Skip to main content

4 of the best ways to get your sleeping baby to the crib

Ah, your infant is finally asleep in your arms and you can at long last take that shower, load the dishwasher, start dinner … the list is endless. You cherish these bonding moments with your little one, however you really do need to get started on your to-do list. But now comes the transfer from your arms to the crib — when your baby always wakes up. That’s the cumbersome part and every new parent faces it.

While there are no foolproof solutions, we’ve come up with a few suggestions that may help you successfully transfer your sleeping baby to the crib.

Mother holding a sleeping baby near a crib
Goroshnikova/Shutterstock.com

How to transfer a sleeping baby to the crib

The first thing is to ensure there aren’t any distracting sounds that may disrupt your sleeping baby. Cue the white noise! Available as cute stuffed animals, small machines with a night light, and everything in between, a white noise machine will mask any background noise and emit calming lullabies, sea waves, rain, a babbling brook, and more.

Another hack to try is distancing yourself slightly from your baby. Here’s why: If your infant is asleep in your arms, he or she feels warm and snug. If you abruptly transfer them to a cold crib, they will immediately feel the difference in temperature. So, a little while before you’re ready to make the transfer, hold your child away from your body so they can more readily adjust to the temperature change in their room. You might also wrap them in a shirt that you’ve preheated to help make the transfer a little easier. Some even suggest avoiding eye contact with your little one during the transfer. While it’s hard to resist how adorable they look, this small change in body language will signal to them that it’s time to sleep.

Take your time

Another suggestion is to warm the crib sheets ahead of time. You can place something like a water bottle or heating pad in the crib about 10 minutes before you’re ready to lay your baby down. This can make the transition a little more comfortable. And be aware that your child is very sensitive to smells at this age. In fact, studies show that a baby can recognize their own parents by smell. Make sure you remove any soiled clothing, diapers, or other items that have an unpleasant odor from the room.

Don’t try to make the transition from your arms to the crib suddenly. Slowly and gently lower your sleeping baby onto the mattress and then slowly pull away your fingers from beneath. Softly stroke their back or tummy and hum them a tune. Give them time to adjust to their surroundings before you leave.

Is your baby really asleep?

Before you go stare down that huge pile of dirty laundry, make sure your baby is in a deep sleep.

One of the most popular methods to determine this is the floppy arm test: Lift your baby’s arm and then drop it. If it limply falls back down, then you’ve achieved your goal! However, if it is stiff when you lift it, you have a little more work to do. Another tell is if your baby’s eyes are darting under the lids — that’s a sure sign that they are in the REM stage. You can also check to see if their breathing is deep and relaxed. That’s usually a good sign that they’re having sweet dreams!

So, if you’ve tried all these hacks and your baby still wakes up when placed in the crib, wait about 20 minutes and then try again. This time around, try waiting 30 minutes before you transition your sleeping baby from your arms to the crib. This gives them time to go into a deep sleep and they’re less likely to wake up once you put them down. Worst-case scenario: Play some soothing lullabies on your iPhone, grab another cup of coffee, and settle down with a magazine. You may be here a while!

Parents at crib of their sleeping baby

Editors' Recommendations

NewFolks
When do babies start talking? Should you be concerned if yours isn’t?
Learn why baby babbling is music to a parent's ears
Father talking to his infant child

Baby's first year is such an exciting time. As new parents, we are amazed at all those milestones, like rolling over and baby's first smile. One milestone many parents anxiously await is baby's first words. Will it be "mama" or "dada?" The more important question, though, may be, "When do babies start talking?"

A baby' speech development actually begins at birth. The sounds they hear, including their parents, talking is a vital step in speech development. So, when should your baby be saying those exciting first words, and should you be worried if yours isn't talking yet?
When do babies start talking?
As with all of those memorable milestones, when a baby begins to talk falls within a range. Most babies will say that treasured first word somewhere between 12 and 18 months. Once that first word comes out, it won't be long before baby is putting small words together like "up ma."

Read more
Why your teen should get a summer job right now
Benefits of summer jobs for teens and some employment ideas
Newspaper advertising summer jobs for teens

Summertime is right around the corner. It won't take long before your teenager is bored, moody, unmotivated, and dare we say, a tad bit lazy. On the other side of the coin, perhaps your teen is the too-cool-for-summer type who wants to socialize all day, every day, heading to the mall, beach, pool, or with friends until it's curfew time.

Certainly, the summer is your adolescent's chance to relax, recharge, and enjoy some time off after a challenging school year. Summer doesn't mean teens are exempt from all responsibility, though. Spring is the ideal time to encourage your teen to start looking for a summer job.

Read more
Can these methods really help predict your baby’s gender? Get the scoop here
Find out if these baby gender predictors are accurate
A couple holding a gender reveal balloon

Having a baby is one of the most exciting times in a person's life and one that involves making a lot of decisions. Before you even get pregnant, you may have already decided if you're going to find out the sex of your baby or let it be a surprise. Some people want to know in advance so they can plan accordingly, while others are happy to wait until the baby arrives to find out if they are having a boy or a girl.
Regardless of how you feel about the subject of baby gender predictors, people are going to share their opinions on whether you're having a boy or a girl, and the reasons for those opinions! So can those old wives' tales and different methods of gender predicting really help tell you your baby's sex? Maybe, or maybe not! Let's explore the different ways to determine a baby's gender.

Ultrasound
When it comes to determining the sex of your unborn baby, the ultrasound is the gold standard. Throughout any person's pregnancy, they will undergo a series of ultrasounds to ensure the baby is growing accordingly, and an ultrasound technician can typically determine the baby's sex during an anatomy scan anywhere between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy.

Read more