NEWBORN WILL NOT SLEEP UNLESS HELD – 10 HELPFUL TIPS – Babies might be little, but they are aware of you, your familiar smell, and your warmth. A familiar and warm body is far more inviting than a bassinet or crib covered with blankets. Simply put, when your baby is nestled in your arms, they are transported to the womb, complete with gentle movements, a snug embrace, and the soothing sound of your heartbeat. You may enjoy cuddling your snoozing baby, and they do as well. But, let’s face it, it’s not always a practical option for naps and bedtime. So it is no surprise when they won’t sleep unless they are held.
Newborn Will Not Sleep Unless Held
Here are reasons why your baby won’t sleep unless being held;
- Your Newborn May Be Uncomfortable
There are different reasons why your baby would be uncomfortable;
They Need To Burp:
To get the bubbles out, your burping technique needs to be refined. Burping entails more than just patting yourself on the back; it also entails squeezing out the bubbles. When a child still has a burp inside, he or she may be fussy or uncomfortable, smacking her lips and trying to feed but pulling on and off. Burp with soft squeezing pressure up his or her spine instead of hard pats.
She Suffers From Acid Reflux.
On a scale, there are various degrees of reflux. The sphincter between the esophagus (food tube) and stomach is weak in reflux, allowing stomach acid to splash up the esophagus, causing pain and discomfort.
Gas. If you are breast-feeding and have an excessive amount. your baby may drink too fast. This will increase the need to burp.
Your Baby Is Worn Out. (Newborn Won’t Sleep Unless Held: 10 Helpful Tips)
In the first two months, newborn babies require 16 to 20 hours of sleep per day, and most babies can only stay awake for about an hour until they are three months old. If your baby has been staying awake for too long, she will wake up more frequently at night. Your baby accumulates a sleep debt and can appear depressed over time. This can sometimes mimic colic-like behavior. If he or she is that tired, they’ll want your comfort even more.
2. You are inducing the startle reflex.
The Startle reflex, also known as the Moro reflex, is a primitive reflex that is present from birth. A baby’s arms, back, and neck extend when he or she is startled by a movement or sound. When putting your baby down, remember to put his or her feet down first, then the bottom, then the head. If you lead with your head, the Moro reflex will be triggered, potentially waking your baby up.
3. It’s a Cultivated Habit
Having the desire to sleep is biological, but the manner in which we sleep is learned. Your baby will learn how to sleep between the ages of 4 and 8 weeks. If it’s always been in arms, that’s what she expects. Many babies begin to wake up around 7-8 weeks of age and then again at 4 months as part of the 4 month sleep regression.
4. MSPI could be present in your child.
If You Have A Fussy Baby, He Or She May Be Seeking Comfort In Your Arms
MSPI is a Milk and Soy Protein Intolerance that is detected by the presence of blood in your baby’s stool. If your baby is extremely fussy, this is something to be concerned about.
5. Your child could have silent reflux.
Sleeping in a flat position is extremely uncomfortable for your baby if he or she has silent reflux.Irritability, difficulty sleeping, arching when feeding, refusing to feed, choking, and nasal congestion are all symptoms of silent reflux.
What To Do When Your Newborn Won’t Sleep Unless Held: 10 Helpful Tips
Swaddle Your Child:
Swaddling your baby helps to mimic the snug and comforting embrace they felt in the womb, making babies feel more at ease on their backs. Again, this nostalgic feeling aids in activating your baby’s calming reflex. A proper swaddle also prevents the baby’s startle reflex from waking them up. (Unswaddled babies can startle themselves awake by accidentally bonking themselves in the face.)
Use a pacifier: Sucking can help your baby sleep better by lowering his or her heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels. If you’re nursing your baby, wait until breastfeeding is established before offering a pacifier.
Solve reflux: A baby suffering from acid reflux may refuse to sleep flat on their back, which is the safest position. To assist, always feed your baby while they are upright, burp them frequently, and keep them sitting for 20 to 30 minutes after a feeding, if possible. This allows gravity to keep stomach contents in place.
Keep Your Smell Close At Hand: If You Swaddle your baby to sleep, a great idea is to wear the swaddle blanket under your shirt/bra all day.
The swaddle blanket will smell like you (and your milk if you’re breastfeeding) and be more soothing to your baby.
Make A Sleeping Schedule And Your Baby’s Wake Window:
Flexible sleep schedule is also beneficial in order to avoid over-tiredness. A wake window is simply the amount of time your baby can be awake before needing to sleep again. The majority of babies’ wake-times fall within a certain range. For example, 1- to 2-month-olds can usually be awake for one to two hours before needing to sleep again, whereas 3- to 4-month-olds can usually be awake for 75 minutes to 2.5 hours before needing to sleep again. You can avoid your baby’s overtired bassinet refusal if you learn your baby’s wake windows and put them down for sleep before their window closes.
Lay your baby down awake. When you place a sleeping baby in their bassinet, they do not learn that bassinets are for sleeping. Put your baby down when they’re calm, drowsy, and on the verge of falling asleep. If your nugget falls asleep while being transferred from your body to the bassinet, simply rouse them gently with a light tickle until their eyes open. After a few seconds, your child’s eyes will close and he or she will drift back to sleep. While waking a sleeping baby may seem counterintuitive, it is the first step in teaching your baby that they have the ability to self-soothe.
Rock your baby. When babies are born, they crave rocking to help them stay calm and sleep! (Remember, rocking, also known as swinging, is similar to all the jiggling your baby did in the womb for nine months.)
Make Use Of White Noise:
Using a white noise sound machine with your baby is another way to simulate the womb, which will calm your baby, help your baby fall asleep faster, and most importantly, will help your baby sleep better.
Hold Your Baby For 15 To 20 Minutes Before Putting Them Down:
Before putting your baby to sleep in their crib at night, hold them in your arms for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are drowsy. Then, before they fall asleep, place them in the crib. This will encourage them to sleep on their own and teach your baby to self-soothe.
Soothe Them Without Picking Them Up:
In case your baby becomes irritable after being placed in their crib, avoid picking them up right away. Instead, soothe them by speaking softly to them, patting them, rubbing their tummy or head, and reassuring them.
Is It Bad To Let My Baby Sleep In My Arms? (Newborn Won’t Sleep Unless Held- 10 Helpful Tips)
If your baby only sleeps when held, try not to worry. Remember, this stage with your child is fleeting, so there’s nothing wrong with slowing down, clearing your schedule, and snuggling down. Most parents will agree that these are not moments they will look back on with regret. Of course, life gets busy, and you may need your baby to sleep on his or her own. Furthermore, developing healthy sleeping habits can help you and your child sleep better as they grow older.
In other words, it’s fine if you want to spend more time with your baby, but it’s also perfectly fine to be ready for the next stage (and a bit more solo time). If you’re still unsure whether you should let your baby sleep in your arms, consider the following pros and cons;
The primary advantages of having a baby who only sleeps when held are obvious:
they will actually get solid sleep. Furthermore, you’ll both benefit from some quality bonding time.
Most parents find it to be an unsustainable practice because their sleep is impacted, especially at night, leading to sleep deprivation.
How Do You Get Your Baby To Sleep In His Or Her Crib Or Bassinet?
First and foremost, prepare a separate sleeping area for them. We want this to be a familiar space for them, so bring them into the room and have them play or perform their routines there. You can also take care of all of their naps in that room (especially if they are contact napping).
Warm up the area and remove anything before laying them down (this can help the transition from your arms to their bed). Just make sure to check the temperature before putting them down!
As you are aware, and as I have stated numerous times, timing is everything. (NEWBORN WON’T SLEEP UNLESS HELD: 10 HELPFUL TIPS)
Overtired babies will have a more difficult time falling and staying asleep. So keep an eye on the time and try not to miss that window.
If you’re just trying to get them to sleep outside of your arms but you’re still assisting them to sleep, make sure their breathing has slowed and they’re completely relaxed. You can perform the “rag doll” test by slowly raising their arm and watching how it falls. If they resist, they are not prepared.
Lower them to their sides and slowly roll them onto their backs, applying gentle pressure for a few moments before slowly releasing them. Make sure their head does not tilt back, as this will trigger the startle reflex.
If they appear unsettled in their sleeping space, encircle them to help them feel secure in their space but outside of your arms. one can also jiggle or pat them until they are more settled.
You can immediately resume soothing and attempting to lull them back to sleep within their sleep space. You can also take a few minutes to see if they can do it on their own. Even three minutes can make all the difference.
Consistency is essential in parenting, as it is in all aspects of life. They won’t figure it out in a day or two. You’d need to work on this for at least a month.
In conclusion,(Newborn Won’t Sleep Unless Held)
Your baby refusing to sleep unless being held is a common sleep issue that exhausts parents and makes them feel trapped. And this is because when babies sleep on you on a regular basis, they learn that sleepy time happens in your arms, not in the bassinet. It’s difficult! But I’m here to assist you in getting unstuck! As difficult as it may appear now, you can get your baby to sleep soundly in their bassinet.
But now you have a few tips to free your arms while ensuring he gets enough sleep and develops good sleeping habits.
Attempt to soothe your baby without picking him up. Each naptime, put him down drowsy but awake, but if necessary, wait until he’s completely asleep before putting him down. Feeding him to sleep can cause digestive problems and develop the habit of feeding to sleep.
Keep him snug in a swaddle or baby wrap, which also allows you to reclaim your arms. Remember that it’s okay to take a quick break, and finally, make the best of the situation—it can be turned around.
Be patient; your baby will learn soon.
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