My 1 week old newborn baby will easily settle on us but screams when put down

by mr
(england)

Question: Our 1 week old newborn baby will sleep on me and my wife but when he goes into his moses basket he screams. Is there anything we can do please?

Heidi's Answer: Hi there, your baby is still so very very little. It is not easy at all for most newborns to settle for sleep (see the newborn section of this site).

The warmth and comfort your baby finds when lying on your wife or yourself , helps him to be able to settle and sleep restfully.

That said, you do want to get some rest for yourselves too of course. What can work well is to allow your son to fall asleep on you/your wife. Wait until he is deeply asleep: his breathing will slow down and be very regular, he will lie still and completely relaxed (this can take up to 30 minutes).

Make sure he's already bundled up, say in a wearable blanket, so there is no fuss at all when putting him down.

There is enough time in a few months before self soothing becomes a 'must-learn'.

Your son may also continue to have a strong need to be near you, and co sleeping may be an option for you: have a look at my Cosleepers Guide for ideas or Dr McKenna's book Sleeping with Your Baby: A Parent's Guide to Cosleeping for in-depth practical help.

Safety is key when cosleeping, but also when you 'only' let your baby fall asleep on you: do not do this if you risk falling asleep yourself (because of the risk of SIDS, which occurs when cosleeping on the sofa too).

If your baby consistently screams when put down, I invite you to read this page on newborn crying.

Best to the whole family and good luck with your newborn treasure!
Kindly,
Heidi