How to settle a baby in Moses baskets

A Moses basket is a nursery classic that always looks beautiful and charming. However, Moses baskets are also the ideal place for your newborn baby to get some much-needed rest - and yet every new parent knows that it is rarely so simple! If you are struggling to get your newborn to sleep, then keep reading. We have some top tips for how to settle a baby in Moses baskets so that you and your little one can enjoy better sleep.

Have realistic expectations

The amount your newborn sleeps can vary, and while some babies sleep for hours at a time in their Moses basket, others will wake regularly. Settling a baby into a Moses basket initially can be challenging, so don’t expect it to happen “overnight”, as it were. Just keep persevering….which will be easier with some of the following simple steps.

What not to do

Different methods work for everyone, but there are some things that will make it harder for you to get your baby to sleep in their Moses basket. To begin with, don’t wait to start teaching your baby healthy sleep associations. If you spend the first few weeks of their life always letting them fall asleep in your arms, or while nursing, then they will find it much more difficult to learn how to sleep away from your warmth and motion. It is also important to make sure your baby is actually tired and ready for sleep when you place them in their Moses basket - a baby who is wide awake is unlikely to drift off in a still, unfamiliar space! As well as assessing how tired your baby is, make sure they are not laid in their Moses basket when they are anxious or upset. A crying and fussing baby will only become more upset when placed down, and this will build a negative association with being put down in their Moses basket - it is vital that they feel that this soft, comfortable space is somewhere safe, warm and familiar, not somewhere lonely and frightening. By thoughtfully building these associations early on, you can have a much easier time when it comes to nap times and bedtimes.

Prepare a sleep space

Your baby’s Moses basket is only part of their sleeping environment. In order for them to feel safe and comfortable, you should ensure that the entire room is ready for rest during the day and overnight. Rooms should always be darkened, and the room temperature should not be too high to too low (around eighteen or twenty degrees is about right for good sleep). Transitioning your baby from your warm arms into a Moses basket is always going to startle them a little, so swaddling them can help them to feel less surprised by the change. The Moses basket itself should be comfortable and cosy, with fitted sheets to prevent bunching and discomfort as your baby sleeps. You also don't want to fill the Moses basket with toys, as these can be distracting and even create a less safe space.

Stick to a routine

Keeping up a sleep routine can go a long way to making sure your baby has a positive association with their Moses basket. Check that your baby is clean, dry and comfortable before beginning their sleep routine, gradually reducing stimulating activities by cuddling your baby, listening to soft music or white noise, and then placing them in their swaddle. As you place your baby in their Moses basket, you can calm them with a hand placed softly on their chest, or hold them a little until they begin to drift off. The important thing is to make sure your baby falls asleep in their Moses basket as often as possible, rather than in your arms so that they make the link between lying in their Moses basket and being safe and sleeping.

Try different spaces

Having a quiet, dark nursery space for your baby is perfect for getting them into their sleep routine, but parents who travel with babies are often surprised at how difficult it is to settle their little one in their Moses basket anywhere but at home. Similarly, if your baby falls asleep while feeding or being rocked, it will be more challenging to put them to sleep in their Moses basket when you need to sleep yourself, go out, or get things done around the house. Babies are always learning, so teaching them how to get restful sleep in a variety of different environments can be extremely beneficial. Try to put your baby down for naps in their Moses basket while you are performing tasks at home so that they can sleep through extra noise, and balance time spent rocking them to sleep with time spent teaching them to sleep while still. Building healthy sleep associations now will be extremely beneficial for you both when your little one is a newborn, and as they grow into a toddler.