Your baby's room has been ready for a few weeks, just waiting for your little one to offer them a cozy nest for nights and naps. And yet, they love to rest in your arms. Don't worry, this stage is common for newborns and babies who find the comfort they need to fall asleep in their parents' arms. Ouatine & Cumulus explains why your arms seem so comfortable and how to successfully put your baby to sleep in their crib.
As a parent, you'll probably recognize this situation: your baby fell asleep in your arms and when you put them in their crib, they wake up. But why can't they fall asleep directly in their crib? First, remember that for nine months, they were peacefully resting warm inside mom's belly. Since mom's belly is no longer an option, they need to find another way to feel rocked, warm, and comforted. Parents' arms are the soothing and reassuring solution.
What your child looks for in your arms 👶
During the first few months after birth, children grow daily, largely thanks to sleep. It goes without saying that their rest is more than important to help them develop well, as it provides comfort, soothing, and security. Babies are looking for warmth, which they find in adults' arms, but also for soothing which they find by resting their head against their parents' chest, hearing their heartbeats. Rocking, warmth, and body sounds remind the baby of the sensations experienced in utero.
Being in their parents' arms therefore provides immediate comfort, meeting a need for comfort and security. The need for proximity can also be related to a survival instinct ingrained in us from birth: being close to their parents reassures the baby who may be looking for a source of food, warmth, and security. A calming effect that helps regulate blood, hormones, and thus good development.
Your baby's difficulty falling asleep anywhere but in your arms may be a longer need for acclimatization to their new sleep environment. All children are different, so it's normal for some to need more attention in the first few weeks after birth.
How to reassure your baby and create a smooth transition? 🤱
Wanting to find solutions to reassure your baby and allow them to fall asleep alone in their crib is perfectly legitimate. However, be careful not to rush them, as too rapid a change could upset the baby and harm the relationship that is building between them and you.
Babies love routine. Establishing a bedtime ritual is therefore the preferred solution to help them fall asleep. Repeat the same personalized ritual every evening—a bath, a cuddle, a song, your choice—and you will help your baby relax and associate these activities with bedtime. The bedtime routine should be consistent and relaxing to signal to your baby that it's time to sleep.
"You can place your baby in a cocoon to provide a sense of security, as if they were in your arms or in utero. Let them feel that they can relax, calm down, and fall into the arms of Morpheus. Inside their cocoon, they know they will feel protected and can self-reassure themselves thanks to an ideal position: their little feet and the top of their head find comforting contact against the edges of the cocoon."
Stéphanie, founder of Ouatine & Cumulus, nurse and mother
Finally, the baby's room should be designed to provide them with an adequate sleep environment. The room where they spend their nights should allow them to rest calmly, away from sound stimuli, with dim light during naps and total darkness during the night. Too much noise or light can disrupt the baby's sleep and make it difficult for them to fall asleep. The ideal room temperature is between 18 and 20°C, so be careful not to overheat the room in winter and to ventilate it regularly between your little one's rest periods.
What is the progressive sleep process? 💤
Learning to fall asleep alone, away from their parents, can be a complicated step for some babies. Trying a progressive approach can help your child become more independent in their sleep. Good things come to those who wait, and parental patience is also part of the process. Here, the goal is to rock your child in your arms until they are drowsy, before gently placing them in their bed or cocoon, first on their side, then rolling them onto their back, to avoid startle reflexes. Do not leave the room immediately; stay by their side, whispering sweet words, maintaining hand contact. This allows them to associate their bed with a place of comfort and security.
Day after day, place your child in their bed earlier and earlier in their sleep phase. You offer them greater autonomy, but also the ability to fall asleep alone and not just in your arms. You can also use sensory cues to reassure them, for example, by placing a small piece of fabric with your comforting scent near them or by using white noise to soothe them and mimic the sounds they heard in the womb.
Ouatine & Cumulus, the solution for better growth
Our cocoons were designed to meet babies' sleep needs. Comfortable, secure, soothing, they offer gentle and welcoming support to help them achieve quality sleep.
However, bedding alone does not guarantee a good night's sleep. Sometimes, despite all efforts and techniques, your child may still only want to fall asleep in your arms. In this case, do not hesitate to consult a child sleep specialist or pediatrician. Sometimes reflux problems, physical discomfort, or anxiety can make independent sleep more difficult, consulting a sleep specialist or pediatrician can help you understand your child's needs.
