Why won't my baby nap anywhere except being held?
Babies frequently cry the moment they are put down in a bassinet, forcing caregivers to spend the entire day holding them for every single nap. This constant contact leaves parents exhausted and unable to accomplish basic daily tasks.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using baby carriers to keep the baby close while having free handsDid this help you?
- 2Accepting the phase and letting go of trying to get chores doneDid this help you?
- 3Using bouncer chairs, play mats, or crib carousels to distract the baby temporarilyDid this help you?
- 4Propping the baby up with a pillow during feeding to get them used to not being in armsDid this help you?
- 5holding the baby anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour after feedingDid this help you?
- 6picking the baby right back up to get her to fall straight back to sleepDid this help you?
- 7Lie down next to the baby to coach and help them move their arms and legs into a position to get upDid this help you?
- 8Use a toy or object to entice them and guide them toward a sitting positionDid this help you?
- 9Holding the baby constantlyDid this help you?
- 10Using a learning tower in the kitchen so the baby can stand and play while attached to the parentDid this help you?
- 11Using a hip carrier or support seat like a TushbabyDid this help you?
- 12Waiting for the baby to adjust and get used to the new environment over a period of weeksDid this help you?
- 13Allowing the child to take a short nap in the car on the ride homeDid this help you?
- 14Putting the child to bed early in the evening to make up for lost sleepDid this help you?
- 15Turning on the TV for short intervals so the parent can accomplish tasks.Did this help you?
- 16Telling the child you are leaving to do one task and coming right back, slowly building tolerance over time.Did this help you?
- 17Putting up a baby gate to create a physical barrier.Did this help you?
- 18Investigating and treating potential underlying physical causes like acid reflux.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“If she gets tips over or gets laid on the floor… she just stays there like an utterly defeated starfish.”source ↗
“She’ll lay there indefinitely, and will NOT roll over or sit up. Eventually she’ll get upset like she’s stuck.”source ↗
“My 10 month old daughter used to happily play/sit on the floor but recently when I try to sit her down or change her diaper she will immediately cry, arch her back and protest it.”source ↗
“Every time we feed him, burp him and change his diaper, we try putting him in his bassinet and he doesn’t like it. He’ll cry like crazy until we pick him up.”source ↗
“The problem is I’m at work the whole day, so my wife ends up spending most of the day holding him and can’t really do much of anything else. She’s getting really tired and exhausted.”source ↗
“My problem until 6 months was that every nap had to be a contact nap.”source ↗
“She will be fed to sleep at night. Transferred in a few mins and then sleep a long stretch 4-7 hours. But after that stretch, she gets up for her bottle, falls asleep eating. But no matter how long you hold her for she will wake up when you put her back in the cot.”source ↗
“I have tried holding 5 mins all the way to one hour… this can happen 4-5 times and last 2 hours.”source ↗
“How can I stop this two hour middle of the night battle???”source ↗
“Yes. I've been holding my Velcro baby 75% of her life and she's almost 14months. Its SO hard. My back hurts.”source ↗
“He has not napped a singular minute! He typically naps 3+ hours at home. He is so well tempered so they said he was happy all day but he has came home to exhausted and over tired.”source ↗
“My 11 month old barely naps at daycare… 20 minutes usually.”source ↗
“My 13 month old cries incessantly if I’m not holding him or sitting with him and fully entertaining him.”source ↗
“I am unable to get literally anything accomplished at home without him screaming and crying until he gags.”source ↗
“Once my son started walking, he would follow me and throw himself at my legs until he bounced off and hit his head on the floor.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 19Why is my toddler staying up until midnight refusing to sleep?
- 4Toddler suddenly refuses usual babysitter and acts out
- 21How to handle a toddler fighting diaper changes and teeth brushing
- 2Baby cries really hard during tummy time
- 11Preschooler refusing to follow rules and leaving the classroom
- 4Why does my kid refuse to say hello or goodbye?