Why Your Newborn Hates Their Bassinet

If you have your baby in a hospital, somewhere between delivery and the first night in your postpartum room, your newborn will likely be introduced to their new sleeping space, the bassinet. It is typically standard protocol for safety, of course.

The first night, they may seem to do fine. But after that? Your baby suddenly is not having it, crying every time you place them there. You call your nurse and they effortlessly swaddle your baby until they settle and sleep for hours. You pay close attention to every swaddling tutorial during your hospital stay so you feel prepared when you get home.

Once settled in at home, you confidently swaddle your baby and place them in their bassinet, only for them to break free and wake up five minutes later.

Maybe you had a home birth and your bassinet is set up bedside for easy transfers during middle-of-the-night feedings. No matter what you try, your baby just does not want to sleep there. But why?

The reason many newborns have a difficult time sleeping independently is actually simple. It’s new. They have never done it before.

Your baby has spent months in a warm, contained environment with constant movement, sound, and closeness. Suddenly they are placed flat on their back in an unfamiliar space with no boundaries. On top of that, the newborn startle reflex, designed to protect them, can also be the reason they wake so easily.

You know the rules: alone, on their back, in their own sleep space. But no one really prepares you for when they will not settle and it is 3 AM.

The other thing many parents are not prepared for is the technique involved in swaddling. Let me tell you from experience, it can take time to get a swaddle right, if ever. And by the time you finally feel confident, your baby may already be starting to roll, meaning it is time to stop swaddling anyway.

Sleep with a newborn can be hard. The PeaPod is designed to simplify and ease the transition to independent sleep for newborns. Simplicity comes from removing the swaddle confusion. One zip and your baby is gently contained. Gentle containment mimics the boundaries of the womb, which can help calm the startle reflex so your baby may not wake as easily, all while supporting safe sleep.

Newborn sleep. Made simple.