Baby will not let me put him down is a common issue that many parents lament. Your baby’s reluctance to be parted from you may at first seem adorable. But, over time, such dependence may cause both parents and babies to experience sleep deprivation.
Some newborns are particularly sensitive to sounds, lights, and other sensory stimulation. As a result, your baby is more shielded from outside stimulation and is less likely to wake when in your arms.
Moreover, being held prevents newborns from startling, which triggers the Moro reflex, which forces their limbs and legs to flail leading to frequent wakes.
Also, babies are still getting used to life outside the comfortable womb. It makes perfect sense why a baby would resist any attempts to remove them from your comfortable arms and place them in an unfamiliar location since being snuggled in your arms is much more similar to being nestled in your belly than sleeping alone in a crib or bassinet.
Are you a parent who struggles with what to do when your child cries right after you put him to bed? Learn some of the most common reasons for baby crying when put down in this post, along with prevention tips.
Why A Baby May Cry When Placed Down
1. Separation Anxiety
It is only natural for your baby to feel secure and at ease in your arms because they spent nine months tucked in your warm and pleasant womb. Hence, babies enjoy being held in your arms or having skin-to-skin contact from the moment they are born.
With babies, separation anxiety is common. According to studies, almost all infants between the ages of 18 months and three years, experience separation anxiety and exhibit some degree of clinginess.
As a result, separation anxiety is most likely to be the cause if your baby is calm and happy in your arms or on your lap but begins to wriggle and fidget as soon as you put them in a crib.
2. Sleep Regression
Your baby may be experiencing sleep regression. As infants experience large developmental changes or growth spurts, sleep regressions can occur. This often occurs between the ages of four and seven months.
3. Nursing
While nursing, your baby drifts off to sleep in your lap, but as soon as you set them down, they begin to wail. This may sound familiar to you. That is rather common in infants.
As their stomach begins to fill up, they often begin to nod off, and if they are startled out of that cozy position, they may begin to wail.
4. Ill Health
See your doctor if your infant has a temperature greater than 102 °F, is exhibiting symptoms of dehydration, or exhibits any other conditions that worry you.
They are more susceptible to illness and infection because those tiny immune systems are still developing.
5. New Room or Crib
Infants require some time to become used to change. Your infant might first object to sleeping in them, regardless of whether it is a new crib or their nursery.
If you decide to move them to their new crib in the nursery after they have been sleeping in your bed (or a co-sleeping crib), for some time, they may cry as their body adjusts to the new environment.
6. Colic
Baby won’t let me put him down, colic may be to blame. Your infant may be colicky if they cry a lot, are fussy, or are challenging to calm down. Colic is frequent and normally causes no concern; however, if you are worried talk to your baby’s doctor.
Fussing or sobbing for longer than three hours a day, more than three days a week is referred to as infantile colic. It is a common, self-contained state.
Be cautious, though, as prolonged crying, loss of appetite, and irritability may point to an underlying problem, such as an infection or an earache.
7. Hunger
Hunger is one of the main causes of a newborn crying when put down. Newborns typically cry when they are hungry since they have no other method of expressing their wants. Maintain a regular feeding schedule and keep your baby’s belly full.
8. Lack of a Schedule
As babies get into a routine, they sleep soundly. They are less likely to cry and fuss when fed or placed to sleep at the proper time. This can be the case since they have established expectations for their meal or nap times.
9. Need For Attention
When laid down, older babies will occasionally fuss and cry to get your attention. When you put your baby down or leave them alone if they are used to being carried around, they may cry.
Note: If your infant is weeping for behavioral or physiological reasons, you can stop it by taking a few easy measures. Nonetheless, it is recommended to see your pediatrician if your baby cries a lot and it affects their sleep or feeding pattern.
Baby Won’t Let Me Put Him Down, What Should I Do?
1. Establish Sleep Patterns Early
According to this extensive study on infant sleep, sleep patterns typically begin to develop around the six-month mark.
Before this, it is beneficial to establish some sort of routine. It could be easy to put your baby to sleep in their cot if they have a regular sleeping schedule.
2. Teach Your Infant to Sleep
There are several ways to train your kids so they go to sleep when you put them down without crying. Your child’s ability to soothe himself or herself is another benefit of sleep training.
Put your child in the crib when they are in a half-sleep state, which is when they are still partially awake but not quite asleep. This will prevent separation anxiety in your child if they frequently fall asleep while nursing.
3. Massage
You can massage your baby to calm him while he is in his crib in the hopes that it will help him fall asleep and stay asleep there.
A warm, soothing bath or an oil massage may also help calm your infant. Also, this will provide him with the necessary physical touch to help him feel protected and comfortable.
4. Swaddle Your Infant
Swaddling is a fantastic method for making your infant feel secure, safe, and at ease. When swaddled, babies can get used to life outside the womb.
Swaddling also helps newborns sleep better, feel less anxious, and avoid unnecessarily waking up as a result of startling reflexes.
5. Rocking Your Baby
The results of this study confirmed what mothers have known for centuries: rocking your infant to sleep while listening to music works wonders.
You’re headed for optimum baby comfort when you add a swaddle to the mix. A calmer infant may have an easier time moving to the crib.
6. Use Calming Methods
Baby won’t let me put him down, why? When you shift your baby from a cozy position (from your arms or lap), it’s common for them to cry.
The simplest method to break this behavior of theirs is to refrain from running to them as soon as they begin to cry and snatching them up in your arms. Put him in the crib and give him a gentle pat to try to calm him.
Introduce the new crib to your baby gradually. It could be difficult to get your infant to stop crying when placed to sleep if they are accustomed to co-sleeping. One step at a time, make the shift gradual.
Before naptime, put your infant in their crib, read them a book while they are lying there, or show them about the nursery until it is time for bed. They would become accustomed to the nursery this way, so when you put them to sleep, they might not cry.
During the day, let your child spend some time in their crib or cot. As they are inside, play with them to help them become accustomed to the environment.
7. Breast Feed or Bottle Feed
A newborn can nurse for up to an hour at a time, and they can eat every two to four hours. Your baby may appear to be asleep, but as soon as you try to remove them from your body and place them in the cot, they start to fuss since they are still eating slowly.
To keep your baby alert during feedings and make sure they get enough milk so they’re more prepared for a nap, you might tickle their feet or blow on their face.
8. Spend Time With Your Baby
Your actions during the day may have an impact on how events unfold at night. It can be difficult to explain to a young child that separation anxiety is not normal.
Avoid carrying your infant everywhere you go because this will train them to become dependent. Instead, put them in a baby carrier or on a play mat and let them explore on their own.
If they cry, you can spend some time playing with them as you sit and console them.
9. Stick To a Routine
For your infant, a feeding or bedtime routine might work wonders. Establish a routine and follow it. Your infant would become less reliant on you as a result of being able to associate sleeping or eating with the routine. You won’t miss your baby’s sleep time if you follow a routine.
According to NCT, “newborns may sleep longer at night if a bedtime routine is established before 12 weeks of age”
10. Address Teeth Problems
Your baby may cry in their crib instead of nodding off because of tooth pain. This may be the case if they are drooling and biting a little more than usual.
11. Be Patient
Know that if your child is experiencing sleep regression, it won’t persist forever. Provide more feedings if they are going through a growth spurt so they are satisfied when you try to put them down.
When Are Babies Able to Be Put to Sleep Without Crying?
After being put down, every baby will take a different amount of time to cease crying.
By the time they are four months old, many infants will have outgrown their crying phase. Your baby may start to sleep longer periods at this age, making it simpler to put them to sleep.
But don’t be shocked if your child isn’t yet old enough to nap and sleep without being near your body. Every baby is unique, and during the first few weeks, months, and even years, their sleeping habits alter frequently.
When you think you’ve got your baby’s sleep schedule down, an illness, developmental delay, teething, or other disruption makes your baby start crying all the time again.
Baby Will Not Let Me Put Him Down, Should I Put Him Drowsy, But Awake?
New parents frequently receive recommendations to put their infants to bed while still awake but drowsy. According to the notion, if you establish this routine early on and follow it consistently, your baby won’t cry when put to sleep in their crib and is more likely to sleep through the night.
How Can I Tell When My Baby Has Colic?
A healthy child who experiences frequent, protracted sobbing and isn’t obviously in pain or hungry is said to be experiencing colic.
Colic is challenging because hearing a baby cry at all hours of the day and night can make parents anxious who are already sleep-deprived and under stress.
Call your pediatrician and make an appointment if your infant is crying a lot so you can rule out any health problems or medical conditions.
Parenting requires you to take care of your mental health, so pay attention to how you’re feeling and get help when having a child causes you to feel overwhelmed.
Colic typically disappears by the time your baby is four months old, and they will be less fussy.
Conclusion
When you put your baby to bed and they cry, they are indicating that they still need to be in your arms. Crying is a kind of communication. It will probably take months before your child feels confident being alone, and crying is entirely natural.
When your baby is awake, you can practice laying them down in the crib, touching them gently, and verbally reminding your child that you are nearby and that they are safe.
Therefore, don’t be quick to complain that your baby won’t let you put him down, always check to see if your child isn’t hungry and establish a peaceful, dark, and comfortable atmosphere for them to sleep in. Co-sleeping is a possibility for new parents to consider if their baby constantly refuses to sleep in a crib.
Let them adjust gradually and be patient with them. See your child’s doctor to determine whether there is any underlying cause of the crying if establishing a nighttime routine, feeding them, or calming them in their crib does not help.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.