Why won't my son sleep in his bassinet?

Question

I had my son a month ago, and for about 2 weeks now he refuses to sleep in his bassinet. He'll be sound asleep and as soon as I lay him down in the bassinet he wakes up and starts to fuss. He sleeps great when I put him in his bouncy seat or if he is sleeping with me or my husband. He doesn't seem to like his swing either. Just wondering why he doesn't like his bassinet and what I can do to get him to sleep in it?

Answer 1

My son was the same way. I let him be that way though because I had him while my husband was on deployment and i felt better with him sleeping with me.  Even the night I had him he wouldnt sleep where he was supposed to I was up for 2 nights straight until I got to go home and the only way he would sleep would be laying on my chest. He is now 5 months and it took until he was 3 months until he would sleep in his crib. My husband started making me put him in the crib even during his napping. When you lay him in there maybe kind of lean over it and stay pretty close to his face so he can smell you and kind of see you, my son fell asleep when I rub his butt and am somewhere real close to him. He also hated his swing no matter if which way it swung. Sometimes babies like to swing side to side or front to back. Now that my son is 5 months he wont let me put him down, I can never clean the house unless I can do it one handed. Good Luck with the sleeping situation it can be difficult to handle sometimes,  

Answer 2

It is something that has to be learned. You have to remember that for 9 months he was cozy inside of you. I had my son and let him sleep with me and he did that until he was almost two. I would say you just have to give him time to get used to it. I know it may be hard because he is so little and you want to make them happy but trust me you don't want to have a two year old sleeping with you. You might think it will get easier later but trust me it gets worse. Some babies don't like to motion of the swing. If you say he likes his bouncy seat they have a bassint that does the same thing. I would look into it. Good luck and just remember a fussy baby now is better than a two year old kicking you in the middle of the night.

Answer 3

He is secure next to you and daddy. Nice, warm, cozy. But, the sooner you start training him to sleep elsewhere, the better off you'll be. Believe me, it's not going to be cute when he's 2!

Just put him in his bed, make certain he's OK, and shut the door. He'll cry and carry on, but eventually you'll survive the guilt and tears (yours!) of listening to him cry.

It'll take a few nights of crying himself to sleep, but then it'll be over. Don't go back in the room if you know he's ok.

Either you are training him to sleep alone -- or he is training you to come get him. Which will it be?

Smart little things, aren't they? :-))

Answer 4

When i was little, I had some problems with my ears. I didnt like swings and I hated hats (according to my parents)

Are his ears sensitive?

Answer 5

Don't swing the bassinet.  Just lie him in it as if it were a crib.  When you put him down, keep your hands on him and slowly pull away.  But babies cry for a reason.  Especially babies under 3 months old.  You can spoil a baby.  You can hold him too much at this age.  He doesn't have a lot of memory.  And it doesn't last very long.  It will last longer after 6 months.  

Did you feed him, hold him on you, then put him down?  Perhaps he's upset because when you lie him flat it upsets his tummy.  Trial and error are your friends.  But if he cries, don't be afraid to pick him up.  Check diaper, burp, hot/cold, tag itches his side.  Might have been close to wake-up time and the change disturbed him.  Or not quite a sound asleep as you thought.  

Answer 6

He may like the feel of being snuggled like in your arms and in the bouncy seat (reminds him of the womb).  The bassinet is an open flat space.  The way I got my baby to adjust was by wrapping him up in his blanket like they do in the hospital...he felt snuggled and slept well..eventually he didn't need to be snuggled to sleep peacefully.