How to Get Newborn to Sleep without Being Held

When you’re having lots of stuff to do for the baby, you need to get free from your baby. For that, it’s a good thing to learn how to get newborn to sleep without being held. It’ll help you to take your rest for a while and do your other jobs at night. So let's start with the solution!

Steps on how to get newborn to sleep without being held

Step 1- Keep your baby busy during the day

Play with your baby, talk to him and make funny faces. Rub his feet, play music and keep him busy. Your baby can have a little doze during the day but wake him up as soon as possible. As you need to keep him asleep at night so keep him awake during the day.

Step 2- Engage your baby with calm activities in the evening

When the evening comes with the end of the daytime, play with your child in a calm and quiet environment. Engage him with calm activities. Spend the time with your baby by feeding or bathing and make the sleepy environment.​​

Step 3- Maintain the bedtime routine

You can do anything with your baby before the bedtime. But try to maintain the routine. Like- if you feed your baby before sleeping time then do it every day in the evening before the bedtime. Maintain the bedtime ritual so that the baby fall asleep at night. FYI, maintaining the bedtime routine has more values than just sleeping.

Both mom and dad should do it in the alternative day. This is because if he gets used to with only mom, then he won’t get asleep when mom is not available.

Step 4- Put the baby to crib or bassinet before getting asleep

After the long tiring day, your baby will get asleep soon. Initially, he dozes. At that moment put your kid in the crib or a suitable bassinet you have. If you start jiggling the crib now, he’ll get awake. So wait for a moment to get asleep.

Step 5- Provide a soothing blanket

If you wrap your baby in a small blanket, it’s very soothing. Your baby feels comfortable and sleepy. But don’t cram the crib with stuffed animal, fluffy blanket or more things to make the environment suffocating for your children. Finally, provide a soother but ensure the comfort of your baby.

Step 6- Move your baby in rhythmic motion

Put your baby in the crib and move it or jiggle it after getting asleep. This rocking movement is relaxing to your child. This is because, when your baby was in the womb, he used to get bounced gently. Thus, he is comfortable with this movement. So put your baby down and gently move the crib in the rhythmic motion.

Step 7- Snuggled up with soft cloth

As your baby was in the womb for a long time so if you snuggle up with the cloth, he can feel the same environment like the womb. Besides, it helps them to stay calm and quiet. Moreover, many kids make themselves awake by flinging out their legs or arms. So this Swaddling helps your baby to have a sound and soothing sleep.

Step 8- Rub arms and legs

To make him dozy and help to drift off, rub his legs and arms gently. It makes him comfortable and soothing to get asleep. According to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, the secured position to sleep on for the baby is his back. So for the newborn make him sleep on his back.

Step 9- Use the scent of the mom

You don't know, how to get newborn to sleep without being held? Use this trick. As your baby was in the womb for nine long months, so your smell gives him comfort and security. It helps him to feel your presence wherever you go. So when he drifts off, put one of your unwashed t-shirt or cloth beside him so that he can feel your presence. Thus, your newborn will fall asleep soon and feel more relaxing.

The bottom line

Finally, I think you’ve learned some tricks and solution for getting your baby to sleep and keep yourself free! From now on, I hope you can manage your time to do work on your own and also ensure a sound sleep at night! Good luck!