Baby Won’t Sleep in the Crib: Gentle Tips That Help
Updated September 2025 · 6 min read
If your baby will only sleep in your arms, try putting them down drowsy but awake, warming the cot sheet slightly beforehand, and keeping the room dark and calm. Make the cot part of the daytime routine too, and settle them with a consistent hand-on-chest or shushing approach rather than always picking them up. Progress is gradual — a few consistent nights usually helps.
- Put your baby down drowsy but awake so they learn to settle in the cot.
- Warm the sheet slightly first so the cot doesn’t feel cold and jarring.
- Use the cot for daytime naps too, so it feels familiar.
- Settle consistently in the cot before lifting — small steps, repeated.
Why babies resist the cot
Many babies would rather sleep on a warm, moving, familiar-smelling parent than in a flat, still, cool cot — it’s completely understandable. The goal is to make the cot feel safe and familiar, and to help your baby learn to settle there.
Put them down drowsy, but awake
If your baby always falls asleep in your arms and wakes the moment they touch the mattress, try laying them down when they’re calm and sleepy but not yet fully asleep. It gives them the chance to learn to drift off in the cot, so a brief night waking there feels less alarming.
Small comforts that help
- Warm the sheet for a moment with a warm (not hot) water bottle, removing it before your baby goes in, so the cot doesn’t feel cold and jarring.
- Lay them down slowly, bottom first, keeping a reassuring hand on them for a few seconds.
- Keep it dark and quiet for night sleep; white noise can help some babies.
- A consistent wind-down — feed, bath, dim lights, a song — signals that sleep is coming.
Make the cot familiar by day
Use the cot for daytime naps and a little supervised, happy awake time, so it becomes a normal, pleasant place rather than somewhere only used at the hardest part of the day.
Settle in the cot first
When your baby stirs, try settling them in the cot — a hand on the chest, gentle shushing or patting — before lifting them out. If they need picking up, that’s fine; calm them and try laying them back down. Repeating the same gentle response helps them learn what to expect.
Keep it safe, and be patient
Whatever you try, stick to safe-sleep basics — back sleeping, a clear firm cot, the right room temperature. Change tends to come gradually over several consistent nights rather than all at once. If exhaustion is affecting you, ask your health visitor for support.
Frequently asked questions
Why will my baby only sleep in my arms?
Your arms are warm, familiar and moving, while a cot is flat, still and cool u2014 so many babies prefer them. Putting your baby down drowsy but awake, and warming the sheet first, can help the cot feel more inviting.
How do I get my baby to sleep in the crib?
Lay them down drowsy but awake, warm the sheet beforehand, keep the room dark and calm, use the cot for daytime naps too, and settle them in the cot with a consistent approach before lifting them out.
Is it okay to let my baby nap in my arms?
Occasional contact naps are fine and lovely for bonding. If you want your baby to sleep in the cot, gradually practising putting them down there u2014 for naps as well as nights u2014 helps them get used to it.
Sources
Safe-sleep guidance in this article reflects the recommendations of bodies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the UK’s NHS and The Lullaby Trust. It is general information, not medical advice — always follow the guidance of your own paediatrician, midwife or health visitor.