After what felt like forever, your adorable little one is finally sound asleep after long hours of playtime and long crying moments. You cannot wait to lay them down and finally have an uninterrupted break – at least before you’re back to square one. Then without warning, their eyes are wide open, staring into yours. A few seconds later, your baby is already crying – you didn’t even have time to leave the room! You feel like dashing out of the room and assuming you haven’t heard anything. But you can’t! Can you? Of course not!

So, what makes the baby wake up when you lay them down – especially in the crib? And what can you do to make your baby take long naps in the crib?

Rest assured, you can say goodbye to mastering the acrobatics of laying your baby down and sneaking out of the room. There are tips to help you put your baby down when they sleep. Hopefully, with the tips listed below, you’ll be able to get your baby to nap soundly in the crib.

Understanding Why Infants Wake Up When Put Down

Most infants will get wide awake when you try to lay them down. It happens even where you thought they were deeply asleep. There are two main explanations behind that.

Babies Don't Wake Up When Put Down To Annoy You

Contrary to what many people want to convince you, babies don’t wake up from deep sleep to annoy you. Usually, they are in a new environment and need time to adjust. Before birth, newborns were in a stable environment where they did not have any discomfort. After birth, they need to handle the environment, and the sudden shift is not easy for them.

Your Baby Wakes Up When You Lay Them Down In A Crib Because They Sense Separation

According to research, babies are designed in a way that they can sense any form of danger. When laid down, they sense separation from their caregiver. They know this through the absence of the mother’s smell, a missing soft touch, heat from the caregiver’s body, or a breathing chest, among others. They get a sensation of abandonment. Kids under six months old are more likely to wake up when put down. At this age, the babies have not grasped that they are separate entities from their mothers.

How To Lay Your Sleeping Baby In A Crib Without Waking Them

Moving a sleeping baby to a crib without waking them is a nightmare for most parents. Any slight changes in a baby’s environment could cause them to wake up even when they are deeply asleep. Some of the tips you can use to avoid having the baby wake up when put in a crib include:

Place A Worn Item Of Clothing In The Crib

Placing a worn t-shirt, vest, or nonfluffy jumper in the crib makes the baby smell your presence. They fail to notice that they are not being cuddled and hence do not wake up.

Use A Night Light

Babies are sensitive to changes in the magnitude of light when asleep. Moving them from darkness and plunging them into bright light or vice versa could easily cause them to wake up. Using a night light near the crib will ensure that the difference in the magnitude of light is not very big.

You should also consider having dim light in the room where you are trying to have the baby fall asleep. Be cautious enough to avoid sudden movements, especially due to tripping when moving towards the crib. Sudden movements will automatically cause the baby to wake up.

Use Their Favorite Blanket Or Toy

It is common to have babies have a safe toy or blanket. When you notice the baby is about to sleep, place the toy or blanket in their arms. It provides them with a sense of safety when asleep.

Ensure They Are Deeply Asleep

Babies take up to twenty minutes to get into a deep sleep. Putting them in the crib as soon as they close their eyes will not work. You can test if your baby is in a deep sleep by lifting their arm and dropping it. If they stir up, you need to give them more time before putting them in a crib.

Coping With Your Baby's Sleep Pattern Changes

For various reasons, babies are prone to changing their sleeping patterns. As a mother or caregiver, these changes directly affect your schedules. Find out how to cope with your baby’s sleeping pattern changes.

Growth Spurts

Babies are likely to change their sleeping routines before and after growth spurts. While some babies begin to sleep more, others sleep less. They may also develop restlessness and become clingy during this period. Allow your baby to sleep and eat as much as they want during this period. A consistent sleeping routine before the growth spurt begins will help them bounce back quickly after the disruption.

Unplanned Activities

Bringing in lots of unplanned activities in the baby’s routine causes them to give you a hard day. It is best if you plan activities during the baby’s sleeping time. If the baby is awake during an activity they do not enjoy, it makes it harder to settle when they are home.

In instances where your activities have to disrupt the baby’s pattern, it is okay to go ahead. Babies who have had a consistent routine will get back to the routine quickly after the disruptions are over.

Time Changes

Time changes are sometimes inevitable, but you can make them easier for your baby. It would help if you slowly tried to move activities backward or forward at least a week before the actual changes.

You can also show your baby the difference between the day and night by having several activities during the day and fewer during the night. You could also try changing the baby’s clothes after and before going to sleep to help them learn the day’s beginning and end.

Illness And Teething

Most babies will have disrupted sleeping schedules when they are ill or teething. Your baby needs plenty of love and care at this time. You will also need to try and maintain the sleeping routine as much as possible. The baby will always guide you on how much food and sleep they need.

Family Visits On Holidays

When babies have had a consistent sleeping routine, they find it difficult to sleep in unfamiliar environments. You can use blackout blindfolds on them if they tend to wake up when the sunrises—plugging in night lights may help when laying your baby down in an unfamiliar room. Carry their sleeping sheets and blankets so their new space can smell like home. You could also carry with you some of their toys to have some familiar play items.

Establishing A Sleep Routine

Do you want to have an easier time taking care of your baby? Establishing a sleeping routine for your baby is the way to go. Here are ways to establish a sleeping routine for your baby.

Consistent Environment

A consistent environment is necessary when establishing a sleeping routine. The best place to do this is in your baby’s crib. Makes sure the baby’s room is cool and dark.

Morning Nap

Allow your baby to take a morning nap. Most babies will take the morning nap not long after they have woken up. Please do not get your kid get overtired before they can take a nap. Overtired kids have a hard time napping.

Beat The Cat Nap

Most babies will nap for up to 45 minutes. However, if the baby wakes up after this duration, do not assume they have had enough sleep. Please leave them in the same environment for a few minutes, and they will most likely fall asleep.

Be Patient

Babies take time to learn. Do not give up on your baby if you try training them for a few days, but they do not seem to make any significant changes. Inconsistencies among babies are normal - be prepared to adapt.

Right Timing

Babies between 4-6 months old need to nap at least three times a day. When 7-8 months old, they tend to take longer naps during the day and in the afternoon. Professionals suggest that babies go to bed by 6:30 pm, wake up at 7 am, and have a morning nap around 8 or 9 pm.

Sanity Saving Tips To Get Your Baby To Nap In The Crib

You want to rest after the baby is asleep, but the baby wakes up when put in the crib. Use the following 1-year-old baby sleeping tips to get your baby nap in the crib.

Bum First

Putting the baby in a crib could make them feel unsafe if wrongly done. You should lower the baby’s feet first, followed by the bum and then the head.

Consistency

Consistently use the crib for napping. It sends the message to the baby that that is their nap safe. It ensures they are comfortable when laid on the crib.

Mini Bedtime Routine

Activities such as changing the baby’s diaper, rocking, and singing while in the room she will be napping make the baby know it’s time to sleep. Avoid directly plunking the baby down, especially when using new sleeping spaces.

Timing

Watch for signs of drowsiness before placing your baby in the crib. It is okay to allow the baby to fuss before going to sleep. It helps them learn how to go to sleep on their own.

Prepare The Space

Ensure that the baby’s room is dark and cool. It is also good to have the room quiet. During the first month, it is okay to have some noise during the day to help the baby differentiate between day and night.

It Is Possible To Have You Baby Continue Sleeping After Laying Them In The Crib

Having your baby nap in the crib allows you to rest, feed yourself, or do house chores. Babies are likely to sleep in a crib all night but refuse to nap there during the day. While you cannot predict when a bay will sleep, developing a routine goes a long way.

If your baby has changing sleeping patterns, identify the reason behind it. Avoid habits or activities that disrupt the baby’s sleeping patterns. Your baby has no intention to annoy you; all they need is to feel your love and care.