If you’re wondering how to get your newborn to sleep in a bassinet, you’re not alone. Many babies prefer sleeping in your arms and wake up the moment you put them down. The good news is that with the right approach, your baby can learn to sleep comfortably in their bassinet. This post will share how to get your newborn to sleep in a bassinet based on my experience as an infant and child sleep consultant for over 15 years.
The most common reasons a newborn won’t sleep in a bassinet include needing comfort, difficulty adjusting to sleeping flat, temperature differences, and being used to being held.
Why Newborns Won’t Sleep in a Bassinet
Before we get to how to get your newborn to sleep in a bassinet, let’s talk about why many babies won’t sleep in a bassinet. Here are the primary reasons:
- Sleeping flat is unnatural when babies first come out of the womb. Although it’s safest to place your baby on their back to sleep, it doesn’t mean they’re going to like it, at first.
- Newborns seek comfort from their primary caretakers every chance they get. Being held is a natural desire by most humans and they were “held” in the womb for 9 months.
- Your baby may be colder in the bassinet. Even if the bassinet is warm, it might not be the same as the feeling they have when they are in your arms. Of course, be careful NOT to overheat the baby!
- And, sometimes, your baby just doesn’t know there’s another way to sleep. When your baby is first born, you may get into the habit of holding them all day and all night. And it’s no wonder! Having a new baby at home is 24/7 cuddle-worthy! But if/when sleep is suffering, we need to show babies there is another option.
Once you understand why your baby resists, it becomes much easier to learn how to get your newborn to sleep in a bassinet successfully.
Why Put Baby in the Bassinet to Sleep
If your baby won’t sleep in a bassinet, why should you bother changing this habit? Well, for starters, your baby needs to sleep 14-16 hours a day for YEARS. If the only place your baby can sleep is in your arms, the stroller, or the car, that is a lot of time you’re spending holding, pushing, or driving! Teaching your baby to sleep in their own sleep space is a great long-term “investment!”
Second, it is safest for your baby to sleep on their back in a separate sleep space. This reduces the risk of SIDS and is worth the effort.
And, finally, once your sleepy newborn starts waking up to the world, they may not be able to sleep for long restorative naps if your baby can’t sleep through noise. No one wants to sit in the super-quiet nursery for 3-4 hours a day. But, if your baby is sensitive to noise, you won’t be able to let them nap in your arms while you watch TV, for example, or visit with friends.
How to Help Your Newborn Sleep in a Bassinet
Getting your newborn to sleep in a bassinet can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks. With consistent effort, you can make progress. Here are 7 Tips just for you:
1. Watch Your Baby’s Wake Windows
Newborns generally can’t be on a strict clock schedule but one of the most important things you can do for a baby of any age is to make sure they are NOT awake too long before their next sleep period. We call these wake windows. The amount of time a newborn can stay awake before they become overtired is between 30 minutes to 2 hours (depending on how old your baby is). If your baby is awake too long, they are more likely to get overtired, wake more frequently at night, and take shorter naps.
Your newborn’s schedule will vary by age, stage of development, and how large of feeds they take. Following your baby’s sleepy cues is one of the best things you can do. Also, you should know that newborns usually go to bed late since their nighttime sleep doesn’t extend to 11-12 hours at night until they are 6+ weeks old. The right schedule can go a very long way to better sleep for a child of any age!
2. How Swaddling Helps Your Newborn Sleep in a Bassinet
Most newborns still have their moro reflex or startle reflex which can cause them to wake up when they should be sleeping. Swaddling your newborn baby can lead to much longer stretches of sleep both during the day and at night.
3. Turn on White Noise
Inside your womb were all types of noises for your baby to hear. If you put them in a quiet nursery to sleep, the quiet can be deafening and unnerving. Be sure to have your newborn sleep with white noise to help with this. The white noise should be about the volume of a shower running and you may need to experiment with different sounds. For me, the sound of waves hitting the shore isn’t monotonous enough, for example, but some people love it!
4. Use a Rocking Bassinet
You may want to consider trying a rocking bassinet which can help your baby stay asleep in the bassinet.
The SNOO Smart Sleeper Bassinet, created by Happiest Baby’s Dr. Harvey Karp, is a popular choice. It is also a costly one! It costs over $1600. They do offer discounts for signing up for emails, and they also offer previously used bassinets. The big benefit here is that it is “smart.” It doesn’t move the entire time, but reacts to your baby’s crying by starting the motion and increasing the white noise volume. This can buy you precious hours of sleep! You would not want to skip necessary feedings, but this moving bassinet can help keep your baby asleep for longer periods of time since it doesn’t require you to activate it. You can review our full review here: Is the SNOO Worth It? And, alternatives. With a SNOO, you can also combine the swaddle, white noise, and bassinet all in one!
Bedside bassinets can be well worth their money if lack of soothing is the main reason your newborn won’t sleep in a bassinet. Graco and Halo make lower-cost smart bassinets too…
- Smart bassinet starts soothing in seconds with synced sounds and motion
- Baby bassinet hears your baby's cries and responds with soothing combinations of white noise, vibration, and gentle rocking and swaying motions
- Offers literally thousands of combinations so parents can find the perfect ones for your baby
- Provides a fully immersive, safe sleep environment that pairs sound and motion
- Use with or without a swaddle to customize for your baby and your family's needs
- SMART SOOTHING WITH AUTOSOOTHE TECHNOLOGY: Automatically detects your baby’s cries and responds with customizable rocking, vibration, and soothing sounds to help them fall back asleep, hands-free.
- FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE OR EXPERT-GUIDED MODES: Choose from hundreds of soothing combinations or select expert-designed programs tailored for newborn sleep, colic relief, and weaning stages.
- 360° SWIVEL FOR NIGHTTIME CONVENIENCE: Easily bring your baby close with the full rotating base, perfect for nighttime feedings and bonding without leaving your bed.
- EASY LOWERING WALL FOR RECOVERY-FRIENDLY CARE: Patented lowering side wall allows you to gently reach your baby from bed, ideal for C-section recovery and postpartum rest.
- BUILT FOR COMFORT & SAFETY: Features breathable mesh walls for airflow and visibility, a sturdy base for peace of mind, and intuitive app control for ultimate ease of use.
5. Start Bedtime and Naptime Routines
Cueing your baby that sleep is coming can go a long way to being able to put them down. If they become accustomed to a few short steps before they are put down in a bassinet, they may be more welcoming of sleep. A newborn bedtime routine doesn’t have to be very long. 5 minutes is all you need. A quick example would be some lavender lotion, a fresh diaper, a feeding, a few lullabies, and a few minutes of rocking.
6. Sleep on the Sheets
Your scent can be very soothing to your newborn. Of course, giving your baby a t-shirt is NOT safe while unattended. Instead, sleep on your baby’s bassinet sheet for a few days. You can also put the sheet in your shirt for several hours to several days. Do NOT spray perfume or anything. The idea is to have your natural scent transferred to the sheet.
7. Use Gentle Sleep Coaching Techniques to Help Your Newborn Sleep in a Bassinet
Last but not least, if all of these other tips don’t get your newborn to sleep in a bassinet, you can try some gentle sleep coaching techniques. With gentle and age-appropriate tweaks and practicing over time, your baby will learn how to fall asleep in their bassinet. Try putting your baby down awake in the bassinet and soothing them with your voice, rubs, pats while you’re right their with them. The goal of this is to help them associate their bassinet as their sleep space and not your arms, chest, stroller, car seat, etc. As of right now, your baby may not KNOW they are “supposed” to sleep anywhere else. By gently guiding them to fall asleep in their bassinet, you can help them learn new and healthy sleep habits. However, keep in mind that sleep training newborns is not always easy. You may need to wait until 6+ weeks old and take it really slow.
How to Get a Newborn to Sleep in a Bassinet: FAQs
To help your newborn stay asleep when transferring to the bassinet, try placing them down when they are in a deep sleep, keep your hand on their chest for a moment, and use a consistent sleep environment like white noise and swaddling.
Many newborns resist the bassinet at night because they prefer the warmth and comfort of being held, are adjusting to sleeping flat, or become overtired. This is very common in the early weeks.
It can take a few days to a few weeks for a newborn to adjust to sleeping in a bassinet. Consistency and gentle practice can help your baby gradually become more comfortable.
While it’s natural for babies to fall asleep in your arms, it’s safest for newborns to sleep on a firm, flat surface like a bassinet. You can still use cuddling during all those awake hours, and before placing them in their bassinet.
Final Thoughts: Helping Your Newborn Sleep in a Bassinet
If you’re still wondering how to get your newborn to sleep in a bassinet, know that this is a very common challenge. But, it won’t last forever!
Newborns are adjusting to a brand new world, and it’s completely normal for them to prefer the warmth and comfort of your arms. With a little consistency, gentle practice, and the right strategies, most babies learn to sleep in their bassinet over time.
Start small, be patient with the process, and remember that progress may happen gradually. Even a few successful minutes in the bassinet is a step in the right direction.
And if your baby still struggles, you’re not doing anything wrong. Some newborns simply need more time and support to adjust. For more help, check out our free newborn sleep guide!
