asleep after a nighttime waking. The <strong>WHO recommends having your baby sleep in your room at least until 6 months of age<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Warning<\/strong>: it\u2019s important not to confuse room-sharing with bed-sharing. Bed-sharing is a discouraged practice that increases<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID)<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It involves having the baby sleep in the same bed as their parents, which increases the risk of suffocation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digestive issues and physical discomfort<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many infants experience, during the first few months, digestive issues that disrupt falling asleep and sleep quality:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gastroesophageal reflux<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: this acid reflux can cause crying and frequent wake-ups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Colic<\/strong>: abdominal pain, gas, and restlessness especially in the evening or at night, which can lead to wake-ups and discomfort that prevents them from sleeping.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Other discomforts<\/strong>: a dirty diaper, pajamas that are too tight, or an uncomfortable <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">position<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can also explain why they have trouble staying asleep.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These different discomforts can explain why your baby doesn\u2019t want to sleep in their crib, wakes often, and has trouble falling back asleep without help.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short, if your baby cries as soon as you lay them down in their bassinet, they are simply expressing their need to be reassured, especially during transition moments between sleep cycles. Fortunately, there are best practices to help them sleep in their crib.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to learn more? Feel free to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/1pblulz8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">download the May app<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where you&#8217;ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your journey as a new parent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-28879 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/closeup-portrait-of-adorable-newborn-baby-in-blue-2025-03-18-17-37-51-utc-1.webp\" alt=\"What to do if your newborn won\u2019t sleep in their crib? - May App Health\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/closeup-portrait-of-adorable-newborn-baby-in-blue-2025-03-18-17-37-51-utc-1.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/closeup-portrait-of-adorable-newborn-baby-in-blue-2025-03-18-17-37-51-utc-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/closeup-portrait-of-adorable-newborn-baby-in-blue-2025-03-18-17-37-51-utc-1-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best practices to help your newborn fall asleep in their crib<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your newborn won\u2019t sleep in their crib, here are a few practical tips to help them accept their bassinet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a reassuring environment<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A soothing sleep environment is the first step to encourage your baby to fall asleep in their crib. How the room is set up:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>If they don\u2019t want to sleep in their crib<\/strong>, it may be due to the room temperature being too hot or too cold. Make sure to keep a stable temperature of around 18\u201320\u00b0C (64\u201368\u00b0F).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Light that is too bright can also keep your baby from falling asleep well<\/strong>. Choose dim lighting during nighttime feeds. Infants aren\u2019t afraid of the dark, so a night-light isn\u2019t necessary and can even be counterproductive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Place the crib near you<\/strong>, especially during the first months, to make safe room-sharing easier. This reassures your baby and allows you to comfort them quickly if they cry.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establish bedtime routines<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A bedtime routine, repeated every day, helps your baby get ready for sleep:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Set up a calming routine<\/strong>: a warm bath, a massage, a short story, or a lullaby in low light\u2026 Each action, always done in the same order, signals to your baby that it\u2019s time to fall asleep.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Watch for tiredness cues<\/strong>: yawning, rubbing eyes, restlessness\u2026 Putting your infant to bed at the first signs reduces crying and makes it easier for them to fall asleep.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Support your newborn toward sleep<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every baby is different, and there are no secret techniques to get your baby down on the first try. To help them fall asleep in their crib, you can try to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Let them fall asleep in your arms, then place them in their crib<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Support them without always picking them up<\/strong>: stay near the crib, speak softly, and place a reassuring hand on them. This helps them feel safe without reinforcing a dependence on being held or cuddled for every waking.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Avoid letting them cry<\/strong>: letting them cry for a few minutes isn\u2019t dangerous, but there\u2019s no need to let them cry for a long time.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over time, you won\u2019t need to stay constantly close to your infant while they sleep. <strong>Think of it as a step-by-step process<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At first, <strong>your baby will want your presence throughout the entire process of falling asleep<\/strong>. Over time, you\u2019ll only need to stay until they are asleep. Finally, you\u2019ll be able to put them to bed and leave even if they are still awake. Little by little, your child will learn to sleep in their crib.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s up to you to decide when you want to move through the different steps, based on your baby\u2019s reactions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-28884\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/baby-boy-lying-on-bed-on-back-looking-at-camera-ha-2025-01-09-05-23-18-utc.webp\" alt=\"What to do if your newborn won\u2019t sleep in their crib? - May App Health\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/baby-boy-lying-on-bed-on-back-looking-at-camera-ha-2025-01-09-05-23-18-utc.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/baby-boy-lying-on-bed-on-back-looking-at-camera-ha-2025-01-09-05-23-18-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/baby-boy-lying-on-bed-on-back-looking-at-camera-ha-2025-01-09-05-23-18-utc-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to place your newborn in their crib without waking them up?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your baby fell asleep in your arms, here are a few tips to help you place them in their crib without waking them up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prevent the Moro reflex, <strong>that involuntary startle of the limbs when your baby feels like they\u2019re falling<\/strong>, first make sure to lay them down gently. Support their shoulders, hands, and pelvis, then wait for their body to relax before letting their arms fall naturally alongside their body, gently guiding the movement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another method is to place them down on their side first, then gradually position them on their back, always with the same gentleness. If your baby shows slight waking, simply place your hands on them to help them calm down and settle again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>It\u2019s also best to avoid abrupt changes in the environment<\/strong>. To do so, you can warm their crib with a hot water bottle before laying them down, and stay nearby so they feel safe, for example. These small attentions will greatly make it easier for them to fall asleep and will reduce wake-ups when you lay them down in their crib.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short, a newborn\u2019s refusal to sleep in their crib is rarely a problem in itself\u2014<strong>it\u2019s first and foremost an expression of their basic needs<\/strong>. Your baby is discovering a new world, very different from the one they knew during pregnancy. <strong>They need time\u2014and above all, your presence\u2014to adapt to it<\/strong>. By setting up a soothing environment and using the right gestures, you gradually help them get used to their crib and develop their ability to sleep there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photo credit: lamapacas | Prostock-studio | OlgaSmolina<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US\/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It can happen that your newborn falls asleep easily in your arms but starts crying the moment you lay them down in their crib. Why won\u2019t they sleep in their crib? How can you help them fall asleep? How can you lay them down without waking them up? What to do if your newborn won\u2019t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":13015,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[192,196],"tags":[152],"class_list":["post-29016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newborn","category-infant","tag-baby-sleep"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29016"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29019,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29016\/revisions\/29019"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}